Leicester Riders are back in Super League Basketball action following Christmas, taking on Bristol Flyers and the League’s leading scorer Keddy Johnson at home.
Following a heartbreaking semi-final loss last time out, the Riders look to rebound against the Flyers to continue their hot form in the Championship.
Meanwhile Bristol hope to climb back to a .500 record after a loss to the Cheshire Phoenix on December 15.
Here’s all you need to know about the fixture.
Fixture information
Leicester Riders vs Bristol Flyers
Super League Basketball Championship
Friday, December 27, 7:30 pm
Mattioli Arena
Tickets on sale here!
Rolling Riders halted in semi-final
Leicester Riders spent Christmas regathering themselves from an agonising loss to Newcastle Eagles in the Trophy semi-final. They were down 20 on aggregate going into the fourth, but a spirited comeback led by 23 points from American guard Ethan Wright meant it was a one possession tie late.
But the Riders ran out of time, and fell short of an all-time fightback. The Riders saw their Trophy campaign end at the final four.
It’s now back to League action for Leicester, where they have been gathering form in a packed Christmas schedule. Four Championship wins on the bounce has launched them up to third in the standings with a 5-2 record, led by the interior dominance of American big Charles Thompson.
Thompson earned a Team of the Week selection for his efforts against the Eagles on December 15, logging an index rating of 20 without taking the field goal, the first performance of its kind since index rating was first recorded in 2016.
He then put up back-to-back 18 point games, with monster jams on the offensive end and emphatic blocks on the other side of the ball.
With their attention completely on the League, the Riders will hope to continue their rise up the table with a bounce back win.
Finalist Flyers search for League form
After besting the Riders in the semi-final of the Trophy, the Eagles will meet the Bristol Flyers in Birmingham who reached their first final since 2020.
Bristol beat Cheshire Phoenix over two legs impressively in the semi-final and will be looking to string together performances in the month lead up to the big day.
It’s been difficult replicating Trophy success into Championship form for the South Westerners, who sit seventh in the standings with a 2-3 record. Despite beating the Phoenix in the semis, they lost to Cheshire in League action last time out to put them under .500 on the season.
But the Flyers have a chance in any game with the League’s leading scorer suiting up in their ranks. Keddy Johnson has lit up the League in his second season in Bristol to average 23 points per game- 4.6 points clear of the next highest-scoring player.
Johnson was sidelined from injury for a short period at the start the season, but upon his return put up 32 points, and averaged 27.5 over the two semi-final legs. The Dallas native has found to answer to his offensive play in December, making Bristol the third highest-scoring offence in the League this season.
But they face their biggest test so far in the Riders, who allow the fewest points on any team in the SLB, and who have beaten them twice so far this season.
Previous meetings
The two sides have shared the floor in some of the most entertaining battles in British basketball in recent years, and their clash in Bristol in the Trophy group proved to be another exhilarating clash.
The Riders had the best of an overtime battle in Bristol, with Zach Jackson and Jaylin Hunter leading a fourth quarter and overtime charge after a red hot first half from Blake Bowman. Leicester won 105-101 after the additional period led by 27 from Jackson.
The return leg was a more convincing win from Leicester in their season opener. 22 points from Jackson led a complete team effort, backed by 17 from Hunter and 15 from Wright. The Riders won 91-69 in one of the more impressive displays of the year.
Tickets are still available!
