Leicester Riders fell just short in a thrilling battle against Newcastle Eagles, losing 93-90.
The Riders, down 9 in the fourth, pulled the game back to within a possession with a shot to take the lead late. But Newcastle hit tough shots throughout, and despite Leicester forcing the game to be fought until the final buzzer with big shots from Riley Abercrombie and Charles Thompson, they ultimately ran out of clock.
Zach Jackson led the team with 24 points and 7 rebounds, going 12-12 from the line and making key free throws throughout the final quarter. Abercrombie logged 15, including a clutch three to keep the team alive with 8 seconds left.
After Newcastle’s Cole Long missed a foul shot which would have put the Eagles up 4, the Riders required a prayer on the buzzer to send it to overtime. Jaylin Hunter fired from halfcourt, but couldn’t get it to go.
Mike Okauru led Newcastle against Leicester for the second straight game, bagging 22 points and getting tough baskets to go in the biggest moments of the tie. As did Seneca Knight, who finished with 21.
Leicester fall to 7-3 in the League, two wins behind the London Lions who top the table.
Riders lead through mistake ridden first quarter
A scoreless first minute of play saw the Riders turn it over on their first two possessions, and the Eagles blew two good looks at the rim. Leicester took the lid off with a transition lob pass from Spencer Johnson finished off by Abercrombie, but it was a combined 1-6 start from the field for the teams.
Thompson, fresh off being named the SLB Player of the Month for December, scored 5 of the team’s first 7 with his elite finishing ability in the post. Jackson involved himself early with two trips to the line, including an and-one finish with a floater, and Leicester led 12-11 with 3:44 left in the first.
The scoring in the period picked up as the clock ticked down. Josh Ward-Hibbert, after putting up 30 last time in Leicester, hit two threes, while Ethan Wright scored five with a coast-to-coast layup and step back three.
Wright’s triple was the final score of the first, which ended 21-18 to Leicester.
Thompson takeover gives Leicester lead
Ethan dropped De’Sean Allen-Aikins to start the second, beating him with a spin move and finishing in an open lane. The Riders were relentless in their attack of the rim with Jackson, Abercrombie and Hunter all finding joy in close.
Newcastle’s Will Neighbour, back in action after being sidelined with injury, hit back-to-back threes to get Newcastle back into it. Knight got to the line with an and-one next time up, and the hosts took the lead back.
Thompson took advantage of his matchup with Neighbour by backing down in the post, scoring possession after possession inside. He took over the game in the second on both ends, swatting Knight’s layup attempt and forcing a miss from Long on defence.
His block on Knight led to a Conner Washington triple, meaning Leicester led 44-38 at the half.
Slow start to the second half puts Riders in a hole
The Eagles stormed back into the lead of the game to start the second half, going 11-0 out of the break. Okauru started it with a triple, and Knight ended it at the foul line after drawing a block on Hunter.
Jackson was the Rider to end the run, stealing it off Darius Defoe and finishing off on the fastbreak. Thompson then took it coast-to-coast after a missed Long three, meeting no resistance in transition.
But the Riders’ form only halted Newcastle temporarily. Ward-Hibbert threw down a fastbreak slam through contact, and Okauru hit from midrange to make it a nine point lead for the hosts.
With Leicester struggling for open shots and the shot clock winding down, Jackson hit a prayer on the buzzer by finding string with a turnaround three. Okauru and Neighbour hit from midrange and the corner respectively, but Wright took it hard to the hole for an and one to keep in touch.
A back-and-forth end to the third finished with the score 69-60 to the Eagles.
Eagles hit tough shots to keep Riders at arms length
The Riders started the fourth from the free throw line, with three trips from Jackson and Wright chipping into Leicester’s deficit. Wright’s foul shot made it a six point game two minutes in.
J’Raan Brooks stepped up for a big shot, making a triple on the wing through contact for a four-point play cutting the game to a possession.
But Knight had the response for the Eagles. He hit a tough fadeaway over Brooks for two, and hit a contested three from the top to rebuild the Newcastle lead once again.
Every time the Riders looked likely to climb back into contention, the Eagles hit big shots. Okauru found the bottom of the bucket multiple times through tight contests to keep Leicester at arm’s length.
Riders rally to give themselves a chance
Jackson stepped up in the closing minutes and hit a midrange pullup on the left elbow brought the Riders back to within one score with two minutes late. Needing a stop to give themselves a chance to tie, Leicester allowed an offensive rebound and a Allen-Aikins second chance bucket to fall back into a five point hole.
Hunter found a quick score in response, but they couldn’t foul on the inbound allowing Long to finish an open layup for two.
Out of a resulting Rob Peternostro timeout, Abercrombie hit a quick three to breathe life back into Leicester. They sent Okauru to the line, but he made both to make the difference four.
Thompson got straight to the hoop on the indound and hit a layup straight away with four seconds on the clock. Long was then sent to the line and made one, giving the Riders an attempt at a miracle buzzer beater. Hunter couldn’t get it to go at halfcourt and Leicester fell just short.
Leicester Riders return to action next Friday, hosting Manchester Basketball in the SLB Championship.
