Leicester Riders return to Super League Basketball action against Manchester for the first time this season.
The 1-2 Riders will attempt to return to winning ways after back-to-back losses to Sheffield Sharks, as they hope to get their season back on track going into December.
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Meanwhile Manchester seek their first win of the League season after a 2-6 Trophy group phase.
Here’s how the fixture is shaping up…
Leicester looks to regain momentum
The Riders face a seven-game December schedule, starting Sunday against Cheshire Phoenix, and will be looking to build form going into the congested run of fixtures.
They will take important lessons from their losses against Sheffield, with a lot of season ahead of them to correct the wrongs from the games.
Last time out was a tough offensive outing after a positive start to the game. They went scoreless through the first six minutes of the second quarter, and were unable to get going ahead to climb back into the tie.
Jaylin Hunter led the Riders’ efforts from the point with 18 points, finishing with a +/- of -1 in an 18 point loss. He was backed by Abercrombie with 14 and Zach Jackson with 11.
The two weeks between games has allowed the team to reset, study the tape and get back on the practice court, and they will look to get back into a rhythm against tomorrow’s North Western opponents.
Manchester look to get over the edge after overtime thrillers
Manchester, a newly formed franchise, still looks to find its feet in Super League Basketball with a roster formed imminently before the season started.
The Trophy group was a useful run of games for the unit to gain chemistry and find fitness, making their 2-6 record secondary to their performances and growth throughout the phase.
Their two wins were the final two games of the group, and now, two games into the Championship season, Manchester will look to turn performances into results and get their first point in the win column in the league against Leicetser.
They have come agonisingly close in both of their Championship games, falling in overtime on both occasions. Their last outing was on the road to Bristol Flyers, the hosts finding late form with Evan Walshe leading the way against his former team.
Their 0-2 record, therefore, is deceptive, and the Riders will need to be operating at peak performance to come out the victors in this one.
Their odds received a slight boost in the week as Manchester parted ways with their third-leading scorer Isiah Moore. But with a top-three scorer in the League, DJ Mitchell, and the second-best assist-maker in Makai Ashton-Langford, the Riders’ opponents will suit up with a plethora of talent at Mattioli Arena.
Tickets still available!
Tickets are still available for the game! You can secure your seat here!
