The Leicester Riders held their nerve in a dramatic finish to claim an 87–85 victory over the Sheffield Sharks, completing a huge win in front of a lively home crowd.
After their strong road performance in Sheffield days earlier, the Riders backed it up with another gritty display to boost their playoff positioning in the final week of the Super League Basketball regular season.
Sharks Strike First
Sheffield made the brighter start as Dirk Williams opened the scoring with a three-pointer, helping the visitors build early momentum with back-to-back scores.
Leicester responded through Aaron Menzies, who got the Riders on the board with a hook shot, before Travis Evee began to influence the game with a driving lay-up.
Victor Ndoukou and Flynn Boardman-Raffet combined well, but Williams’ hot start scoring nine points in the quarter helped Sheffield take a 25–19 lead.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Riders Fight Back
Mike Joiner sparked the Riders early in the second with a three-pointer, as Leicester began to settle offensively.
Despite Sheffield maintaining their intensity through Jordan Ratinho, the Riders grew into the game behind Evee’s control and playmaking.
Boardman-Raffet stepped up in key moments, hitting back-to-back plays including his signature side-step finish to bring Leicester level.
The Riders showed resilience to recover from a slow start, heading into halftime tied at 47–47.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Sharks Regain Control
Sheffield opened the second half strongly, with Nick Kern Jr knocking down a three as the visitors applied pressure with their physical defence.
Leicester struggled to find rhythm early in the quarter, but Evee once again provided a spark linking up with Menzies before attacking the basket himself.
Boardman-Raffet continued to contribute, but Sheffield’s consistency saw them edge ahead, taking a 68–61 lead into the final quarter.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Riders Complete the Comeback
The Riders came out firing in the fourth, with Tomiwa Akinsiku throwing down a powerful dunk to ignite the home crowd.
Kedrian Johnson added a huge three-pointer as Leicester began to chip away at the deficit, showing renewed energy on both ends of the floor.
With the game finely balanced in the closing minutes, Leicester executed down the stretch. Key defensive stops and composed offensive possessions allowed the Riders to edge in front late on.
In a tense finish, the Riders held their composure to see out a narrow 87–85 victory, completing a hard-fought comeback win.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Looking Ahead
It was a character performance from Leicester, showing resilience after trailing for large periods. Evee’s leadership, combined with big moments from Boardman-Raffet and Johnson, proved decisive.
The Riders now turn their attention to the next fixture in a crucial final stretch of the regular season, with momentum firmly on their side as they push for playoff positioning.
