Month: November 2024

Leicester Riders got back to winning ways with a 99-86 victory against Manchester. 

It was a convincing win from the start after a red hot first half, which saw the team put up 56 points. Manchester fought back in the third to cut into the lead, but big shots to start the fourth saw the Riders put the game beyond reach.

Zach Jackson led the game with 20 points and 5 rebounds, going 7-11 from the field. The Riders had seven players in double digits, including Hunter with 16 and 9 assists and Duke Shelton off the bench with 13 points and 8 rebounds in 12 minutes.

Leicester went 53% from the field and 42% from three, turning the ball over only 9 times in a solid offensive showing. 

Manchester had two 20 point scorers in Marcus Delpeche and Nathan Cayo, the former grabbing 9 rebounds and shooting 10-15 from the field. 

They lost the bench battle 27-16, the difference in the game. 

Riders start hot

A hot shooting start from the Riders saw them jump out to a 12-7 lead. Spencer Johnson, stepping into the starting lineup for the first time as a Rider, hit a three off-balance from the wing, and Riley Abercrombie hit twice from deep, Leicester hitting their first three attempts from behind the arc. 

Abercrombie led the game with 10 points in the opening six minutes. Leicester led by double digits through the Aussie’s play, capitalising on their form to build a solid advantage. It was 29-16 after one with Leicester shooting 71% from deep. 

Riders dominant to the half

Conner Washington checked into the game to start the second quarter to continue the three point barrage. He was followed by Shelton who bagged a pair of buckets, taking Delpeche off the dribble as the shot clock wound down for a layup inside, making the score 38-20. 

With four minutes left in the half, Jaylin Hunter got in on the action with back-to-back triples. Everything was dropping for the hosts, who were 8-12 from three. Hunter scored eight straight, each shot meeting nothing but string. 

Leicester dominated the second period. Their fluid offence was met with no answer as they poured on the points for their highest scoring half of the season. Zach Jackson’s put back after a scramble around the bucket was the Riders’ final score of the second, as they entered the locker rooms up 56-36. 

Manchester fight back

The sides stalled out to start the third, as the once high-scoring affair slowed down into a defensive duel. Jackson hit a deep two on the buzzer over Delpeche for two of Leiecetsr’s nine points in five minutes, as the Riders kept the lead to 20. 

Midway through the period, Manchester began to mount a comeback into the game. Nathan Cayo drained a three for his 12th points to make it 67-52, forcing a Riders timeout to stem the tide. 

Jackson stopped the bleeding by getting to work down low, pulling up from the post to sink one. The Riders build on the American’s bucket to make it a 16 point game with one to play. 

Seeing it out late

To start the third, Wright connected on back-to-back threes to set the tone the rest of the way. Jackson pulled up off the dribble to follow up his teammates and hit again, giving the Riders a platform to see the game out from. 

Jaylin Hunter got to work to score five straight and stretch the lead. He scored seven in the period to see it out, making his tally on the game 16.

Abercrombie put the exclamation point on the win with a big dunk inside, seeing the Riders home and making it a 2-2 record on the Championship season. 

Back at it on Sunday

The Riders return to action on Sunday, taking on Cheshire Phoenix on the road hoping to improve to above .500 on the season.

Leicester Riders return to Super League Basketball action against Manchester for the first time this season.

The 1-2 Riders will attempt to return to winning ways after back-to-back losses to Sheffield Sharks, as they hope to get their season back on track going into December. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Meanwhile Manchester seek their first win of the League season after a 2-6 Trophy group phase.

Here’s how the fixture is shaping up…

Leicester looks to regain momentum 

The Riders face a seven-game December schedule, starting Sunday against Cheshire Phoenix, and will be looking to build form going into the congested run of fixtures. 

They will take important lessons from their losses against Sheffield, with a lot of season ahead of them to correct the wrongs from the games. 

Last time out was a tough offensive outing after a positive start to the game. They went scoreless through the first six minutes of the second quarter, and were unable to get going ahead to climb back into the tie. 

