Leicester Riders got their 2024-25 season underway with an impressive 91-69 victory against Bristol Flyers.
It was a start-to-finish dominant display led by 22 from returning Rider Zach Jackson, who grabbed 7 boards and 5 steals in an impressive effort on both ends. After a series of fluid offensive performances, the newly formed group played with a sense of togetherness leading to a plethora of open looks from deep which the Riders hit at a 46% clip.
Jackson was backed by 17 points from rookie point guard Jaylin Hunter making his professional debut, and Ethan Wright went 3-4 from deep for 15 points in total.
On defence, Charles Thompson’s interior protection held Flyers star Kedrian Johnson to five points, locking off the inside wire-to-wire. Rookie guard Trey Tennyson led their efforts with 15 points, as his team shot 36% from the field.
Starting hot
The Riders flew out the gate to a 10-0 start. Jackson bagged the team’s first Super League Basketball points with a three after free flowing ball movement, before another triple from Riley Abercrombie ended the run to force a Bristol timeout.
Jackson scored eight in five minutes to settle Leicester into it. The Riders maintained this foundation to lead 23-15 after the first quarter, which Blake Bowman ended with a triple.
Riders veterans took over in the second, with Conner Washington and Duke Shelton combining for two straight scores to keep the Riders in control.
Flyers find their feet
The Flyers found form in the middle of the second, making back-to-back scores at the rim- the second from new addition Jaren Sherfield. But Jackson stemmed the tide with his patented hook shot for Leicester.
A throw down for Jackson on the fastbreak got the fans on their feet, and snatched momentum firmly back. Ethan Wright took advantage of that with a three to force another timeout for the visitors, with the score 38-26.
Threes from Sherfield and former Rider Evan Walshe started a Bristol surge back into the game as halftime neared. Washe, playing aggressively late in the second, drove to the rim for an and-one finish, cutting the difference to five.
Abercrombie connected with a three on the other end to maintain the Leicester lead, but the Flyers were back into contention by the break.
Taking control in the second half
Despite finding a hot streak, the visitors couldn’t make an indent into the Leicester lead to start the third period, as the Riders found joy consistently attacking the rim. Wright made it a double digit lead once again with a layup inside for his 10th points of the night.
The American made his presence felt on both ends, chasing down Sherfield emphatically with a swat out of bounds. Jackson and Hunter built on the swat with five quick points, and the score was 58-43.
Jackson caught fire, hitting two triples with the shot clock winding down as Leicester took firm control.
Seeing it out on defence
Washington, again from deep, kicked off the fourth followed by Jackson’s 22nd of the evening. A circus shot at the rim from Hunter kept the foot on the pedal, and the hosts had a convincing position to see the game out from, leading by 15.
Wright stringed another three, making it 3-4 on the night for the American. Hunter then rattled on in to make the score 83-64.
The Riders put the clamps down defensively. Bristol mustered seven points in eight minutes in the final period, suffering from intense ball pressure from the hosts. Charles Thompson, anchoring the defence, was a stifling presence at the rim.
Hunter put the cherry on top of the performance with a pair of threes, epitomising a hot night from behind the arc.
Hitting the road
The Riders are back in action on Sunday for the first game of a two game road trip. They head to London to take on the Lions at the Copper Box, hoping to make it 2-0 in the Trophy.
