Leicester Riders fell heartbreakingly short of a comeback win in the Super League Basketball semi-finals, losing 174-178 over two legs.
The team were 20 down on aggregate going into the final quarter, but a spirited fightback led by Ethan Wright saw them cut the semi-final to 3.
But Leicester ultimately ran out of time, missing key opportunities down the stretch to get over the line.
Wright led the team off the bench with 23 points, scoring 14 in the final quarter. He was backed by Charles Thompson who continued his dominant run with his second straight 18 point game and 11 rebounds.
The difference in the game was the foul shooting, with Leicester missing nine on the night and losing by four points.
Newcastleās star man Mike Okauru scored a season-high 34 points to get the Eagles through to the final. He and Josh Ward-Hibbert put up 56 combined points, and no other Eagle scored in double-digits.
Slow start leaves Riders in hole
The game started with a defensive battle, both sides locking down in the opening minutes to allow nothing easy for the other. Thompson continued his dominance from the past few outings with a block on the driving Okauru and the score was 2-3 through three minutes.
Okauru did find early success however, scoring five in the opening stages including a tightly contested three from the wing. The Eagles led 6-12 early, taking a 10 point aggregate lead.
The Riders came roaring back, with Duke Shelton working on Cole Long in the post and Riley Abercrombie connecting with the hostās first three.
But a run started by Ward-Hibbert, into the starting lineup for the game, and ended by Okauruās transition three, forced the first Riders timeout down 13 on aggregate. The first quarter ended with the Riders down 15-25 on the night.
Riders get back in the game late in half
Leicester started the second quarter aggressively, scoring back-to-back at the bucket to cut into the deficit. But with Ward-Hibbert and Okauru still scoring, they couldnāt make significant inroads.
Wright attacked the entire second quarter to bring his tally to six points five minutes into the period. The Riders got the Eagles in early foul trouble to get themselves to the line throughout. They struggled from the line however, leaving points on the board through continual missed free throws.
But the Riders rallied to end the half to climb back into it. Abercrombie and Hunter combined for three triples in the midst of a 13-2 run which saw Leicester make it a one point game on the night.
The defensive end saw Thompson wall off the paint, sending back Malcolm Delpecheās shot with seconds left in the half, making the score 127-132 on aggregate by the break.
Third quarter sees Eagles take big lead
The Riders came gunning out the break to take the lead on the night, as Spencer Johnson fired from the corner for three. The Eagles crashed the glass to retake the lead with Ward-Hibbert as their primary bucket getter to score 11 points, and Newcastle rebuilt their advantage to 14 on aggregate.
Conner Washington checked in to breathe life into the Riders with his relentless energy, getting himself and Thompson to the line with his playmaking. Wright drained a triple off the dribble, and the Riders kept within touching distance.
But after an Eagles timeout and three buckets to end the third, Newcastle carried a 20 point lead into the final period.
Riders rally but fall just short
The sides went scoreless in the first two minutes of the fourth, the Riders offensive struggles continuing. Wright scored the first points of the period with a triple then a layup with 7:40 on the clock, igniting the Riders run.
Wright hit again from deep to make it a 13 point game. Thompson fought inside for an and-one play with Leicester showing fight throughout.
Wright, after Thompson missed the resulting foul shot, put it back with a layup, then Jackson got in the lane for two to cut it to 12 on aggregate. Following a Thompson block, he drew an unsportsmanlike foul on Long and hit both.
Down the stretch, Leicester missed a plethora of open threes which would have sliced into the Eagles lead. But they kept battling away to give themselves an outside chance. Seneca Knight turned it over in the backcourt, and Wright hit again from two to make it a 5 point deficit on aggregate.
Okauru hit a layup to extend Newcastleās lead, but Jackson connected again from three to tie it. Wright then stole the inbound to send the crowd into raptures.
The ball went to Thompson next, who couldn’t connect inside. After a scramble for the ball, Long was fouled by Abercrombie and he went to the line. Long rattled one out of two home.
With seconds left, Thompson rebounded Jackosonās missed three to make it a three point aggregate game, but the Eagles got the ball in and De’sean Allen-Eikens hit one to end the tie.