Jaylin Hunter led the Riders’ efforts from the point with 18 points, finishing with a +/- of -1 in an 18 point loss. He was backed by Abercrombie with 14 and Zach Jackson with 11. 

The two weeks between games has allowed the team to reset, study the tape and get back on the practice court, and they will look to get back into a rhythm against tomorrow’s North Western opponents. 

Manchester look to get over the edge after overtime thrillers

Manchester, a newly formed franchise, still looks to find its feet in Super League Basketball with a roster formed imminently before the season started.

The Trophy group was a useful run of games for the unit to gain chemistry and find fitness, making their 2-6 record secondary to their performances and growth throughout the phase. 

Their two wins were the final two games of the group, and now, two games into the Championship season, Manchester will look to turn performances into results and get their first point in the win column in the league against Leicetser. 

They have come agonisingly close in both of their Championship games, falling in overtime on both occasions. Their last outing was on the road to Bristol Flyers, the hosts finding late form with Evan Walshe leading the way against his former team. 

Their 0-2 record, therefore, is deceptive, and the Riders will need to be operating at peak performance to come out the victors in this one. 

Their odds received a slight boost in the week as Manchester parted ways with their third-leading scorer Isiah Moore. But with a top-three scorer in the League, DJ Mitchell, and the second-best assist-maker in Makai Ashton-Langford, the Riders’ opponents will suit up with a plethora of talent at Mattioli Arena. 

Tickets still available!

Tickets are still available for the game! You can secure your seat here!

Leicester Riders, the UK’s oldest professional basketball club, are thrilled to announce NordVPN as the headline sponsor for the Leicester Riders Business Club. This exciting new partnership, built on trust and security, celebrates a shared commitment to innovation, community, and the promotion of online security in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

NordVPN are the global market leaders in providing cyber security through their VPN products and digital services. Helping to provide online users with a safe and secure digital experience, ensuring peace of mind and security while using any unsecured networks, such as public Wi-Fi connections in hotels, airports and coffee shops. 

Other features allow secure access to personal information or work files, encryption internet connections and browsing history privacy. As part of the new partnership, NordVPN are offering Riders fans up to 75% off and four months extra for free! 

As part of this collaboration, NordVPN will be front and centre in supporting Leicester Riders Business Club’s aim of fostering a community of businesses. This partnership looks to support businesses in elevating their operations while ensuring the highest levels of online security and privacy.

Simon Winfield, CEO of  Leicester Riders, said: 

“We are proud to partner with NordVPN, a globally recognised leader in cybersecurity, as we work together to elevate both our business community and online presence. This partnership not only highlights our shared values of innovation and collaboration but also provides our business network with the essential tools to protect their digital interests.”

NordVPN’s commitment to online security aligns with the Riders’ vision for providing a safe, secure environment for businesses to connect and grow. 

Bob Brinklow, Country Manager UK, NordVPN said:

“NordVPN is delighted to partner with Leicester Riders to help educate supporters on the importance of staying safe online. 

“While cybersecurity and privacy tools help to protect internet users from a technical perspective, human error remains an essential factor in cybersecurity and no one is fully protected from online scams. 

“Tactics used by cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and even cyber-savvy users are often exposed. 

“NordVPN now offers cyber insurance benefits with its Ultimate plan so users can secure their internet connection and enjoy the additional protection against online shopping fraud and online scams.”

To learn more about NordVPN, click here!

Leicester Riders lost 79-61 on the road to the Sheffield Sharks to fall to 1-2 in the Super League Basketball Championship. 

After a hot start saw them take the lead, Leicester’s offence struggled in the second quarter allowing the hosts to take the advantage. Sheffield came out the half the hotter of the two teams, taking the game beyond reach in the third. 

Jaylin Hunter led the Riders’ efforts from the point with 18 points, finishing with a +/- of -1 in an 18 point loss. He was backed by Abercrombie with 14 and Zack Jackson with 11. 

Sheffield’s Rodney Chatman III led the game with 20 in an impressive Sheffield showing. Their bench outscored Leicester’s 25-7 in a well rounded effort. 

