Leicester Riders return to action after the international break, hosting Manchester for the first time in Super League Basketball.
The Club looks to return to winning ways after back-to-back losses to the Sheffield Sharks. Building momentum is pivotal ahead of a busy winter schedule, with this weekend’s double header setting up a seven-game December.
Here’s some of the key matchups to look for in Friday’s action…
Makai Ashton-Langford vs Jaylin Hunter
The League’s two premiere assist makers, Jaylin Hunter and Makai Ashton-Langford, go head-to-head from the point in this matchup.
Hunter, with 8 per game, leads all players in dishes, followed by Ashton-Langford with 7 per game. The two American rookies have quickly made their name in professional hoops as elite playmakers, pulling the strings from the point.
The Riders’ star guard has been one of the standouts from their start to the season, finding quick chemistry with the rest of the roster to continually generate open looks with his flashy passing and court vision.
In addition to his playmaking, Hunter’s finishing ability at the rim has led to some mind-bending circus shots in the paint, and his quickness in transition and three point shooting prowess makes him the second-highest Riders scorer on the season with 14.7 point per outing.
For Manchester, Ashton-Langford has shown similarly impressive passing skills in his introduction to Super League Basketball to rank second in the League in assists, behind Hunter.
Like Hunter, his pass-first, selfless mentality has generated offence up and down the Manchester roster. He breaks holes in defences by willingly attacking the hoop, before swinging passes to cutting defenders and open shooters.
With talented scorers at the forward position, he is a weapon in the pick and roll, looking for switches onto bigger defenders where he can take them off the dribble, or draw double teams so he can find the cutter in the lane.
Slowing down the opposing guard will go a long way for their team’s success for either of these court generals.
DJ Mitchell vs Riley Abercrombie
Manchester’s leading scorer lines up at the forward position. DJ Mitchell is one of three 20 point per game scorers in Super League Basketball this season, averaging 20 points and 6 rebounds per game over his two league appearances so far.
His latest outing showcased his ability to get the ball in the basket and dominate the glass, logging a 15 point, 12 rebound double double against a physical Bristol Flyers outfit.
After starting his professional career in 2021, Mitchell has gained experience in Australia, the Netherlands and Poland to name a few, signing in Manchester from the NBL 1’s Brisbane Bullets.
Mitchell has a willingness to take shots from every spot on the court, making him a tough cover when pulling up from range at 6 ‘8″. He possesses an ability to take defenders off the dribble from the perimeter and play with his back to basket, making Mitchell a true five level scorer.
He was an efficient 50% from the field and 43% from three over the summer with Brisbane, and while he hasn’t matched those numbers early in the season, Mitchell is capable of catching a hot hand on any night.
Matching up vs Mitchell in the power forward position will be Riders’ Aussie Riley Abercrombie, who has experience playing down under over the summer for Illawarra Hawks, where he averaged 23.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
Abercrombie’s season with the Hawks featured back-to-back 38 point games, five 30 point outings and six double doubles over 19 games.
For Leicester, Abercrombie is shooting a red hot 45% from three on his way to 13.7 points per game- third best on the Riders roster. He too can score from all five levels, proving his ability to shoulder the scoring load during his summer in Australia.
The 6’9” stretch four has established himself as a consistent scorer for the Riders this season, putting up double digit points in every Championship game so far. His matchup against Mitchell will be a fascinating duel between two versatile scorers.
Nathan Cayo vs Zach Jackson
Rounding off the top three one-on-one battles is the wing matchup between Riders’ leading scorer on the season, Zach Jackson, and Manchester’s CEBL championship winning Nathan Cayo.
Cayo was a key player for Niagara River Lions this past summer averaging 12.8 points as they went on to win the Championship. The former G Leager now suits up in British basketball for the first time, putting up 14.3 points per game in his first two championship outings.
His ball-handling and driving ability means he possesses guard-like skills standing at 6’7”. He has natural instinct as the ball handler in the pick and roll, making him able to take on defenders or find passes to the open man.
Cayo has touch with his back to the rim, and likes to rise up in the midrange to knock down shots. He is capable of stretching the defence with his three point shooting, which make shim a multi-faceted weapon for Manchester to utilise.
Cayo will face off against one of the best two-way players in the British game, Zach Jackson, who has dominated the open stages of the season for Leiecster to average 17 points per game.
Jackson’s physical attributes make him an elite defender, and will come into the matchup against Cayo with confidence in his ability to stay in front of his opponent, fill the passing lane and slow down Manchester’s offence.
On the other end of the floor, his top-level scoring ability on all five levels makes Jackson one of the best scorers in the League. Shooting 54% from the field and 40% from three, he has played efficient ball to start the season, and has come up huge in the clutch for Leicester too.
Jackson starred in the Riders’ overtime win in Bristol, taking over the fourth quarter and overtime with Hunter to lead the game with a season-high 27 points, and his late game heroics against Sheffield, scoring eight straight in the final minutes, made it a one possession game and gave the Riders an chance to send it to overtime with a late comeback.
Manchester will be keyed in on Jackson from wire-to-wire in this captivating battle from the wing.
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