Leicester Riders started their Championship season 1-0 with an 82-66 win on the road to the Surrey 89ers.
Leicester broke the game open in the second half with red hot three point shooting, after struggling to knock down their deep shots in the opening stages. Zach Jackson led the team after being named to the Team of the Week with 20 points and 6 assists, going 8-11 from the field.
He was backed by Jaylin Hunter, whose three point shooting sealed the deal late. Hunter put up 17 and 6 on the night, and big man Charles Thompson bagged a double double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
The Ridersâ defence won the night, following the trend of the early season. Big defensive stands led to opportunities on the fastbreak, and Leicester held their opponents to under 80 for the sixth time in seven games.
Surreyâs Cam Gooden kept them in the game early with 20 points in the first half. Leicester came out the break with a plan to slow him down, allowing the Riders to pull away. Gooden finished the game with 22 points, as the Riders took away his hot hand.
The Riders start the season 7-0 in all competitions for the fifth time in Club history after their third victory against Surrey in two weeks.
Gooden goes off
From the jump, Charles Thompson engaged in an early battle with opposite number Dame Adelekun at the rim. He grabbed two offensive boards in the opening three minutes resulting in four points and a 7-7 tie.
The Niners started hot from deep to take an early advantage. Surrey star Cameron Gooden drained two off the dribble, before taking it coast to coast with lightning speed as his side led by five.
Leicester battled back through an Ethan Wright and one play, the two guard attacking the rim relentlessly, and Jaylin Hunterâs first bucket of the game. Zach Jackson muscled down low for another bucket, plus the foul, but Goodenâs third three ended the period 21-20 in the Ninersâ favour.
Riders edge into the lead at the break
Conner Washington, in his record-breaking 304th league game for the Club, started the second with a triple from the top to take back the Leicester lead.
But missed open looks saw the Riders unable to create distance in the scores, despite the hustle of JâRaan Brooks who smothered the offensive glass early in the quarter. Gooden, meanwhile, made his tally 16 with another three. He was responsible for all but eight Niner points.
The Ridersâ rebounding did pay dividends as the clock ticked down to the half. Wright, picking up the ball after Thompsonâs tip out, put on a spin move in the lane for two, before Thompson got open in a lane for a two-hand throw down to make the lead 10.
A small Surrey run, capped off by three free throws by Steel, ended the half to cut into the Niners deficit, and the second quarter ended with the Riders up 31-36.
Leicester lockdown blows game open
The Riders, who had struggled from deep in the second quarter, saw one go in at the hands of Hunter in the second. Leicester, leaning on their defence, put up a wall at the hoop as Charles Thompson sent Adelekunâs shot away, which lead to a fastbreak bucket and a double digit Leicester advantage.
A minute later, Hunter put Gooden in a straight jacket to poke the ball away, before Jackson ran the floor for an and-one. The American followed up with a three, and the Riders led by 16 led by their defensive efforts.
Jacksonâs three took the lid off the basket, with Hunter hitting back to back in a dominant stretch. The rookie guard finished off the quarter for the Riders, who led 43-59 with one to play.
Seeing it out in style
Jackson got to work to start the fourth to keep the Niners at armâs length, scoring seven straight points.
Spencer Johnson hit from three with the shot clock ticking down, giving the Riders an 18 point lead to see the game out from.
Once the floodgates opened, all the Leicester shots went through. Riley Abercrombie nailed back-to-back triples followed by another Johnson three, then Thompson threw down another jam in the lane to put a cap on a well earned road win.
The Riders return to action on Friday November 8, hosting Sheffield Sharks at home. You can get tickets here!