Riders take the early lead

Sheffield looked to get big man Donovan Clay going early. He backed down Riley Abercrombie for a layup inside, and pulled up from midrange for the first 4 points of the evening. 

Charles Thompson put an end to the Sharks’ success at the hoop quickly. He blocked Clay twice in a possession next time down the floor before Abercrombie hit back with a triple. 

The Riders, in contrast to the reverse fixture, knocked down their threes from the jump. Jaylin Hunter, Ethan Wright and Abercrombie all connected from deep as Leicester burst out to a lead. 

Leicester’s stars made emphatic plays, none better than Hunters to end the first. He drove to the hoop and pulled off a circus shot, plus the foul, and the score was 22-15 to the visitors come the buzzer. 

Offensive struggles in the second 

Sheffield came steaming back in the second quarter. They started 7-0, with EC Mathews tying the game at 22 on the fastbreak to trigger a Riders timeout. 

Leicester’s hot offensive start cooled dramatically. They went scoreless through the first six minutes in the quarter, allowing a 12-0 Sharks run. Leicester’s defence kept them within touching distance before Thompson took the lid off the basket at the foul line. 

Abercrombie drained the first field goal in the second with two minutes left, hitting a three from the top. He was followed by a Hunter turnaround with the Riders getting points on the board to close the half. 

Thompson threw down a jam off a Hunter dish down low to chip into the lead, meaning Leicester survived their offensive drought to trail only 36-32 at the half. 

Sharks stretch lead 

The Sharks came out of the halftime break to take momentum back, building their lead to 13 with a Clay fastbreak jam. 

Leicester again struggled to find the bottom of the bucket. They battled to the free throw line on a couple of occasions, but with the Sharks piling on the points at the rim, the deficit grew larger. 

Deep in the third, Johnson hit an important three from the wing to keep Leicester in contention, making the score 58-44. It was vital the Riders kept the difference closer to 10 than 20 with one to play, and with Hunter’s free throws it was 62-48 at the end of the third.

Riders leave comeback too late

The Riders were unable to take the initiative in the final period of play, as the Sharks built the lead to 20. 

Leicester again struggled putting the ball in the basket, dashing any hopes of pulling off a comeback late in the game. 

They did find form in the final few minutes, Abercrombie adding to his tally with some tough makes at the rim, but it proved too little, too late, and the Riders took their second loss of the season. 

The Riders return to action following the international break, hosting Manchester Basketball on November 29.

You can get tickets here!

Leicester Riders seek immediate revenge against Sheffield Sharks in the second of a back-to-back against their South Yorkshire adversaries. 

The Sharks handed Leicester their first loss of the season last time out with an intense 79-82 battle at Mattioli Arena, and now the sides head to Sheffield for the reverse fixture. 

Here’s how the game is shaping up… 

A battle in Leicester

The sides are ready for round two off the back of a heavyweight clash last time out. It was an electric affair and a heartbreaker come the final buzzer for Leicester, who battled back at the hands of Zach Jackson late in the fourth.

Despite the Riders loss, Jackson again showed his ability to put the scoring load on his back in the clutch to will his team into contention. His Player of the Game performance saw him bag 20 points, and 8 straight for the Riders to claw them back in it. 

The Riders were down six with three minutes on the clock before back-to-back threes tied it up. Following a Sharks bucket, Jackson putback Riley Abercrombie’s miss to once again level the scores, and his game tying attempt on the buzzer missed by an inch for what would have been his 11th straight.

For Sheffield, a 16-0 run in the fourth overcame a ten point Riders lead, with EC Mathews sinking the game winning shot on his way to a team-high 18 points. 

The Sharks bench was pivotal to their success. Backing Mathews in the second unit was Prentiss Nixon, who was a thorn in the Riders’ side in last season’s playoffs. Nixon went for 11 and 4 on the game in 24 minutes, shooting 50% from the field and finishing with a +/- of 7. 

Coach’s words…

Following the loss, Head Coach Rob Paternostro reflected on what he thought was an entertaining spectacle of high-level basketball. 

