Mackenzie is one of the League’s premier playmakers, ranking top 10 in assists per game on the season. He is scoring 13 points per game from 44.9% shooting, and has been the team’s go to man in the clutch of late.
Leicester Riders take on the British Basketball League’s only undefeated team in 2024, the Cheshire Phoenix, in their next Championship fixture.
The Phoenix have proved too much to overcome for every opponent this calendar year, including the League leading London Lions who they bested in the Trophy final.
Here have been the keys to their success…
Running the Fastbreak
Cheshire plays fast, with willing runners going coast to coast in transition at the highest rate of any team in the British basketball League.
The Phoenix lead the League in fast break points with 18.97 per game, and get their opportunities on the break often by topping the points from turnovers charts with 16.77 per game
Their ability to get buckets in transition stems from their ball pressure on the defensive end, where they rank first in steals with 8.53.
Trophy Final MVP Laquincy Rideau has been key to getting the Phoenix on the run. The American point guard is first among all players in steals this season with 3.1 per game in his first season in the British Basketball League.
He also leads the League in assists with 6.8 per game, pushing the pace in transition and dishing off to his teammates on the run for easy buckets.
— British Basketball League (@britishbasketm) October 7, 2023
Good shot selection and hustle in transition will be key to keeping Cheshire in the halfcourt in this one, and prevent easy baskets on the break.
Offensive rebounding
As well as getting easy looks on the break, the Phoenix crash the glass for second chance points to generate their offence.
Cheshire ranks second, behind the Bristol Flyers, in offensive rebounding with 13.57 per game, leading to a League-high 11.80 second chance points per game.
đ€Ż CAM CHRISTON! Hustlin' his way to beat the buzzer and put @CheshireNix up after 10 minutes against @Cal_Gladiators.
— British Basketball League (@britishbasketm) January 5, 2024
Front court pairing Ethan Chargois and Arryn Rai lead the effort on the glass, grabbing 2.5 and 2.4 offensive rebounds per game respectively. They both rank in the top 10 among all players in that department, their two pronged attack making it difficult to box out from missed Phoenix shots.
The Riders have multiple players willing to do the work on the glass, from the Leagueâs leading scorer Teddy Allen who pulls down a team-high 6.7 boards per game, to the Ridersâ depth at the big position of Mo Walker, Sam Idowu and Duke Shelton who all take pride in their rebounding efforts.
With the Phoenix shooting at a 45.55 % rate on the season- third best of all teams- the Riders cannot afford to give them second looks at the hoop.
Points in the paint
Cheshireâs speed in transition, offensive rebounding and halfcourt approach means they rank second in the League in points in the paint. The Phoenix score 39.73 points in the paint per game, led by stars who relentlessly attack the hoop.
Arryn Rai has been key to the offensive playstyle. The new acquisition from the NBL in the offseason is the teamâs leading scorer and a top five scorer in the League with 18.3 points per game.
Rai attempts 8.2 shots from within the arc per game, connecting on 62.2% of his looks in close.
This ranks third in the League of those who have taken over 100 shots. Raiâs aggressive drives to the rim opens up shots for teammates and draws fouls on opponents, highlighting the emphasis on the Riders being able to contest without fouling.
The Riders have bodies to throw at Rai in the paint, but staying in front of the talented wing may be key to preventing a big scoring night. Cutting off Raiâs drives to the rim will be tasked with the Riders premier perimeter defenders, who are in for an intense night to limit Raiâs effectiveness.
We need you there!
The team need your help to get over the line in this one!
Key matchups: Leicester Riders vs Cheshire Phoenix
Leicester Riders take on the Cheshire Phoenix on Friday, in an important clash for the team.
The star-studded fixture features three All-Star starters, and some of the best talent the League has to offer going head to head.
Here, we take a look at the key matchups in the game…
Aaryn Rai vs Teddy Allen
Last seasonâs NBL Player of the Year, Aaryn Rai, has established himself as one of the Leagueâs best in his step up to the British Basketball League.
The Canadian wing ranks top five in scoring (17.38 points per game), sixth in rebounding (7 per game) and top 10 in field goal percentage (56.47%), as well as knocking down his threes at a red hot 41% rate.
Rai leads the League in three point percentage from the top of arc, finding success pulling up in transition and losing his defenders at the top of the three point line.
He has also relentlessly attacked the rim all season long, and his willingness to push the tempo in transition has been key to Cheshireâs high-paced, fastbreak offensive approach.
Rai has exploded for huge games this season, the biggest of which was a 32 point outing against the London Lions. But heâll be faced with the tall task of keeping up with the Leagueâs leading scorer- Teddy Allen.Â
Allen enters this game after back-to-back 35 point performances. Only two players have scored more points in their first eight Championship games. Allen has averaged 26.4 points per game in the League so far, and will look to continue to rack up the points in an attempt to overcome the Phoenix.
Laquincy Rideau vs Kimbal Mackenzie
Laquincy Rideau was instrumental to Cheshireâs Trophy success, hitting the game winning layup against the Riders in the Final Four, and winning Final MVP with 25 points and 10 rebounds against London Lions.
He has been the Leagueâs true point guard, leading all players in assists (6.8 per game) and steals (3 per game), making his impact felt on both ends of the ball.
Rideau pulls the strings for Cheshire, and has logged double digit assists seven times this season. This has contributed to his seven double doubles so far, three of which coming against the Riders.
He battled down the stretch with Riders captain Kimbal Mackenzie in the Trophy, Rideau having the final say on that occasion, but Mackenzie has stepped up consistently in the clutch for the Riders over the past few seasons, and will look to again when his number is called.Â
He led the team down the stretch in a clutch win against Caledonia Gladiators, scoring six points in the final two minutes, and has hit a rich vein of form of late.
Mackenzie had scored 15+ in his last three games, earning Player of the Game with his 21 point performance against the Gladiators.
The Canadian has been a killer from midrange, getting to his sports consistently and connecting on over 50% of his looks. Expect a back-and-forth between him and Rideau from the backcourt in this one.
Skyler White vs Sam Idowu
A Cheshire weapon that has been effective against the Riders this season has been stretch four Skyler White, who has put up big numbers from behind the arc.
Two of his best games of the season were against the Riders, the first a 22 point outing on opening night, and 23 points in the Trophy Final Four.
White hit a combined 13 threes in those games, and chucked up 31. His high volume of three point attempts mean the Riders have to close out when he drifts to the perimeter.
Sizing him up in the front court will be Sam Idowu, a versatile forward who is more than comfortable stepping up to the outside.
Idowu has a versatile game on both ends, capable of hitting the three, taking defenders off the dribble and working in the post down low. He has the size to challenge White when he goes to work in the paint, and the athleticism and perimeter defence to follow him out to the three point line and contest his three point attempts.Â
Idowu has enjoyed good form over the last few months, and went off for 20 against Plymouth City Patriots on February 9. The matchup at the forward position has been a significant factor between the sides this season, and it could be no different in this one.
We need you there!
The team need your help to get over the line in this one!
The Riders led from the opening quarter, and controlled the game throughout. Led by Peeples, they outrebounded the Giants 62-28 in the game.
Brooklynn Mcalear-Fanus led the Giants with 20 in the hostâs defeat. Manchester shot well from three, hitting 40% of their attempts, but couldnât keep Leicester off the glass throughout.
The Riders endured a slow start, falling in a 5-0 hole before OâBrienâs three from the top of the arc took the lid off the basket for the visitors. Marsissa Hamilton, following a 5/5 night from three on Friday, followed her up with a triple of her own, giving the Riders the lead in a quick swing.
The threes settled the Riders down, and they took control of the first quarter. They established the paint, led by six points from Rayven Peeples, and led the first 26-17 after a relentless attack of the rim throughout the period.
OâBrien took over the start to the second with 5 quick points, making her points tally 12 with seven minutes left in the half. Young star Erin Powell also put five on the board to bring her total to seven, and Leicester extended their lead.Â
OâBrienâs hot first half meant the Riders won the second period 23-15. Peeples bossed the boards with 10 rebounds at the half, contributing to 10 offensive rebounds for the team as they owned the inside. The score was 49-32 at halftime- the Riders in control.
Sam Ashby got the second half underway with a three to set the tone in the third quarter. The sides exchanged buckets, but the Riders held their opponents 20 points away.
The Giants did chip into their deficit with four minutes left in the third, as Idil Turk hit back-to-back from deep to make it a 14 point difference. But Peeples got work out of the resulting timeout, making a tough bucket at the rim in response.Â
They went 8-0 started by Peepleâs bucket, before the quarter was ended by another Turk three to make it 70-51.Â
Boasting a big lead, the Riders saw the game out professionally. Ashby, Peeples and OâBrien shouldered the scoring load, and Leicester won the fourth 22-16 to improve their record to 11-2.
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Season series: Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
Report: Riders dominate the Eagles for fourth straight win
Leicester Riders won their second straight against Newcastle Eagles, and fourth straight in the Championship, dominating wire-to-wire to emerge 90-75 victors.
Star guard Taylor OâBrien set the tone with her scoring early, and stayed hot throughout to go off for 29 points and 11 rebounds. She led the Riders scoring for the second straight game, matching up well against the Eagles.
She was backed by Sam Ashby and Marissa Hamilton, who both put up 15 points. Hamilton went 5-5 from three in the game, torching the Eagles from deep.
The Riders shot 50% from the field and 45% from three in an efficient scoring display.
