Leicester Riders got their pre-season underway with a 111-66 victory against USA Select.
It was a convincing first outing for the newly formed Riders roster, in front of a pre-season record attendance at the Mattioli Arena.
Riley Abercrombie led the scoring, putting up 24 points on his Riders debut, backed by Jaylin Hunter who went off for 19 points and 5 assists.
Charles Thompson dominated the paint with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and 12 points and 7 rebounds from Ethan Wright made for a productive evening for the Riders rookies.
A start to finish victory saw a team formed 10 days prior play together, the chemistry forming quickly among the group after one pre-season outing.
Leicester shot 54.7% from the field and dished 26 assists in the game on their way to a team win.
Scorers
Riley Abercrombie: 24
Jaylin Hunter: 19
Zach Jackson: 13
Ethan Wright: 12
Charles Thompson: 12
Blake Bowman: 11
J’Raan Brooks: 10
Duke Shelton 7
Conner Washington: 3
Red hot Riders start
Thompson got the game underway with dominance inside. He showed his strength from the jump, battling down low for an offensive board before a hook shot netted him his first points in Riders red, and Leicesterâs first of the 2024 pre-season.
The big man scored two quick buckets in the midst of a 7-2 Leicester start, and blocked Morgan Brown’s layup attempt. Abercrombie also enjoyed a red hot start, connecting with his first two attempts from deep. It was quickly 15-2, as returning Rider Zach Jackson forced USA Selectâs first timeout with a euro-step on the break.
The visitors bit back with two straight buckets halfway into the period, but Abercrombie put an end to any USA Select momentum with an and-one finish, bagging his ninth points of the evening.
A Riders scoring drought did open the door for USA Select on the back end of the quarter, as they found joy on the fastbreak and the offensive glass. A triple saw the score pegged back to 28-21 with a minute remaining.
But they re-found their groove to close the first, and Jackson finished the opening period with a floater to make it 34-23.
Building to the half
Conner Washington picked up from where his teammates left off after the first period. He got the second quarter underway with a triple, the 12-year veteran always a hot hand from outside. He and Abercrombie rebuilt the lead from distance throughout the second, and Hunter effectively pulled the strings from the point.
The Riders, who found difficulty controlling the glass at times early, secured defensive boards consistently in the second to hold their opponents to 12 second quarter points.
In a physical affair, Jackson had multiple trips to the foul line as the half came to a close, knocking down free throws to make it a 20 point Leicester lead. The sides entered the half with the Riders up 57-35.
Out of the break, Hunter got the second half going with a steal and a score, before pulling up in transition on the next play for three. It was a 30 point lead quickly in the third, courtesy of Abercrombie again adding two more on the fastbreak.
USA Select still had no answer for the Australian who brought his game tally to 20 at the foul line with 3:30 left in the third.
A scoring flurry for the visitors saw USA Select maintain the difference at 30 late in the third, draining a three on the buzzer to make it 81-52 with one to play.
Final flourish
Another and-one started the final period, this time Thompson taking the contact inside and connecting with the finish. Hunter followed up with a trip to the stripe next time up, and he made the score 85-52 with 8:42 left.
Hunter was hot in the fourth, and he drained a triple over a hand in his face to add three more to his game tally.
Blake Bowman brought the Ridersâ game score to 100 with a spin move inside, and Abercrombie capped off a player of the game performance and a convincing Leicester win with a three.
The Riders return to action on September 20, taking on Surrey Scorchers on the road ahead of the Super League Basketball season opener on September 27.
Tickets go on sale for the Ridersâ 2024 SLB home fixtures on Monday, September 9, at 12 pm.