“It was a really well played game from both teams. In the first half we struggled to stop them. They put 49 on the scoreboard and shot 69%. We knew they had some high level players- they’re a talented team and they showed that.

“We turned the game around in the third quarter with our defence and took a lead in the fourth, but we struggled to hit open shots late. We had three or four looks late that we’ll take all day, and give them credit, they hit some clutch threes at the end.”

The Riders had a chance to send it to overtime, having called timeout down three with 18 seconds on the clock. But the Sharks, with fouls to give, wound the clock down to 3 seconds left, forcing Jackson to heave a tough shot on the move. 

Paternostro reflected on if things could have been different should the Riders have found more whistles earlier in the action. 

“We couldn’t get the best look at the end. They had a couple of fouls to give and we only had six free throws all game so they weren’t in any foul trouble. Zach’s shot was on-line and he had a good opportunity. 

“But ultimately, defensively at times in the fourth quarter we just didn’t get the stops we needed, and when you’re playing a good team you need those stops.”

Playing back-to-backs against teams presents an opportunity to right the wrongs of the initial fixture. The Riders have spent the week in the film room, and will look to grow as a unit and put out a more convincing performance this time out.

“This was a good opportunity to get into the film and figure out ways we can play better. We knew the type of team they were so it wasn’t a surprise with what they were able to do. But next time we have to make plays late in the game. It can be a make or miss situation, and if we made some of the looks we had it could have been a different story.”

How to watch

The game, played at Canon Medical Arena, tips-off at 4 pm. It is available to watch live on DAZN here!

Leicester Riders host Sheffield Sharks in their Championship home opener, hoping to improve to 2-0. 

The Riders, undefeated in their first seven games of the season, will take on northern opposition for the first time after establishing themselves as the premier outfit in the Trophy’s South Group to start the season. 

Meanwhile the Sharks, who narrowly missed out on qualification from the North Group, hope to improve to above .500 on the season after beating the Bristol Flyers last time out. 

Fixture information

Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks
Friday, November 8, 7:30
Mattioli Arena Leicester

Get tickets here!

Riders take Trophy form into Championship

The Riders have started a season 7-0 in all competitions only three times before in the top flight of British basketball, the least successful of those seasons seeing the club win the 2015/16 double. 

It’s the first time in eight years Leicester have achieved this feat, and this time around they have done so convincingly. 

The Riders have given up 80 points only once this season- an overtime victory on the road to the Bristol Flyers. They have won all but the Flyers game by double figures, their defence allowing the fewest points of any team in British basketball’s top flight. 

Leicester continued in the same vein as they got their Championship campaign underway last time out in Surrey. An 82-66 win saw Leicester hold the 89ers to 22 points across the second and third quarters, while knocking down threes in the second half to blow the game open. 

The Riders hit threes at the second highest rate on the most attempts in the League, and despite missing on a number of open looks last week, fell back on their deep shooting prowess to start their Championship campaign with a win. 

Action Jackson 

Leicester’s Zach Jackson 20 point outing against Surrey saw him jump to the top of the League’s scoring charts with 19 points per game in all competitions. 

The American wing has found no match so far this season, and is leading Leicester to a historic start to their season upon his return to the East Midlands. 

Jackson, who suited up in Japan last year, spent three seasons with the Riders between 2020 and 2023. He played an integral role in the Riders’ 2022 treble, winning four trophies during his time in the East Midlands. 

During the 2022-23 season, Jackson averaged 16.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, shooting 55% from the field and 43% from three. He led the Riders in points, rebounds and steals during the 2023 Playoffs, making the final at the O2 Arena with 15.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. 

Jackson is now back with a bang, and making his name once again as one of the elite ballers in British basketball. 

Dangerous Sharks look for consistency

It’s been an up and down start to Super League Basketball for Sheffield, who have come up with impressive wins in their 5-5 start to the season. 

Their hopes of progressing to the Trophy semi-final came down to a head-to head against Newcastle Eagles which they lost 84-82 at home in heartbreaking fashion, but a win on the road in Cheshire and a convincing blowout last time out against Bristol have shown them capable of winning on any given night. 