They also won the rebounding battle 48-42, as Rayven Peeples dominated the glass to grab 16 rebounds on the game.Â
Newcastle struggled from deep throughout, shooting 15% from three against the Ridersâ stifling perimeter defence. Leading scorer Tierra Hodges put up 23 points, but it wasnât enough to lead her team to a win.
OâBrien started the game aggressively. She scored the Riders first two buckets to take the lead, stringing a pull up from midrange and a floater off the dribble. The American guard led the game in the quarter, which Leicester led throughout.
They were up by as much as seven, but the Eagles stayed in the game with the score 23-19 at the buzzer. A rainbow floater from Newcastleâs Lauren Saiki concluded the quarterâs action.
Back-to-back threes from Hamilton blew the game open, putting Leicester up nine in the second. The Riders held the visitors at armâs length at the half, riding the hot hand of Peeples who followed up her frontcourt teammate with drives to the rim in the pick and roll.
With 2:25 left in the quarter, OâBrienâs three gave the hosts their biggest lead of the evening at 38-26. Her corner three brought the Ridersâ lead, and her points total, to double digits. The Eagles responded with a 5-0 run, and the sides entered the locker rooms with the Riders up 40-33.
Triples from Hamilton and newly named All-Star Ashby rebuilt Leicesterâs lead to start the second half. Ashby then attacked the hoop, followed by OâBrien, to make the score 56-37 halfway through the third.
Hamiltonâs hot hand continued to punish the Eagles. She drained her fourth triple to make it a 20 point difference. It was a lead they took into the fourth, after finished the third with a three from the top of the arc to make it 74-50.
The final period was a formality, with the Riders having done the groundwork in the third quarter to set up a comfortable finish. Athena Thompson got to the hoop late, the 15 year old scoring her first points in the Womenâs British Basketball League. She finished up with 6 points in the final quarter.
The Riders are back in action on March 2, hosting the Oaklands Wolves.
Sam Ashby named to 2024 British Basketball All-Star Team
Leicester Riders guard Sam Ashby has been voted a 2024 British Basketball League All-Star starter.
She will suit up for the South, alongside Oaklands Wolves’ Allison Day and London Lions’ trio Shanice Beckford-Norton, Temi Fagbenle and Megan Gustafson at the Copper Box Arena on March 24.
Ashby was the highest-voted player in the guard position in the South. Januaryâs Player of the Month is logging 13.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in her first season in professional basketball.Â
Ashby commented: “I’m super excited to be selected for the All-Star game! Having the opportunity to play alongside the best players in the League, and under Head Coach Stella Kaltisdou, will be an amazing experience.”
The full starting fives for the All-Star game are as follows.
Position
North
South
Guard
Georgia Anderson (c)- Manchester Giants
Shanice Beckford-Norton- London Lions
Guard
Georgia Gayle- Sheffield Hatters
Sam Ashby- Leicester Riders
Forward
Harriet Ittewill-Soulsby- Durham Palatinates
Allison Day- Oaklands Wolves
Forward
Emma Eichmeyer- Sheffield Hatters
Temi Fagbenle- London Lions
Center
Kirsty Brown– Caledonia Gladiators
Megan Gustafson- London Lions
The remainder of the team will be chosen by the two head coaches, B. Braun Sheffield Hatters Head Coach Vanessa Ellis for the North and London Lions Head Coach, Stella Kaltisdou for the South.
Riders duo named to 2024 British Basketball League All-Star Team
Leicester Riders duo Teddy Allen and Jaren Holmes have been voted 2024 British Basketball League All-Star starters.
They will suit up for the South, alongside London Lions guard Matthew Morgan and forward Sam Dekker, and Bristol Flyers center Brad Greene at the Copper Box Arena on March 24.
Allen is the Leagueâs leading scorer, and has been named captain after amassing the most votes of any player in the South. Since signing with the Riders in mid-December, heâs putting up 26.4 points and 6.7 rebounds, while shooting 47.6% from the field and a red-hot 46.5% from three in the Championship.
Allen commented: “It always feels good to be recognised for what you do, in any light. Thank you to all the fans who took the time to vote!”
Holmes was the highest-voted player in the guard position in the South. He is logging 13.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in the Championship this season, impressing in his rookie year.
Holmes commented: “It’s an honour to be voted an All-Star. I’m grateful to my teammates for putting me in the situations to be successful, and to the coaching staff for believing in my abilities day in and day out.
“Thank you the fans for voting me in, especially with this being my rookie year. I’m super excited to be making memories that will last a lifetime. I can’t wait to be there, and have a good time with the rest of the players.”
The full starting fives for the All-Star game are as follows.
Position
North
South
Guard
Larry Austin Jr. (c) –Newcastle Eagles
Matthew Morgan- London Lions
Guard
Jordan Johnson- Newcastle Eagles
Jaren Holmes- Leicester Riders
Forward
Aaryn Rai- Cheshire Phoenix
Teddy Allen (c)- Leicester Riders
Forward
Tajh Green- Newcastle Eagles
Sam Dekker- London Lions
Center
Ethan Chargois- Cheshire Phoenix
Brad Greene- BristolFlyers
The remainder of the team will be chosen by the two head coaches, Caledonia Gladiatorsâ Gareth Murray for the North and London Lionsâ Petar Bozic for the South.
Last week saw the Riders head to Newcastle to face tomorrowâs opponents, coming away with a 77-55 win.
Contrary to the scoreline, the game was contested until late. It was a four-point game going into the final quarter, before the Riders won the fourth 30-14 to blow the game open and take home the win.
Star guard Taylor OâBrien led the team with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, proving the difference in the final quarter with 10 points.
The Riders’ defence won the day, however, forcing 24 turnovers out of their opponents and holding them to 36% shooting from the field.Â
Season so far
The Riders have established themselves as one of the premier teams in the League once again this season. They sit third with a 9-2 record, their two losses coming to the undefeated London Lions, who they are one win behind in the standings.
They bounced back from a loss to London with three straight wins, beating the Cardiff Met Archers, Durham Palatinates and the Eagles convincingly.
The Riders have made their trade on the offensive glass this season, leading the League with 14.1 per game. They only grabbed nine last time out against the Eagles, so expect the boards to be a point of emphasis in this one.
Despite her teamâs loss, Tierra Hodges led the game with 20 points and 9 rebounds for the Eagles.
Newcastleâs December signing exploded onto the scene in Newcastle, leading the League in scoring through six games.
The 5â9â wing is scoring 22.1 points per game, awent off for 30 points on her debut and has failed to score 20 points in just one game for the Eagles.
Hodges signed in the North East after an outstanding collegiate career at Furman University and an excellent rookie campaign last season in Finland.
In her final college season, she was named first-team all-conference by coaches and media, led the Southern Conference in rebounding with 10.4 per game and ranked third in scoring with 16.2 per game
The Riders fell on the road 109-93 to the Plymouth City Patriots.
A second-straight 35-point performance from Teddy Allen wasnât enough to overcome a red-hot shooting night from the Patriots.
The hosts went 12-26 from three, led by 33 points from Tyrell Green who went from 8-10 distance on the night.
The Riders fall to 14-12 in the British Basketball League Championship, faltering in their pursuit of the Caledonia Gladiators and Cheshire Phoenix above them in the table.
The Riders came gunning out the gate, with Mo Walker and Allen combining for their first 17 points. Allen made the highlight of the first, pulling up from near the logo and banking in a three to make the score 17-10 with 4:20 left in the first.Â
The Patriots came into the game as the worst three-point shooting team in the League, but caught fire from deep to cut into their early deficit. They hit three straight to cut the difference to three points, Green connecting back-to-back.
The Patriots tied it up at the hands of Jules Dang-Akodo from deep with less than a minute left in the period, but Allen ended the quarter with his 12th points, making it 26-24 after one.
The hosts found their groove in the second, riding the hot hand of Green for 6 points and starting the quarter 14-5. Green hit his fourth three with a contest in his face, making it a double-digit advantage at 41-31.
The Riders came storming out of the following media timeout with eight straight points, Allen pulling up from deep once again for his 18th points to make it 41-39 within a minute.
It took another three minutes to tie the game up, and it was Shelton who did it with a putback layup. It was the last score of the half, and the sides entered the break tied at 46.
Allen got the second half underway with a finish at the rim to get Leicester the lead back. The sides exchanged buckets to start the third quarter, both attacking the rim relentlessly.
Both teams couldnât miss to start the third. They combined for 36 points through six minutes, Kimbal Mackenzie making the last score before the media timeout to make the score 65-63 in the Ridersâ favour.Â
But the Patriots were the team to find some separation, Green staying hot to knock down his sixth three from seven attempts. Dusha stole the following inbound and beat the buzzer at the end of the period to make it 82-73.
Green hit another to start the fourth to help build the hostâs lead to 14. Allen then responded with a three in transition and a spin move in the lane to get five points back. Next time up the floor, he hit a stepback three to complete an 8-0 run on his own. Out of the following timeout, Allen drained yet another triple for 35 points.Â
The Patriots responded with two straight scores, Cam Copeland with the second at the rim. With the newfound momentum they scored eight straight points, Jacob Wileyâs fastbreak jam off a lob pass forcing a Riders timeout.
Green hit a three out of the timeout, making the difference 14. The Riders couldnât overcome that deficit and fell to the Patriots on the road.
The Riders return to action after the international break, hosting the Trophy champions Cheshire Phoenix on March 1.Â
Leicester Riders are set to play the Plymouth City Patriots on the road for the first time this season after beating their opponents twice at home so far this year.
