Leicester Riders won the 2025 Super League Basketball Playoff Final 105-74 against Newcastle Eagles.
Jaylin Hunter was named Final MVP with 23 points and 4 assists, shooting 70% from the field. Zach Jackson had 23 and 8 rebounds, Riley Abercrombie had 18 off nine shots, and Charles Thompson dominated the paint with 12 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks.
It’s the Club’s 20th piece of top-flight British basketball silverware, and their seventh Playoff title. For Head Coach Rob Paternostro, it’s his 18th trophy.
Their final game of the season saw the Riders dominate from start to finish- maybe their best performance of the season on the biggest stage. Leicester led wire-to-wire, running up the score with 9-18 three point shooting.
Six Riders scored in double digits in a complete team display. They shot 51% from the field and dished 20 assists on the night, the team chemistry built over the season coming into fruition at the O2 Arena.
Abercrombie leads Riders out the gate
A hot shooting start saw the Riders seize the early advantage. Abercrombie had a hot hand, making an and-one play at the rim and draining a triple to make it 12-5. The Aussie scored 7 points in the first quarter.
Charles Thompson took over to end the first quarter and built a double-digit Riders lead. There was no answer for him inside, as he brought his game tally to 8 points in the post. Jaylin Hunter finished the period with a triple to make it 28-16.
Leicester fend off Newcastle comeback
The second quarter saw the Eagles make plays to hang onto the Riders’ coattails. Mike Okauru made tough finishes at the hoop to keep the scoreboard ticking, while Duke Shelton came in to dominate the paint on the other end.
The Eagles’ perimeter scorers cut into the Riders’ lead, as Okauru, Seneca Knight, and Trey Pulliam found the bottom of the basket and cut the game to six.
Jackson had the Riders’ response. He scored five in the final minute and a half of the second quarter, including a floater over Josh Ward-Hibbert on the buzzer, making it 9 points on the game for him, and a 53-42 Riders lead at halftime.
Leicester build 20 point lead to start the second half
The Riders came out gunning in the third quarter to build a 20 point lead. Spencer Johnson and Jackson hit from deep as Leicester started the second half 10-1. Abercrombie continued his red-hot form to make it 14 on the night, and Jackson scored his at the foul line.
Newcastle found some by pushing the pace in transition. Pulliam and Christian James fought their way to the teeth of the Riders’ defence to chip away at the Leicester lead.
Leicester rallied to finish the third with a bang. Hunter’s three made the lead 22, and the Riders entered the fourth up 83-63.
Shelton put an exclamation point on the game with a two-handed jam to start the fourth quarter. Abercrombie followed up with a baseline finish, and Jackson made an and-one play to make the difference 27.
Hunter, with 6:25 left in the game, drained a three to put Leicester up 30. From there, it was a formality, the Riders seeing it out for their seventh Playoff title.