That’s, in part, thanks to their star scorer Rodney Chatman, who is right behind Jackon in the season’s scoring charts. The third year pro put up 24 and 9 against the Flyers, and has three 20 point games to his name so far. 

Sheffield, like Leicester, have been red hot from three, leading the League at 37.6%. But performances such as their season opening 92-68 loss to London Lions has shown a lack of ability to guard the three ball, as the Lions hit 53% of their looks that night. 

With red hot shooters and a star scorer, Sheffield pose a dangerous threat to the Riders undefeated record however, so expect an intensely fought battle in Leicester. 

Leicester Riders host Sheffield Sharks in their League home opener for the inaugural season of Super League Basketball.

The Riders, undefeated on the season through seven games, take on the Sharks for the first time since last season’s playoff matchup, which Sheffield won on the third and final game of the series.

Leicester look for get back, and a place at the top of the Championship standings with a 2-0 record in the League.

Here’s a look at the numbers…

Clash of the titans 

The League’s two leading scorers go head-to-head in this one, with Zach Jackson lining up against Sheffield’s Rodney Chatman. 

Jackson’s play has earned him back-to-back mentions in the SLB Team of the Week, his 19 points per game leading all players after a 20 point outing in Surrey. 

The American wing has justified his pre-season hype with elite scoring on the season, putting up 20 on four occasions, and a season-high 27 in Bristol. 

Chatman’s 18.8 points per game average is hot on Jackson’s heels, however. He’s off to a red hot start to the League season, putting up 24 and 9 last time out against Bristol Flyers. 

That’s off the back of two 20 point games to end the Sharks’ Trophy campaign- the third year pro hitting the ground running in his first season in British basketball. 

SLB fans can look forward to two elite bucket getters going head-to-head at the Mattioli Arena.

Leicester lock down

The Riders defence has been locked in during the early stages of the season. 

It allows the fewest points (73.5) and field goal percentage (41.7%) in Super League Basketball, leading to the only sub-100 defensive rating in the League. 

The Riders have allowed 80 points only once this season, in an overtime thriller against the Bristol Flyers. 

They don’t allow second possessions, ranking first among all teams in rebounding percentage led by Charles Thompson who leads all players in rebound per game with 9.7. 

Nothing easy comes against the Riders. On offence, they turn the ball over on only 13.75% of their possessions, the least in the League, leading to the fewest fastbreak points allowed. 

Therefore Sheffield, who find 15.30 points off turnovers per game, will need to explore other avenues to find success on the offensive side of the ball. 

Three point battle

These sides have been cooking from deep to start the season! The Sharks and Riders rank first and second respectively in three point percentage, with some of British basketball’s deadliest sharpshooters lining up from outside. 

Sheffield’s Jordan Ratinho, knocking down an incredible 52% of his threes, leads the SLB in three point percentage, and is one of five Sharks shooting over 40% from distance. Former Rider Jamell Anderson is a member of that group with a career-high 40% so far. 

Meanwhile the Riders, who lead all teams in three pointers attempted, are led by Blake Bowman’s 50% rate. The young Brit is enjoying a career year so far after his three point explosion in Bristol, which contributed to a three-game stretch in double figures scoring. 

On the other end, Leiecster enter this game with confidence in stopping Sheffield’s three point threat. Teams have put up 29.3% from behind the arc against the Riders, bettered only by Newcastle Eagles.

Their opponents don’t have such a stellar track record in this regard, giving up 37.8% from deep in their games so far, and will need to lock down on the perimeter to prevent the Riders from torching them. 

Don’t miss it!

Tickets are still available for the game. Get in the stands and get behind the team!

Get tickets here!

Leicester Riders started their Championship season 1-0 with an 82-66 win on the road to the Surrey 89ers. 

Leicester broke the game open in the second half with red hot three point shooting, after struggling to knock down their deep shots in the opening stages. Zach Jackson led the team after being named to the Team of the Week with 20 points and 6 assists, going 8-11 from the field. 