A win would see the Riders improve to
Here are three things to look out for in our game in the South West…
Close games
The Patriots have featured in 10 games that finished within single digits in the Championship this season. Their record in those games is 2-8, including three losses that finished within a single score.
Two games ago, they lost another heartbreaker against the Surrey Scorchers 94-92. Should they have secured a defensive board following Saquon Jamisonâs deliberately missed free throw with five seconds left, theyâd have had a shot for the win.
Plymouth are 0-2 against the Riders this season, and they remained in both games until late. The first was an 88-81 Leicester win, and the game was within two points with less than two minutes remaining. The Riders saw it out late, led by four points from Mackenzie.
Mackenzie has put the Riders on his back this season and scored six points in the clutch against the Caledonia Gladiators last week to secure an important win.
Should Plymouth keep it close once again, the Riders may look to their captain to get over the line. But the Patriots will expect these close games to bounce their way later in the season, as they look to step it up in the clutch.
TJ Atwood
Plymouthâs leading scorer this season, and a player who has been in hot contention for a place on the British Basketball League starting five, is American TJ Atwood.
Atwood went off for 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists last time he suited up against Leicester, and has been one of the Patriotsâ most effective players all season.
He is putting up 15.26 points per game from an efficient 52% from the field this season, leading the team. His 6.74 rebounds per game is second most on the Patriots roster, and he also leads them in steals with 1.44 per game.
Atwood doesnât need much of the ball to do his damage. He ranks eighth on his team in usage rate at just 18.85%, meaning the Riders will have to remain aware through 40 minutes of his presence on the court off the ball.
If theyâre not, he can go off for 30 as he did earlier in the year against the Bristol Flyers.
Offensive rating
Despite the firepower of Atwood, the Patriotsâ offence has struggled for rhythm this season, ranking last in offensive rating with 99.95. They score 78.46 points per game, one more point than bottom-ranked Sheffield Sharks, but rely on their offensive rebounding for second-chance opportunities.
Their lack of consistent deep threat has been a contributing factor to this, as they shoot the lowest percentage from behind the arc in the League at 28.67%. From two-point range, they rank fifth, finding success attacking the hoop.
In addition to their shooting percentages, the Patriots have struggled to take care of the ball. They rank second in turnover percentage, giving the ball away on 16.04% of their possessions.
The Riders will need to maintain pressure on the ball to force mistakes while limiting chances within the arc and pulling down defensive rebounds to hold Plymouth to their season trends.
đŻ 14 points đȘ 4 rebounds âïž 2 blocks
TJ did it all in our September win against @PlymCityPatriot đ„
Leicester Riders made it four wins on the bounce with a 108-94 win against the Sheffield Sharks.
The win improved their record to 14-11 in the British Basketball League Championship, one win behind the Caledonia Gladiators in third.
Here’s how the Riders reacted to the win…
Teddy Allen- “Pressure is a privilege.”
Star guard Teddy Allen went off for his highest-scoring night in Riders red so far, exploding for 35 points and 12 rebounds.
It was one of only two such performances in the last 15 years in the British Basketball League, as the leading scorer continues to take the League by storm.
He put the scoring load on his back when the team needed him most last night.
âPressure is a privilege,â said Allen, when asked how he handles the scoring responsibility when the Riders need a basket.
âI’m happy my teammates put me in those positions and that I could deliver for them when my opportunities arose. Iâm just happy to get this win at home with my team.â
The Riders found themselves in a double-digit hole in the first half, and gave up the highest-scoring half in the Sharksâ season so far. Defence was the priority for the Riders to come back.
âWe had to lock in on defence. Youâre not going to win many games if you give up 57 in a half. We did that in the second half, and Iâm proud of my guys.â
Allen has hit the ground running with the Riders since signing in December. He spoke about how his relationship with Head Coach Rob Paternostro has allowed him to succeed.
âWe have a lot of trust in each other. He has never got on me for a shot- he just wants me to play my game, and he trusts me in those moments. I can do nothing but thank him and be appreciative to have a coach like that.â
Rob Paternostro- “He’s worth the price of admission!”
Coach Paternostro repaid the compliment from Allen, signing the Americanâs praises after the win.
âHe’s worth the price of admission! He was awesome tonight. He had two quick fouls, but we rode him for a while, and he did a good job of not fouling.
âWhat’s impressive about Teddy is his stamina. He has the ball a lot and takes a lot of shots, but he doesn’t get tired. He can stay on the floor for a long time without me needing to give him a break. He came up big tonight.”
After a tough start to the game, unable to stop the Sharksâ scoring onslaught, Paternstro made adjustments at the half to slow Sheffield down.
âTo give them credit, they were really shooting the ball well, and we struggled to guard them in the first half. But we knew if we were in the game after they shot like that, then this one could be ours.
“We had to do better in transition and stop second chance points, and we were much better defensively after halftime.â
The Riders saw it out in the clutch for the second straight game, after they beat the Caledonia Gladiators in the final minutes on the road last weekend.
Getting wins out of close games has given the group confidence in those situations.
âIt was an entertaining game! Anyone who was here tonight enjoyed that. We really made the big plays late in the game, which weâve been doing as of late. We played really well in the second half.
âOur guys were really confident late in the game. When itâs tight, we feel like we can see the game out, and earlier in the year, we didn’t have the same confidence after we lost a couple of close ones.â
Itâs a quick turnaround for the Riders, who head to Plymouth to take on the Patriots on Sunday afternoon. Rest and recovery is the priority for the Riders.
âRest is our biggest focus now. We know Plymouth can be a difficult opponent and challenging on the road. It’s our first time there this season, so we have to go down here and have a solid game to finish the weekend right.â
The Riders return to the Mattioli Arena on March 1, taking on the Cheshire Phoenix.
The Sharks started hot, scoring 57 points in the first half, their most in any half this season. But the Riders overcame it, ending the third quarter on an 11-0 run and seeing out a win in the clutch.
Sheffield was led by Malek Green who put up 19 points and 11 rebounds. They entered the game as the lowest-scoring offence in the League, but caught fire from the off to challenge the Riders throughout.
A slow start for the Riders, with them struggling to find the bottom of the basket despite generating good looks, saw them fall into a 10-3 hole after 5 points from Sharksâ forward Jordan Ratinho.
It became 15-6 after Green spilt out onto the fastbreak for an easy two, which forced a Riders timeout after 3:24.Â
The Sharks poured in the points in the first quarter. Green was firing from the jump to put up double digits in six minutes, and he made it a double-digit lead at 22-12 with a triple. Sheffield found joy on the glass to snatch 5 offensive rebounds until the Riders closed in to end the period.
The insertion of Duke Shelton into the game saw the Riders clean up the glass and get back into the game. An 8-2 end to the first meant they trailed 30-27 after one.
The high-scoring start didnât stop in the second quarter, with each of the teams scoring on their first two possessions. Sheffield rebuilt their lead to 10 as Rodney Glasgow Jr pulled up from midrange- the visitors continuing their offensive hot streak.Â
But again, Leicester found form as the clock ticked down. They went on an 11-2 run, capped off by a triple from Mo Walker, to bring it back within a score with two minutes left in the half.
The Sharks bit back, bringing it back to an eight-point game with a pull-up from three in transition by Glasgow Jr, but Holmes ended the second period with a three-point heave, taking a foul for another point at the foul line to make it 57-53 at the half.Â
Leicester quickly tied it up to start the second half. Allen and Samuel Idowu scored four quick points to even the score and set the stage for the remainder of the tie. They took their first lead of the game a few minutes into the half, and Allen pulled up from deep to find separation with the score 64-59.
Leicester had momentum in the final few minutes, Allen lighting the spark after pulling up on the dribble from deep. He drew an unsportsmanlike foul on Jalon Pipkins after they tangled legs on the break, and Shelton followed his subsequent free throws with a monster two-hand jam.
The Riders entered the final period leading 82-71.
Allen made his mark on the start of the fourth, pulling up from the car park for his fourth triple. But the Sharks stayed in the game, finding runs to the rim to chip into their deficit. They started the fourth 12-5, RJ Eytle-Rock cutting the game to five at the foul line.
It was a tie game with five minutes left, as Devearl Ramsey pulled up from midrange to lock the teams at 88. They took the lead next time down through Bennet Koch, the Sharks holding all of the momentum.
Kimbal Mackenzie took it back with a corner three, off the back of his clutch performance last time out in Caledonia. He was followed by Holmes, who fought his way to the free-throw line and put Leicester up 94-90.
Lall was the next to be sent to the foul line, and rebounded his own miss and made the putback as the Riders found form in the clutch. Idowu scored a layup next time up the floor to put Leicester up seven with 1:37 left, and the Riders saw the game out from there.
The Riders return to action on Sunday, heading to Plymouth to take on the Patriots on the road.
Season series: Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
The Riders are coming off an impressive weekend of wins, beating the Cardiff Met Archers and Durham Palatinates in back-to-back days.
They won by an average margin of 37 points, making a statement with dominant victories. They won every quarter of the weekend and maintained their pursuit of the top end of the table.
Rayven Peeples dominated the weekend on the glass, notching two double-doubles on her way to a Team of the Week nomination. She averaged 16 points and 13 rebounds across the two games.
The Riders, led by Peeples, have set the tone on the glass on their way to eight wins this season. They rank second in rebounding (0.1 rebounds per game behind the top-ranked London Lions) and first in offensive rebounding.
Playing against an Eagles team who have struggled to pull down boards this season, will play a large factor in the North East.
