The Leicester Riders made a lightning start away at the SGS Wise Arena but couldn’t hold off a determined Bristol Flyers fightback, falling 74–70 in a tense fourth-quarter finish.
Riders Explode Out the Gate in Bristol
It was a debut to remember for RaeQuan Battle, who wasted no time making his mark in Riders red, draining the opening three of the game before adding back-to-back triples in a blistering first two minutes.
Inside, Nate Martin dominated early, finishing through traffic to rack up six quick points and proving unstoppable on the baseline. By the time he checked out with eight in the quarter, the Riders had built a commanding lead.
Travis Evee and Spencer Johnson added to the outside threat, with Evee capping the quarter in style by burying a buzzer-beating three. Leicester’s shooting was clinical, and the Riders led 28–14 after ten minutes.
Flyers Respond
The Flyers came out swinging in the second, with Jonathan Brown and Zach Anderson sparking a run that cut the Riders’ lead to single digits.
But the Riders had answers. Duke Shelton attacked the baseline with force, while Emmanuel Akot knocked down a confident triple to keep the scoreboard ticking. Martin continued to lead from the front, finishing the half with 12 points and 5 rebounds, while Evee orchestrated the offence brilliantly, dishing out 5 assists alongside his 6 first-half points.
The Riders’ outside shooting remained sharp — 6-of-12 from deep, with Johnson perfect at 2-for-2. Despite Bristol’s push, Leicester held the advantage at the break, leading 42–37.
Flyers Close the Gap
Evee opened the second half with another three before Battle followed up with his third triple of the afternoon. But the Flyers, led by Zach Anderson’s scoring touch, refused to go away.
Leicester continued to show fight, with Martin muscling his way to baskets inside and Tomiwa Sulaiman making a huge block at the rim to stall Bristol’s momentum.
Still, the Flyers edged closer. With baskets exchanged at both ends and Joseph Anderson pulling the strings with 9 points and 6 assists, the Riders saw their lead cut to just one heading into the final quarter, 56–55.
Heartbreaker at the End
After trailing all night, the Flyers took their first lead early in the fourth through Joachim’s euro step. The Riders rallied as Akot fired in from deep, but turnovers and sloppy passing allowed Bristol to stretch their advantage.
Flyers guard Will Yoakum proved the difference-maker, catching fire with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals in the game. Despite this, the Riders fought back. Johnson hit double figures with a clutch three, before Battle drilled another from range to make it a six-point game inside the final two minutes.
The comeback looked on as Battle forced a turnover and drew a foul, followed by Evee draining a huge triple. Moments later, the Riders guard held his nerve at the line to tie the game.
But Yoakum struck again, sinking a fadeaway three from the wing to seal it for Bristol. The Riders, who once led by 14 in the opening quarter, fell narrowly short, 74–70.
Standout Performances
There were plenty of positives despite the defeat. Nate Martin was a workhorse all afternoon, leading the Riders with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Battle impressed on debut, finishing with 14 points and 4 boards, while Evee added 15 points and 7 assists, showing his poise as floor general.
What’s Next
The Riders will look to bounce back quickly as they return to action on Sunday, 5 October, against Manchester Basketball. With signs of promise from both new and familiar faces, Leicester will look to build on the strong spells they showed.
Catch the Leicester Riders in action at home at the Mattioli Arena on Friday 17 October when we host Newcastle Eagles in the Super League Basketball Championship. Tickets on sale here!