He was backed by Jaylin Hunter, whose three point shooting sealed the deal late. Hunter put up 17 and 6 on the night, and big man Charles Thompson bagged a double double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. 

The Riders’ defence won the night, following the trend of the early season. Big defensive stands led to opportunities on the fastbreak, and Leicester held their opponents to under 80 for the sixth time in seven games. 

Surrey’s Cam Gooden kept them in the game early with 20 points in the first half. Leicester came out the break with a plan to slow him down, allowing the Riders to pull away. Gooden finished the game with 22 points, as the Riders took away his hot hand. 

The Riders start the season 7-0 in all competitions for the fifth time in Club history after their third victory against Surrey in two weeks. 

Gooden goes off

From the jump, Charles Thompson engaged in an early battle with opposite number Dame Adelekun at the rim. He grabbed two offensive boards in the opening three minutes resulting in four points and a 7-7 tie. 

The Niners started hot from deep to take an early advantage. Surrey star Cameron Gooden drained two off the dribble, before taking it coast to coast with lightning speed as his side led by five. 

Leicester battled back through an Ethan Wright and one play, the two guard attacking the rim relentlessly, and Jaylin Hunter’s first bucket of the game. Zach Jackson muscled down low for another bucket, plus the foul, but Gooden’s third three ended the period 21-20 in the Niners’ favour. 

Riders edge into the lead at the break

Conner Washington, in his record-breaking 304th league game for the Club, started the second with a triple from the top to take back the Leicester lead. 

But missed open looks saw the Riders unable to create distance in the scores, despite the hustle of J’Raan Brooks who smothered the offensive glass early in the quarter. Gooden, meanwhile, made his tally 16 with another three. He was responsible for all but eight Niner points. 

The Riders’ rebounding did pay dividends as the clock ticked down to the half. Wright, picking up the ball after Thompson’s tip out, put on a spin move in the lane for two, before Thompson got open in a lane for a two-hand throw down to make the lead 10. 

A small Surrey run, capped off by three free throws by Steel, ended the half to cut into the Niners deficit, and the second quarter ended with the Riders up 31-36. 

Leicester lockdown blows game open

The Riders, who had struggled from deep in the second quarter, saw one go in at the hands of Hunter in the second. Leicester, leaning on their defence, put up a wall at the hoop as Charles Thompson sent Adelekun’s shot away, which lead to a fastbreak bucket and a double digit Leicester advantage. 

A minute later, Hunter put Gooden in a straight jacket to poke the ball away, before Jackson ran the floor for an and-one. The American followed up with a three, and the Riders led by 16 led by their defensive efforts. 

Jackson’s three took the lid off the basket, with Hunter hitting back to back in a dominant stretch. The rookie guard finished off the quarter for the Riders, who led 43-59 with one to play. 

Seeing it out in style

Jackson got to work to start the fourth to keep the Niners at arm’s length, scoring seven straight points.

Spencer Johnson hit from three with the shot clock ticking down, giving the Riders an 18 point lead to see the game out from. 

Once the floodgates opened, all the Leicester shots went through. Riley Abercrombie nailed back-to-back triples followed by another Johnson three, then Thompson threw down another jam in the lane to put a cap on a well earned road win. 

The Riders return to action on Friday November 8, hosting Sheffield Sharks at home. You can get tickets here!

Leicester Riders Head Coach Rob Paternostro has been awarded the Super League Basketball Kevin Cadle Coach of the Month for October! 

Paternostro coached the team to an undefeated 5-0 record in October, seeing the Riders progress through the Super League Basketball South Group in first place. 

Leicester have the best defensive record in the competition, giving up more than 80 points on only one occasion, and have played as a cohesive unit on both ends to average the most assists and the fewest turnovers of any club in the league. 

The team won their six games by an average margin of 14.5 points, with only one game being decided within single digits.

Paternostro, a 17 time silverware winner in the top flight of British basketball, adds the first ever Super League Basketball Coach of the Month award to his extensive trophy cabinet.