Newcastle looking for form
Having lost the last three Championship fixtures, the Newcastle Eagles are looking for a win to turn their season around.
Losses to Oaklands Wolves, Essex Rebels and London Lions are responsible for the poor run of fixtures. They enter this game after a loss against the League-leading Lions, who won 102-56 at home.
They pulled off back-to-back wins against Durham and Cardiff in mid-December, but failed to build off their form to make a rise up the table.
They have struggled on the boards this season, ranking second-last in offensive rebounds and third-last in defensive rebounds as the Eagles struggle to generate second possession and close defensive ones.
Theyâll need to improve in this department to overcome the glass-crashing Leicester Riders.
Key matchup
Eaglesâ December signing Tierra Hodges has exploded onto the scene in Newcastle, leading the League in scoring through five games.
The 5â9â wing is scoring 23.2 points per game, went off for 30 points on her debut and has failed to score 20 points in just one game for the Eagles.
Hodges signed in the North East after an outstanding collegiate career at Furman University and an excellent rookie campaign last season in Finland.
In her final college season, she was named first-team all-conference by coaches and media, led the Southern Conference in rebounding with 10.4 per game and ranked third in scoring with 16.2 per game
The Americanâs performances in the British Basketball League earned her the Player of the Month award for December.
Facing up against her is another Player of the Month, Sam Ashby, who won the award for her efforts in January.
Ashby balled out against Durham last week, leading the gameâs scoring with 21 points, and logged 6 rebounds and 5 steals in the win.
Ashbyâs performances this season earned her a spot on the GB roster earlier in the year. Sheâs averaging 12.9 points per game and ranks fourth in the League in steals with 2.4 per game.
Expect this battle from the wing position to play a significant role in the outcome of this clash.
Basketball returns to the Mattioli Arena this Friday as the in-form Riders host a B. Braun Sheffield Sharks squad that have only won once in 2024.
Rob Paternostroâs team have recently pushed beyond .500 after carrying their strong British Basketball League Trophy form into the League Championship and sit comfortably in the top half of the standings.
The Riders enter Round 19 of Championship play brimming with confidence after claiming one of the most impressive wins of the season â a 97-93 defeat of the high-flying Caledonia Gladiators on their home court.
Success for the Riders was crucial to maintain their current momentum and to avenge an agonising one-point loss in Glasgow towards the end of October.
As predicted, Leicester had to put in a strong performance for the entire 40 minutes to bag a 12th win of the season, coming through in the clutch after the home side took a narrow lead with less than a minute left on the clock.
Kimbal Mackenzie put in a captainâs performance, going 8-12 from the field for a total of 21 points â including six down the stretch â and dishing out five assists on the night.
The powerful Jaren Holmes also had a nice night, making his presence felt all over the court to the tune of 15 points and nine rebounds for a near double-double.
The most eye-catching plays, however, came from the palms of Teddy âBucketsâ Allen, who delved deeply into his box of tricks to drain 28 points on the Gladiators, including four deep balls, two of which were taken from a different postcode.
The standout performances from the Ridersâ backcourt trio allowed the rest of the squad to play solid team basketball, and Sundayâs victory over a good opponent demonstrates how far this team has come.
More strong opposition presents itself this Friday in the form of Sheffield. Ridersâ fans wonât know which trio will take the game by the scruff this time but should be confident that every player on the roster has the skills to shape victory.
Struggles in the New Year
The Sheffield Sharks currently sit in strong playoff contention in the League Championship with an 11-13 record and well clear of the bottom two.
An impressive November saw Fridayâs visitors go five of six, including a 91-84 home win over the Riders where they utilised the fast break to great effect.
The Sharks boast a league-leading defence, conceding just 79.1 points per game while holding opposing teams to under 32% from three-point range.
A large contingent of Sheffieldâs roster possesses fast hands on defence, especially American guard Terrell Allen and dunk artist Jalon Pipkins. The aggressive defenders 1.4 and 1.3 steals per game respectively, forcing teams to think twice about taking them on the dribble.
However, tenacious defence does have its drawbacks, and for the Sharks, it comes in the form of opposition free throws.
Earlier in the season, Atiba Lyonsâ charges were getting away with giving up the ninth-most free shots in the League Championship, but a 2024 littered with tight losses has magnified the consequences of not matching the opponent at the line.
The Riders are the second most accurate charity stripe shooting team in the league â hitting at a cool 77.3% – and get to the line nearly 21 times a game.
The Sharksâ recent losses average a losing margin of ten points. This could be flipped on its head if Sheffield can figure out a way to avoid fouls while defending determinedly.
Key Matchup
A large number of matchups catch the eye this Friday as one of the leagueâs most prolific offenses battles against the leagueâs stringiest defence, but the key matchup will be between guards, Jaren Holmes and Jalon Pipkins.
#5 Pipkins is a true entertainer of the league. The Americanâs most desirable trick is his ability to almost levitate in the air before jamming home a satisfying dunk. The guard has serious hops.
Pipkins experienced a short stint of play in Finland after graduating from the Fort Wayne Mastodons and found his eventual home in Sheffield last season.
The high-flyer is having a decent season, averaging 11.8 points per game and going nearly 60% from inside the arc.
The true test for Holmes will be to penetrate Pipkinsâ defence which is some of the best the British Basketball League has to offer.
The Leicester man has mostly been excellent this season and uses his size and strength excellent to get the better of both smaller and bigger opponents.
A star of the Big-12 NCAA conference, Holmesâ rookie campaign with the Riders sings to the tune of 13.3 points per game â second on the roster â 4.3 boards each night and a couple of assists to boot.
Ridersâ fans will know that despite being a primary offensive weapon, Holmes is also good on the defensive side of the ball, snagging 1.2 steals per game.
The back-and-forth contest between these two athletic guards should be fun to watch. One thing is for certain â win or lose, Holmes and Pipkins will create more than a few highlights along the way.
Season series: Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
Riders recap: What we can take from a winning weekend
The Riders recorded two wins in a crucial doubleheader weekend, beating the Plymouth City Patriots at home, and the Caledonia Gladiators in the clutch on the road.
Here’s what we can take from the weekend of action…
Multiple scoring threats
In both games over the weekend, the Riders had three players score over 15 points and two score 20.
Different games are for different guys, and only two players, Jaren Holmes and leading scorer Teddy Allen, put up double digits in both games, but the Riders showed they can rely on multiple players to step up and put the ball in the basket when their name is called.
Last time, he pulled up from midrange with 10 seconds to go to put the Riders up one, but the Gladiators found a response to win it at the hands of Clifton Moore Jr.
Two weeks ago, Mackenzie had a clutch outing in the Trophy Final Four, where he drove to the bucket for an and-one score to put the Riders up one with 20 seconds left.
But this time, he led Leicester to a win with his performance late. The Canadian took over with a minute and a half left and scored six straight points, including two go-ahead buckets to put the scoring load on his back.
Mackenzieâs play earned him the Player of the Game, and secured an important win for the team in a doubleheader weekend.
Turning a corner
Leicester entered the weekend with a .500 record, with an important pair of games awaiting them as they hoped to climb the Championship standings. On Sunday night, they improved to 13-11, and now sit fourth, just a game behind the Gladiators in third.
The Riders have won four on the bounce in the Championship, a run which started at home against the Sheffield Sharks with a 103-75 win on December 30. They have a chance to make it five with the same fixture on Friday.
Their game against the Sharks marks the first of another doubleheader, with a trip to the Plymouth City Patriots awaiting them on Sunday. Itâs another vital run of games for Rob Paternostroâs side, and they need you behind them.
Teddy Allen led the gameâs scoring, however, exploding for 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals.
The Gladiators, led by Lukas Palyzaâs 17, were down big in the fourth but fought back to take the lead with less than a minute left. They didnât have enough to secure the win however, and the Riders improved to 13-11 on the season.Â
Leicester endured a slow offensive start, which found them in an early hole. They started 1-7 from the field, and the Gladiators ran out to a 9-3 start led by 4 points from Fahro Alihodzic.
Allen took the lid off the basket with a three from the top of the arc to cut the difference to a score. The Riders found some rhythm from there, and the sides exchanged baskets going up and down the court.
Caledonia had the better of the final stages of the first quarter. They crashed the offensive glass for second-chance points, and led 24-15 after one led by 6 points from Whelan.
Allen got the second quarter underway with a triple to claw some points back. But the Gladiators kept pouring on the points, getting to the foul line consistently to keep their scoreboard ticking over.
The Riders came storming back midway through the period. TJ Lall and Allen hit threes back to back, Allen pulling up in transition to make it 34-31. He exploded in the quarter, scoring 13 to bring his game tally to 17 by halftime.
The hosts threatened to pull away, rebuilding their lead to eight, but a 7-0 Riders run to end the half, finished off by a buzzer-beating three from Holmes, to make the score 48-47.
Mackenzie ran in transition to start the second half to take the Ridersâ first lead of the game. The Riders kept the Gladiators at armâs length for the start of the third, finding consistent offence to contrast their start to the game.
Miryne Thomas connected from deep with a big three to put the Riders up nine going into the media timeout. Out of the break, Mackenzie ran the floor for a tough finish inside to make it a double-digit difference.
Allen stayed hot, putting in 7 points in the third, and the Riders entered the fourth up 75-67.
But the Gladiators came out into the fourth with two straight scores to make it a four point affair.
