Leicester Riders and Surrey 89ers are locked at 93 each after the First Leg of the Super League Basketball Cup Semi-Final.
Surrey had a red hot start, and led by 28 points and 11 rebounds from Jalen Ray, had the lead for much of the game. But Riley Abercrombie caught fire for four straight threes in the third to get the Riders back into contention, and the visitors tied the game with seconds left through a three from Jaylin Hunter.
Charles Thompson’s 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks led Leicester- his dominance inside allowed the Riders to battle back late. Abercrombie finished with 19 and Hunter with 18 in a high-scoring affair.
The emphasis will be on rebounding for Sunday’s Second Leg. Surrey, led by Dame Adelekun’s 6 offensive boards contributing to 15 total rebounds, pulled down 19 offensive rebounds in the game leading to 17 second chance points.
Meanwhile Leicester will look to carry their hot hand back home, shooting 41% from three on the night led by a 5-8 night from deep from Abercrombie.
Slow start allows early Surrey lead
The start was breathless in an electric Surrey Sports Park. Both sides were red hot from the jump, exchanging constant jabs in the opening minutes.
Spencer Johnson drained a three at the end of the shot clock to get Leicester underway, meanwhile Adelekun scored six points to lead Surrey to a 15-9 start. The big man’s rebounding made an impressive impact on the opening stages as the Niners took the lead.
Zach Jackson battled down low to tie it at 15, but the three ball fell for Surrey as they took a 10 point lead in the first. Ray hit two from beyond the arc, and the hosts ended the period up 31-19.
Riders fight back to keep it close at half
Thompson started the second quarter fightback with a two-handed jam and a block on Adelekun, before Hunter took charge with a step in midrange and an and-one in transition.
The Riders upped the pace of the game to find buckets on the break. After stealing the ball from Nedas Cholevinskas, Ethan Wright threw a touchdown pass to Thompson at the rim who finished for two and cut the difference to three.
The Riders started the second on an 18-6 run to get straight back in the tie. Wright followed his assist with a turnaround, stepback three off an inbound pass to tie it up.
Surrey found themselves in foul trouble early in the second, which saw the Riders to the free throw line frequently. That kept the scoreboard ticking over as Leicester fought to snatch the lead for the first time since the opening minute.
They were unable to do so in the second quarter, with Surrey’s shooters making plays to maintain a narrow advantage. Ray sized up Thompson on the perimeter and connected from deep to give them a three point lead at the half.
Abercrombie third quarter takeover
A minute into the second half, threes from Jackson and Johnson took the lead for Leicester. The Niners’ response came from tough shot making in the midrange, as Cholevinskas and Ray banked in for two.
The hosts rebuilt a seven point lead with a three from New Zealander Jordan Hunt, forcing a Riders timeout with 5:15 left in the third.
After Surrey led much of the period, with red hot shooting from Ray, Abercrombie caught fire. He exploded for 12 straight points, draining four threes in a row to cut it to a one point game with one to play at 73-72.
Surrey build foundation in fourth
Starting the fourth in close, Thompson took the lead for Leicester. An exchange of buckets followed, concluded by a monster Adelekun jam as the score swung back and forth. Thompson promptly responded in transition with a jam of his own minutes later.
Abercrombie, still on fire after this third quarter outburst, hit his fifth three of the game off an inbound, meaning the game was tied at 83 with five minutes on the clock.
Surrey seized control late in the game after Ray brought his tally to 28 with an and-one. Mervin James followed Ray with a putback next time out, and Adelekun finished in the post for another two.
Riders battle back in dying minutes
On the other end, Hunter hit a transition three, before Thompson battled for two offensive boards on one possession before making an and-one play of his own.
A series of misses down the stretch meant Leicester had the ball down three with six seconds left. Hunter caught the inbound, then hit a turnaround three to tie the game at 93.
Tayo Ogendengbe missed on the buzzer for Surrey, and the sides were all square after the first leg.
The Riders return to Leicester for the Semi-Final Second Leg on Sunday, at Mattioli Arena. A win would see them through to the Final at Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on March 9.
Tickets are still available for Sunday’s Second Leg at Mattioli Arena Leicester. Get yours here!
