The headline coming into the night centred around the return of Marc Loving, who rejoined the Riders on Thursday and made his first appearance back at the Mattioli Arena. But while the crowd welcomed Loving home, it was RaeQuan Battle who stole the spotlight—dropping a sensational 30 points and earning the Trophies Plus Medals Player of the Game award.
Battle Sets the Tone in a Fast Start
The Riders struck first as Travis Evee picked a pocket and went coast-to-coast for the opening layup of the night. Both sides traded blows in the early stages, with Donald Carey Jr finding his touch with a smooth jumper and Evee racking up four quick points.
Caledonia answered through Mathew Ragsdale, who came out firing with seven early points, but the momentum swung back when RaeQuan Battle ignited the Mattioli Arena. The SLB Player of the Month buried back-to-back triples to pull Leicester within touching distance.
The crowd rose again as Nate Martin checked in for his first action since returning from injury, driving strong to the basket for two.
Battle finished the quarter with 11 points as the Riders edged ahead as the first Quarter ends Riders 25- Gladiators 24.
Credit: Leicester Riders | Nathan Green
Loving Returns, Riders Build Rhythm
Leicester opened the second with intent. Captain Spencer Johnson attacked the rim for two before Evee buried a three to hit double figures.
Flynn Boardman-Raffet brought instant energy off the bench, weaving through traffic for a crafty finish at the baseline.
A huge moment came when Marc Loving, back in Riders colours, drilled a three from the wing to lift the arena. Despite the Riders’ strong spell, Caledonia kept pace behind Ragsdale and Charles “Jet” Speelman, both hitting double digits.
At the half, the Riders held a six-point advantage thanks to balanced scoring and control on the glass. Going into halftime, the Riders took a narrow lead, as the half finished Riders 49-43 Gladiators.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Riders Hot Start, Gladiators Fight Back
Battle stayed red-hot to open the second half, splashing his third triple of the night. Loving and Evee combined beautifully on a give-and-go before Evee finished at the rim, while Nate Martin continued to make an impact—crashing the boards and finding Battle in stride for another finish.
Caledonia refused to fold, as Ragsdale and Speelman pushed their way to 17 points apiece midway through the quarter. Leicester’s early burst faded late, allowing the Gladiators to claw back.
Still, the Riders held on to a narrow lead heading into the final quarter leading by 3 points.
Credit: Leicester Riders | Nathan Green
Battle Takes Over as Riders Close the Door
The Riders needed composure, and Tomiwa Sulaiman delivered—forcing a turnover and feeding Battle for another strong finish. Both sides traded buckets in a tense opening spell, but Leicester found their stride late.
Battle continued his scoring clinic, while Loving dictated the offence with four key assists on the night. The bench unit—led by the returning Nate Martin—proved vital, offering size, energy and defensive grit.
Carey Jr’s all-round play kept the Riders steady, putting up 7 rebounds and 5 assists in a quietly brilliant performance.
But the night belonged to one man.RaeQuan Battle stole the show, pouring in 30 points and hitting big shots when the game demanded it.
Leicester closed out a gritty, hard-earned win in front of a buzzing Mattioli Arena crowd. As Riders see out the game 85-79.
Catch the Riders next at home as they take on Manchester Basketball in the Super League Basketball Trophy on Sunday, December 14th at 3:00pm. Tickets on sale here