Mackenzie hit back, draining a three to stop the run of momentum, and Holmes built off the triple, making two buckets at the rim to keep the Gladiators at bay. Allen followed him up with two finishes of his own, responding to Caledoniaâs trips to the foul line.
But the hosts did find a way back, and Palyza hit a big three with 2:49 left to make the score 87-90. Clifton Moore Jr hit back-to-back baskets to take the lead with 1:35 left.
Mackenzie hit back with a three from the top of the arc, putting the Riders up two. With the ball going the other way, Holmes rejected Whelan, but Bothwell found the bottom of the basket after the subsequent rebound to tie the game at 93.
Mackenzie struck again with a midrange pull-up with 52 seconds left, and Palyza missed a three on the next possession. With 30 seconds left, Mackenzie made one of two free throws to make it a three-point lead.
Bothwell had a chance to tie it for Caledonia but missed from three, and Idowu put the game beyond doubt from the foul line with eight seconds left, securing an important win for the Riders.
Leicester returns to action on Friday, hosting the Sheffield Sharks.
Riders make it back-to-back wins with a blowout against Durham
The Riders made it back-to-back wins in a weekend of action, beating the Durham Palatinates 85-57 to improve their record to 8-2.
Sam Ashby dominated wire-to-wire, the GB guard logging a game-high 21 points and 6 rebounds after hitting the ground running with 12 in the first. Rayven Peeples scored 14 to back up her teammate, grabbing 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the weekend.
Leicester shot well from deep in the game, hitting 40% of their threes to blow the game open. On the defensive end, they held Durham to 2-18 shooting from behind the arc in a dominant defensive outing.
Their standout was Elle Hendershot, who matched Ashbyâs 21 points in her teamâs effort. But the Palatinates struggled to match the Ridersâ play on both ends throughout, and the hosts secured their second big win in as many days.
Ashbyâs defence made a huge impact in the opening stages of the game. She blocked Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby inside to force a 24-second violation and took a charge on Hendershot for two score-saving plays. On the other end, scored five quick points as the Riders charged out the gate for a 10-4 start.
Durham established the interior to come back into it, led by Hendershotâs 7 points in the first quarter. But Ashby hit back with seven more points to rebuild Leicesterâs lead to eight, finishing the first quarter at the free-throw line to make the score 22-14.
Hot deep shooting meant the Riders maintained their lead in the second, as Marissa Hamilton and Katie Janszewska both hit triples. Taylor OâBrien followed up with seven straight points, and the Riders built their advantage to 39-22.
The Riders shot 57% from three at the half, while the Palatinates missed each of their seven attempts. That made it 44-29 to the hosts by the break.
A 6-2 start to the second half made it 50-31 within two minutes. Ashby built on her game tally with seven more points, including a three to put Leicester up 20. Peeples got to work inside with aggressive play around the rim. She scored 7 points in six minutes, capped off by an and-one play.
To end the third, Katie Januszewska found the bottom of the basket on back-to-back plays to bring her game total to double digits. Leicester won the third 25-15 to make the score 69-44 with one to play.
Elise Tweeide scored two straight baskets at the rim to get the Riders going in the final quarter of play. Leicester continued to be effective in their runs to the rim, seeing the game out by adding to their side of the scoreboard.
They finished the game with a 16-13 fourth quarter, meaning they won every quarter of their two-game weekend.
The Riders are back in action on Febuary 17, heading to the North East to take on the Newcastle Eagles.
She was backed by Katie Januszewska, who had 12 points and 5 rebounds off the bench in 19 minutes.Â
The Riders established the inside quickly, getting two offensive boards, a block and a finish at the rim in the opening minute. Peeples was instrumental in their physical approach, swatting Lara Hablingâs shot and putting in a pair of layups within three minutes to make it a dominant 10-1 start.
She finished the first with 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks, as the Riders got all five started on the board in the opening period. Despite shooting 0-8 from three, their dominance in the paint meant Leicester led 22-7 after Januszewskaâs mid-range pull up to end it.Â
Jessica Eadsforth-Yates knocked down the Ridersâ first triple of the game to start the second quarter. She hit another with 5:41 left in the half to bring the teamâs game tally to 30, and their lead to 22.
With the lid off the basket from deep, Marissa Hamilton stepped into a triple to continue to pile on the points. On defence, Leicester locked off the interior, forcing the Archers to try their luck from three. They went 1-11 from range in the first half and 8-32 from the field.
Emihear Morris joined the action from deep with a corner three to get the home bench off its feet. The Riders led 46-18 going into the break- a convincing first half of play.
Peeples got the second half going with six quick points, as the Riders showed no let-up. She dominated the start to the third quarter with 8 points, 6 rebounds and a steal in five minutes of action.
Januszewska caught fire in the middle of the quarter. She scored eight straight points, including two threes to stretch Leicesterâs significant lead. Morris followed up with her second triple, and the Riders entered the final stanza up 65-29.Â
Leicester started the fourth 6-2 to make it a 40-point advantage for the hosts. The quarter was led by 5 points from Eadsforth-Yates, as the Riders saw it home comfortably by winning the final quarter 21-11.
The Riders are back in action tomorrow, hosting Durham Palatinates.
Sunday evening sees the 12-11 Riders take the tough trip north to face the 14-9 Caledonia Gladiators and wrap up Round 18 of the British Basketball League Championship.
The game is sure to be a battle of attrition after both teams played in competitive matches on Friday night as part of a weekend doubleheader.
Rob Paternostroâs squad will travel to Glasgow high in confidence after Fridayâs 102-81 defeat of the Plymouth City Patriots gives them a chance to extend their League Championship winning run to four games.
The Riders didnât have it all their own way against the Pats, but a devastating 33-point fourth quarter saw them through to the impressive double-digit win.
Fridayâs 102 points was the fifth time Leicester reached triple-digits in the past nine games, and history dictates that when they breach that total, they win.
Teddy âBucketsâ Allen took Player of the Game honours in the victory, yet again making 20 points look easy with a cool 25 on 58% shooting from the field.
The prolific scorer had an off night from three-point range â dropping just one of his six attempts â but displayed elite adaptability, pulling from an extensive bag of tricks on multiple occasions to finish at the rim.
Big Samuel Idowu also turned heads with a 20 point â 12 rebound double-double from the bench in what is becoming a familiar sight of dominance.
Idowu is proving to be a nightmare for defences, often imposing his will inside before sliding quietly out to the arc to splash from deep, currently hitting around 30% of his three-pointers.
The introduction of Allen and the emergence of Idowu is also allowing captain Kimbal Mackenzie to play a more well-rounded point guard role without the burden of being the rosterâs primary scoring option.
The Ridersâ leader can still shoot the ball â often in clutch situations â but 11 assists against the Patriots demonstrate his increased role as a distributor as the trust between the squad improves with each game.
Solid shooting, good distribution and trust are three things the Riders will need if they are to best the Gladiators on home court. On recent form, they have all three in abundance.
A Tough Return to Championship Action
The Gladiators have been enjoying a fantastic season so far, sitting third in the League Championship standings and making it to the semi-finals of the League Trophy competition.
Gareth Murrayâs men play safe, solid basketball predicated on stingy defence and hustle on the boards.
It is a tactic that has worked well throughout the season, however the return to championship play has been a tough one.
A low-scoring home victory over the Bristol Flyers started February off in winning fashion, however this was followed by a double-digit defeat in Newcastle on Friday night.
The biggest concern for the Gladiators was allowing the Eagles to dominate the fourth quarter after beginning the final stanza just three points adrift.
Former Rider Patrick Whelan scored 21 points to continue the season as Caledoniaâs primary scorer. Leicester supporters will be familiar with Whelanâs pinpoint accuracy from three-point range, currently hitting at an impressive 43% clip.
The Scottish side also boast a trio of impressive forwards â Lukas Palyza, Princeton Onwas and Fahro Alihodzic posing a formidable front court arsenal, boosted by true centre Clifton Moore Jnr coming off the bench.
Caledonia are a team without any glaring weaknesses for the Riders to exploit, however their aggressive defence does give up more fouls than most teams.
The Riders are one of the best free throw shooting teams in the League, so if the likes of Allen and Mackenzie can repeatedly get to the line, they could keep the scoreboard ticking over, making like difficult for the Glaswegians.
Key Matchup
There will be entertaining battles all over the court on Sunday, however the most crucial may come between a pair of bench big men: Samuel Idowu and Clifton Moore Jnr.
Standing at 6â10â, Moore Jnr is an imposing figure inside the paint. The young centre â in his rookie season after five years playing college ball â uses his length well to finish at a high clip while also blocking shots at the other end.
The former La Salle Explorer is averaging 9.8 points per game from the bench on over 57% from the field and leads the Gladiators in blocks per game with 1.5.
Moore presents a tough problem to solve for any big man in the League, however in current form, the Ridersâ own second unit big man will be up to the task.
Standing at 6â8â, Idowu gives up a bit of size to his younger opponent but makes up for it with bulk, experience and shooting range.
The four-year veteran is a bruiser on the inside, using his strength to force missed shots near the rim before motoring down the other end of the court to forge a scoring opportunity.
The Brooklyn-native averages 8.2 points per game currently, but with four double-doubles since the turn of the year, those numbers are consistently on the rise.
Idowu also brings range to the Ridersâ offense, averaging nearly three deep balls a night, so expect to see him dragging Moore out to the perimeter to open up inside space for a cutting guard.
Sundayâs game could be the perfect end to Round 18 between two well-matched teams.
The starting lineups could well cancel each other out, so bench points will be crucial. How effectively Idowu and Moore Jnr use their minutes could decide which set of supporters go home happy.
Season series: Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
A superb fourth quarter by the Riders fired them to a 102-81 British Basketball League Championship victory over the Plymouth City Patriots.
The contest was much closer than the final score suggests as Rob Paternostroâs squad were made to work hard by a determined Patriots side, who remain at the foot of the championship standings.
The home side dropped 33 points in the final ten minutes, heating up from three-point range to finish the game with a decent 37% from deep.
Led by captain Kimbal Mackenzie (who had a quiet scoring game with six points but distributed 11 assists), the Riders played excellent team basketball, ending the night boasting 24 dishes.
There were several solid performances, but Teddy âBucketsâ Allen and Samuel Idowu stole the show, making 45 points between them with Idowu putting up yet another double-double.
Athletic big man Miryne Thomas also had a good game, especially from beyond the arc, draining a hot four from five on his way to 19 points, scoring 14 in the final quarter.
Paul Jamesâ Patriots side showed plenty of positive flashes throughout the game and won on the offensive glass, pulling down 18 to the Ridersâ seven.
Star man Jacob Wiley hit 22 and the speedy TJ Atwood scored 17, but the visitors were crippled by poor accuracy from the free throw line, hitting just 58% from the line.
An aggressive start to the game by the Riders saw a swell of scoring early on, started by Allen with a silky-smooth reverse layup. Mo Walker then hit an âand oneâ play after a lovely dish from Mackenzie and â following a transition three from âBucketsâ â Leicester had seven points in two minutes.
The Riders were working hard to utilize their size inside, but the Patriots did a good job of keeping pace, showing fast hands-on defence and tenacity on the offensive boards, totalling ten offensive rebounds in the first half.
It wasnât long before the familiar sight of a scoring run from Idowu had the home supporters cheering, the bench big man dropping an impressive 11 points in seven first-half minutes.
The power forward was dominant on both sides of the arc, hitting turnaround jumpers in close and stretching the floor with pick-and-slide splashes from deep.
The game then entered a somewhat messy period as both sides engaged in numerous scrambles below the rim.
Leicester kept a small lead going into the second quarter, narrowed down to three points following a Wiley fast break dunk.
The opening minutes of the second were dictated by the visitors, who demonstrated excellent team basketball to ride a 13-0 scoring run.
Danger-man Wiley was starting to heat up, showing his skills in close with powerful finishes and accurate jump shots.
The Riders had to stop the bleeding, and a typically impassioned timeout from Paternostro did the trick, prompting Allen to start the mini comeback with an acrobatic, falling layup while under heavy pressure.
TJ Lall followed suit with a tricky finish of his own, and when Jaren Holmes slammed home a breakaway dunk following a nice steal, the Riders were back level.
The teams went bucket-for-bucket as the half drew to a close, but increased defensive pressure exerted by the home side caused Plymouth to cool down, allowing the Riders to edge ahead.
Duke Shelton threw his weight around in the paint to earn multiple trips to the line, and after a clutch corner three by Lall, Leicester found themselves five points in front, a leading margin they maintained to go into the locker rooms 48-43 to the good.
The second 20 couldnât have started any differently than the first as both teams struggled to get into an offensive rhythm, perpetuated by a rare Mackenzie turnover.
Holmes didnât get the memo though, hitting a pair of backdoor layups to keep the Riders ahead by five, answered by a buzzer-beating fadeaway by shooting guard Cameron Copeland.
A quiet phase of missed shots and fouling followed, ended by a stop and splash three from Thomas which sparked Idowu into action again.
The big American matched Thomasâ deep ball before finishing a nasty Holmes alley-oop with a one-handed jam.
Back came the Patriots again, Wiley hitting four quick points including a monstrous alley-oop slam.
Four points from Mackenzie â his first of the night â ended the third quarter, giving his side a 69-64 lead going into the final stanza and with everything to play for.
The Riders began the fourth perfectly, relaxing the Mattioli Arena with four quick points to make it a nine-point ball game.
Atwoodâs first trey of the game was matched by Thomas, and Leicester looked in good shape for another home win.
Lall soon put a punctuation mark on the ever-growing lead, dropping a corner three despite being fouled for a spectacular four-point play.
The Riders were now taking over the game, Thomas dropping a heat-check triple which preceded âBucketsâ Allenâs 23rd point of the night.
Paternostroâs squad were flowing, and despite some splash plays from the visitors, they rode the double-digit lead for the final two minutes to send the Ridersâ faithful home happy.
Season series: Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
The Riders are set to take on a weekend of Womenâs British Basketball League action, going up against the Cardiff Met Archers and Durham Palatinates in back-to-back home games.
Leicester are currently third in the Championship standings with a 6-2 record. Their only two losses have come to the undefeated London Lions, which came after they hit the ground running under new Head Coach Ben Stanleyâs leadership following a 4-0 start.
The Riders enter the games off the back of a tough loss to the table-topping London Lions. The Lions beat the Riders 43-85 to remain undefeated on the season.
Katie Januszewska provided a bright spark off the bench for Leicester with 11 points in 19 minutes, going 5-7 from the field, but the Riders couldnât get it going offensively, especially from deep where they went 3-22.
Former WNBA guard Temi Fagbenle went off for London in the visitorâs win, scoring 22 points in as many minutes.
Crashing the glass
The Riders have made their name on the boards this season, pulling down 43.4 rebounds per game, the second most in the League.
This applies especially on the offensive side of the ball. Leicester crashes the glass of their own missed shots wire to wire, and their 14.5 offensive boards per game rank the highest of any team.
Rayven Peeples has particularly impressed in that department. She has averaged 10.3 rebounds per game, the third most of any player in the League. She leads the League in offensive rebounds with 5.8, generating consistent second-chance opportunities for the Riders.
Theyâll look to continue that trend this weekend against the two teams that grab the fewest defensive rebounds in the League this season.
Weekend opponents
The Riders will take on the Cardiff Met Archers and Durham Palatinates this weekend, two teams they have had success against already this season.
Leicester took on the Archers in November, beating them 110-64 in South Wales. Their leading scorer on the season, Taylor OâBrien, put up 26 points and 6 rebounds in the win, where the Riders shot 52.4% from the field and 37.5% from three.
The Archers currently sit bottom of the League table, going winless through eight games. As for the Palatinates, theyâre currently ninth in the table with a 2-5 record.
The Riders took them on in late January, once again going on the road and taking home the win. This time, it was a 75-62 victory, led by 15 each from GB wing Sam Ashby and Peeples.
Leicester will need to replicate their wins from earlier in the season to continue their pursuit of the top end of the table.
Support the team
Tickets are available for both of these fixtures, which will be played at the Loughborough University Netball Centre.
We face Cardiff Met Archers on Saturday at 6pm, and Durham Palatinates on Sunday at 1 pm.
Leicester Arena becomes Mattioli Arena in recognition of charitable trust
Leicester Riders’ home venue, Leicester Arena, will now be known as the Mattioli Arena.
The Ian & Clare Mattioli Charitable Trust has accepted naming rights to Leicester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Leicester.
The venue – previously the Morningside Arena – is now being rebranded.
The Trust has donated funds to the Leicester Riders Foundation, the charity which develops basketball and other sport participation for people of all ages across Leicester and Leicestershire.
The generosity of the Mattioli family has resulted in the Trust being offered naming rights to the Arena in recognition of their continued support.
Recent donations from the Trust are in addition to the ÂŁ500,000 donation made to help fund the Arenaâs extension in 2022.
The Arena will work with the family to create a lasting legacy gifted to communities in Leicester and Leicestershire.
The Trust – established by the Mattioli family in 2016 – works to help enhance the lives and opportunities of local people.
In particular it works with communities and socio-economic groups which are often sidelined and struggle to access opportunities for advancement, personal growth, and to fully participate in society.
Ian Mattioli MBE, Founder of the Trust and CEO of Mattioli Woods, said: âWe are delighted to continue our support of the Arena, and are proud to accept the naming rights.
âThe Mattioli Arena delivers high-quality and high-class events, while at the same time focussing on its community commitments and increasing the profile of the city.
âLeicester has always looked after our family in the very safest of environments and that is why we are delighted to be part of creating a legacy for the diverse communities we support in the City of Leicester and beyond.
âTo also be able to do this through sport and a venue that has the potential to impact so many people is something we will continue to take great pride in, and we hope it will be used by many, many people over coming years.â
Kevin Routledge, Chairman of Leicester Riders, Trustee of Riders Foundation, and a Director of the Arena, said: “Once again, Ian and Clare Mattioli Charitable Trust has shown its commitment to the city and the work of our Foundation, and the Mattioli Arena, and we are hugely appreciative of that.
âThe work of the Riders Foundation, and the demands on the Arena, continue to grow and we are committed to further enhancements to our facilities.
âWe are hugely appreciative to the Mattioli familyâs generous support, which will enable us to deliver an arena, community services, and events that will continue to make the city proud.”
The 3,000-capacity Mattioli Arena stages an increasingly wide range of national and international sports and entertainment events.
It also provides a wide range of community sports opportunities through the Riders’ extensive underage basketball programmes through the Leicester Riders Foundation.
The venue also provides opportunities for Leicester College students, wheelchair basketball users, and other community sport users – making it the largest of its type in the UK.
Last yearâs extension to the Arena is already bringing significant additional revenue to the city. It consists of a standalone, 1,200-metre squared, two-court sports hall, with a new entrance to the arena also completed at the top of Memory Lane.
It also has the largest solar array on any individual building in the city, generating 246 kW(p) of solar power as helping the Arena focus on becoming a net zero business.
The Riders are in action at the Mattioli Arena tonight, taking on the Plymouth City Patriots.
British Basketball League Championship action returns to the Morningside Arena this Friday as the Riders host the 4-18 Plymouth City Patriots.
The home side will certainly be favourites to take victory following impressive winter form, but coach Rob Paternostro will warn his team against complacency after Plymouth ran Leicester close at the start of the season.
After a turbulent first quarter of the season, which resulted in the Riders revamping the roster and sat on a record below .500, the recent upturn in form sees captain Kimbal Mackenzie and his team poised to take a leap into the upper echelons of the league.
After a promising League Trophy campaign and last weekâs 20-point victory in Surrey, the Riders hold a record of 11-11, fifth in the League Championship and only three wins shy of the Caledonia Gladiators in second place.
Mackenzie himself has seen his form improve simultaneously with his squad, taking advantage of the defensive attention dedicated to Teddy Allen to drop double-digit points in five of his last six outings.
The do-it-all point guard has also seen his assist totals spike over the winter, proof that even with Allen and Duke Shelton being relatively new additions, the team is gelling more and more with each passing week.
Allen could certainly be considered the Ridersâ catalyst â the leagueâs top scorer has failed to breach 20 points only twice as a Rider â but speaking to BBC Radio Leicester earlier this week, he stated that the team was prepared for success when he arrived.
âThe team were on a skid when I got here, but we had to pieces to compete. There is a lot of talent in every position, all the way down the bench. I was able to inject some energy into the group, and after that, we rediscovered our form and everyone has been playing well.â
Expect the Riders to maintain that energy heading into tomorrowâs clash with Plymouth. The Patriots have the least potent offense in the league (averaging less than 80 points per game) and if Mackenzie and Allen continue on their current trajectory, 80 points could be surpassed before the start of the fourth.
New Year. New Start.
The end of 2023 was tough for the Patriots. Three losses on the bounce leading up to the break in League Championship play consigned Paul Jamesâ men to bottom of the standings with a 3-17 record.
To compound things, top scorer Taylor Johnson had recently departed the club and it was tough to see who Plymouth could look to for an offensive spark.
However, much-improved performances in the League Trophy and the emergence of Jacob Wiley as a true scoring threat has given them cause to believe that a playoff berth is not out of reach.
The solid Trophy campaign carried forward into the Patriotsâ return to the Championship as they travelled to Manchester and bested the Giants 93-79.
The trifecta of Wiley, Spencer Levi and Mason Faulkner overcame a superb 26-point showing from the Giantsâ William Lee to take the win, Levi particularly impressing with a Miryne Thomas-esque 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Wiley once again displayed his offensive prowess with 20 points and Faulkner was instrumental, running the floor during his 26 minutes from the bench.
The Riders will provide a different challenge than the struggling Giants however, and Fridayâs clash could prove how ready the Patriots are to make a run at the playoffs.
Key Matchup
Fridayâs game is a battle between two teams with in-form, free-scoring, 6â6â wing forwards: Teddy Allen and Jacob Wiley.
Wiley, a veteran who has married his play on the court with his name, has a career that spans at least four continents.
Following college, the 25-year-old suited up for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA before taking his skills to Europe, Australia and Japan.
His impact in the British Basketball League has been felt in the last couple of months after regular outings of 20 points or more.
Wiley isnât a threat from beyond the arc, but his ability to use strength and finishing ability inside makes him a problem for defences, and combined with his tenacity on the boards, he will be a standout on the Morningside Arena court.
Allen will now be familiar to every Riders fan and many supporters across British Basketball.
The CEBL MVP has shown innate ability to score from anywhere, whether thatâs slicing into the lane for a quick two or executing a nasty step back before splashing on a three-point dagger.
Possibly the least talked about facet of Allenâs game has been his defensive effort, rarely giving up on the cause and seldom getting beaten on the dribble.
Wiley and Allen are currently the primary outlets on offense for their teams, but both provide so much more around the court.
The winner of that battle could decide the winner of this game.
Season series: Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
Radio Leicester spoke to the team about their season so far and their mindset going into the rest of the year.Â
Hereâs what they had to sayâŠ
Teddy Allen- âThe team welcomed me with open armsâ
Teddy hit the ground running in Leicester following his arrival in mid-December, winning British Basketball League Player of the Month right off the bat.
He credited his early success to the unselfishness of his new team.
âIt’s hard to come in somewhere and be successful with my teammates being unselfish,â Allen told BBC Radio Leicester.
âThis group is exactly that. I had messages from players even before I arrived, and it was good to feel welcomed to the team. Everybody had open arms for me when I got here. I can’t thank them enough for that.â
The Riders have seen a turn in form since Allenâs arrival, but the American guard said everything was already in place for the group to be successful.
âThe team were on a skid when I got here, but we had to pieces to compete. There is a lot of talent in every position, all the way down the bench. I was able to inject some energy into the group, and after that, we rediscovered our form and everyone has been playing well.”
Basketball is in Allenâs blood, as his younger brother, Timmy Allen, currently suits up for Memphis Hustle in the NBA G-League. Teddy said that growing up in a competitive environment with his brother helped them both become the players they are today.Â
âWeâre only a year and a half apart, so we were always competing growing up, playing with and against each other. When you have a brother is a blessing. You have a competitor and someone to help you get where you want to go, and he’s definitely been that for me.â
Kimbal Mackenzie- âThis group will do anything they can to win.â
Kimbal started off by reflecting on a hard-fought Trophy Final Four battle with Cheshire Phoenix, where the Riders fell just short against the eventual champions.
âIt was a difficult loss in Birmingham- that was a tough pill to swallow. I’ve been on both sides of those types of games, and I hate being on that end of it.Â
âThat said, our team is playing well and with a lot of confidence at the moment, and I think weâre in a good place. We have to keep looking forward, and itâs time for us to move on to League play.â
It was a difficult start to the season for the Riders, but their recent form has seen them rise in the Championship standings, and they look to kick on for the remainder of the season.Â
Mackenzie said the professionalism of the team has helped them turn their play around.
âMy teammates have been great. They’ve been excited to show up and put their best foot forward. This is a group that will do anything they can to win. That’s what I expect of myself, and that’s what Coach Rob expects of all of us.
âEveryone here is professional. At every level you play, you have ups and downs, no matter how good you are, so it’s good to be back on track. We have great coaches and vets around me and it’s a professional group to be around.Â
âWe approach every game to win and put ourselves in a position to lift the title come playoff time. Seeding really matters with the new format, so we have to work hard to be as high as possible in the league going into the postseason.â
Rob Paternostro- âWeâre putting ourselves in a good position for a nice run.â
Head Coach Rob Paternostro has always taken pride in seeing improvements in his teams throughout the season.
Therefore, he has wanted to see the uptick in recent form all season long.Â
âWe always want to have a team that gets better throughout the season. We have had a lot of great teams here, but theyâve always been better in February than they were in January. Everyone is improving. It’s a long season, so you need to have that in your group.Â
âI like the way weâre playing right now. Over the last 10 games, weâre ranked first in offence and second in defence. Weâre putting ourselves in a good position for a nice run.â
Home form has been consistent all season long for Leicester. They have a 9-4 record at the Morningside Arena in all competitions, with two of the losses coming at the hands of the table-topping London Lions.
And Paternostro has been pleased with the recent improvement in play on the road.Â
âAway games always are a challenge in any sport. We went up to Newcastle in a hostile environment a couple of weeks ago and came away with a big win, so it’s clear that weâre getting better on the road. Weâre showing more focus away from home than we did earlier in the season.â
While the start of the season was below the standards Paternsotro has set for this team over the previous decade, the recent improvements to the Ridersâ play has given him confidence in their ability to challenge for playoff silverware.Â
âLet’s let it all play out. We’ve had a run that is unprecedented in any sport in this country, and of course, itâs tough to maintain that. We know there will be highs and lows, but I like how weâre playing.â
Duke Shelton- âThereâs still a lot of basketball to be played.â
Another new signing to the team, Duke Shelton, has also settled quickly into Leicester life. His high-energy play style has been a welcome addition to the roster.
âThis team really likes to get up and down the floor, so I thought it would be a good fit for how I play. Itâs been great playing for Coach Rob, who knows how to get the best out of his players. Heâs a player-coach, and thatâs something different to what Iâve been used to.â
Basketball-obsessed Sheltonâs seamless fit into the team is partly thanks to his dedication to the game off the court.Â
âI started playing basketball when I was 15, so I came to it late, but since then, it’s been my daily regimen. Every day I’ve had something to do with basketball, and it has given me the opportunity to see the world and meet a lot of different people from all walks of life.
âThe game offers a lot more than what you see inside the lines.â
After their Trophy campaign, where the Riders showed signs of high-level play, Shelton sees that there is more to come from his new team.
âWe showed a bit of what we can do in terms of our identity, but thereâs more potential in this roster, and thereâs still a lot of basketball to be played.â
TJ Lall- âWeâve been focused on the end goalâ
With the Trophy in the books, the Riders now apply their full attention to the remainder of their Championship campaign and the playoffs after that.Â
TJ Lall, like the rest of the team, is locked in.
âAll year, weâve been focused on the end goal, but now, with the Trophy done, there’s an extra level of focus on the league and the playoffs.
âIt would mean the world to win the playoffs at the end of the year. Thatâs what weâve been striving for. Weâre here to win, so it would be incredible.â
đŻ 14 points đȘ 4 rebounds âïž 2 blocks
TJ did it all in our September win against @PlymCityPatriot đ„
With big roster changes taking place earlier in the year, players such as Lall, who have been with the team at the start of the season, have had to adapt. But to him, itâs part of playing in professional basketball.Â
âTeams change all the time. You have to adapt and move on; the new guys have improved the team.Â
âWe feel like it’s achievable to win it all. We showed what we can do in the Trophy, despite the loss. We were right there and lost by a point to the team that went on to win it.
âThe emphasis is on getting better every practice, and hopefully, by the end of the season, weâre at our best, and weâll see what we can achieve.â
The Riders are in action on Friday, hosting the Plymouth City Patriots.
The Riders returned to British Basketball League Championship action with a bang, beating the Scorchers 104-84 on the road.
Here’s what we can take from the win…
Strength in depth
The Riders had contributions all the way down the roster, with every player in the game day squad scoring multiple field goals.
From the leading scorer, Teddy Allen, who topped the game’s scoring charts with 20, to Blake Bowman, who attacked the hoop effectively in his 14 minutes of action, Leicester relentlessly scored throughout with multiple lineups.
The Riders bench, led by TJ Lallâs 13 points, outscored Surreyâs 39-27, despite Surreyâs Quin Cooper providing a hot hand off the bench to score 16 and go 4-9 from three.
âWe knew they were coming off a back-to-back, so we wanted to play all 10 guys and get up and down the floor,â said Head Coach Rob Paternostro postgame.
âWe did a really good job of that, especially in the first half.â
Jaren Holmes, who went off for 14 points in the game, praised the group’s effort to get the job done in Surrey:
“We went out and played together and let the ball move. We had a lot of guys in double figures, so it was a good experience. It was fun to be out there- I love playing these types of games, where everyone is moving the ball and scoring.”
Practice makes perfect
Both Holmes and Paternostro reflected on the week of practice, and how intense 5-on-5 action helped prepare them for the Scorchers and lift the mood in camp after last weekend’s Trophy Final Four defeat.
âWe were obviously a little down after the loss in Birmingham, but we had a great scrimmage on Thursday with 10 players playing really well, and that translated on the court today,â noted Paternostro.
“The scrimmage we had this week was intense,” added Holmes. “Coach let us play for the longest we’ve played all season, and everybody was going at it.
“We were competing, getting into it with each other and trying to win, no matter what. That carried over into this game.”
Triple threat
Coming into the game against Surrey, who take the most three-point shots in the League, it was important for the Riders to be able to win the battle from distance.
They did exactly that, and as the most efficient deep shooters in the British Basketball League, shooting 39.5% on the season, they went 14-27 from behind the arc led by three triples from Kimbal Mackenzie.
âWe know theyâre a really good three-point shooting team, and Cooper was exceptional out there. We really wanted to limit those opportunities for them where we could.â
Surrey shot 37% from three on the game, but couldnât match the Riders’ pinpoint accuracy from range.
âWeâre not always looking for the three, but we have a lot of guys that can make it, and they made them today.â
Leicester had six players hit two or more threes in the game, providing deep threat from up and down and roster, everywhere on the court.
Leicester Riders recorded a dominant win on the road, beating the Surrey Scorchers 104-84.
The British Basketball Leagueâs leading scorer Teddy Allen came up with another 20-point game, logging 6 rebounds and 3 assists while leading the game’s scoring.Â
He was backed by his captain Kimbal Mackenzie, who put up 15 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds in the wake of his nomination for Januaryâs Player of the Month.
Surrey shoots the most three-point shots in the League, but the Riders hit at a 51% rate from deep in the game to win the battle from behind the arc. In a team display, every Rider scored at least two baskets, and five scored in double digits. Â
The win sees the Riders get back to a .500 record at 11-11 as they look to climb the Championship standings in the back half of the year.Â
The Scorchers made three triples to start the game to take an early lead. Two-time League MVP Justin Robinson took the lid off the basket with back-to-back triples, followed by Padiet Wang who made it 11-9.Â
Wang made the highlight of the first quarter, cutting back the door before taking off to throw down Robinsonâs lob pass emphatically.
The Riders came back to take the lead by the media timeout, Allen faded away for a tough bucket to make it 16-13.Â
With a minute to go in the first, both sides flexed their shot-blocking ability. Wang kickstarted a block party by spiking Blake Bowmanâs layup before Sam Idowu returned the favour next time up the floor by pinning Elliot Baileyâs shot.
Bailey hit back and finished a succession of blocks with a denial on TJ Lall. But it was the Riders who carried a narrow advantage after a quarter, as Washington hit a corner three to put them up 30-25.Â
Leicester blew the game open to start the third with back-to-back threes from Idowu.
Surreyâs GB guard Andrew Lawrence then picked up two quick technical fouls as tensions ran high midway through the second. Leicester took advantage, and Idowuâs finish inside put Leicester up 18.
Scorchers Head Coach Lloyd Gardner was the next to pick up a technical, putting Mackenzie to the line for his 9th point of the matchup.Â
Miryne Thomas exploded to close the half, draining a contested three with a minute left, and ending the quarter with a monster putback off Allenâs missed layup. They entered the locker rooms up 62-40.Â
It was the Ridersâ first 60-point half of the season, as their offence clicked into gear upon its return to Championship action.
Leicester extended their lead in the second half, playing physical ball on both ends and running the break consistently. Jaren Holmes attacked relentlessly, bringing his game tally to 10 with 6:06 left in the period and making the score 72-45.Â
The Riders threatened to make the lead 30 throughout the third quarter, but Surrey kept plugging away to keep their side of the scoreboard ticking over. Wang led the game with 15 points with three minutes left, running the pick-and-roll with Saiquan Jamison effectively.
Allen and Conner Washington combined for triples to quash any Scorchers momentum, finding open looks against Surreyâs aggressive defensive approach. Their threes made it 87-61 with one to play.Â
Lall got the fourth underway for Leicester with his second three of the game. But the Scorchers came flying out in the fourth to cut the Riders’ lead back to 20, finding joy in attacking the hoop.Â
The Riders hit back with a 6-0 run, capped off by a second chance make from Holmes, to take any life left from Surreyâs comeback hopes.
Leicester returns to action next Friday, hosting the Plymouth City Patriots at the Morningside Arena, Leicester.Â
But Cheshireâs Laquincy Rideauâs finish at the rim saw the Phoenix take back the lead with four seconds left, and Miryne Thomasâ Hail Mary three came off the rim to send the Riders home.
âThat was a heartbreaker,â said Head Coach Rob Paternostro postgame.
âIâm proud of how we hung in there and put ourselves in a position to win. It was a heck of a comeback but a disappointing way to go out.â
Trending up
Despite Saturdayâs loss, Leicester have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games in all competitions, seeing them capture some midseason form.
A 3-1 record in the Trophy group phase saw their play rewarded with a trip to the Utilita Arena Birmingham, where they were seconds from toppling the eventual champions.
The Riders currently possess a 10-11 record in the Championship following a 4-1 end to 2023. Their defence and rebounding, which were areas in need of improvement to start the season, became a strength during January.
âWeâre taking defence personally,â said Riders forward Samuel Idowu before the Final Four.
âThatâs from practice to in the games. Weâre prideful in our efforts to get stops, so weâre happy to see it translate to the games. If we stay competitive, weâll get results.
âOur rebounding especially has improved throughout the year, and we know how much that can control the game.â
Surrey Scorchers
Positive steps
Surrey looked set to progress to the Final Four after winning their opening two group games, but after suffering key injuries and running into two of the Leagueâs inform teams in the Caledonia Gladiators and the Phoenix, they finished third in the group with a 2-2 record and failed to progress.
They now turn their attention to the League, where their 7-14 record leaves them in the final playoff place, with two games in hand from the ninth-placed Giants on the same amount of wins.
Surrey started the season 0-5, but responded with a 3-1 run and have picked up important wins throughout the year, including back-to-back victories against the Bristol Flyers in November.
Theyâll look to continue to add to their wins collum on the back stretch and make their first postseason appearance since 2018.
Living by the three
Surrey live and die by the three-point line this season, jacking up the most attempts in the League this season with 30.9 per game.
While they donât connect on the attempts at the most efficient rate, shooting 33.5%, when their shots are falling, the Scorchers become a difficult team to slow down.
— British Basketball League (@britishbasketm) January 6, 2024
The Riders can compete from three, and connect on their deep shots at the highest percentage in the League at 37.8%, so expect the trading of three-point bombs in this one.
Key matchup
Surreyâs three-point philosophy is led by two-time British Basketball MVP Justin Robinson, who takes a team-high 6.3 threes per game.
The 17-year pro enjoyed his best years in British basketball with the London Lions, winning League MVP in 2018 and 2019. He signed with the Scorchers this summer, and leads the teams scoring with 12.2 points per game.
The British point guard has been a lights-out three-point shooter throughout his career, averaging over 40% shooting in the last two seasons.
Meeting him in the backcourt will be Riders captain Kimbal Mackenzie, who comes into this game off the back of two lights-out performances.
In a win-or-go-home game against the Newcastle Eagles in the final round of the group, he led the team with 22 points in an important win.
He followed up with a monster fourth quarter against Cheshire, where he took a charge, hit a three and made a go-ahead and-one play with seconds on the clock to lead the comeback.
The back-and-forth between two of the Leagueâs best point guards will be a canât-miss action!
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