Leicester Riders progressed through to the Super League Basketball Cup Semi-Final, beating Manchester Basketball on the road 85-77.
The Riders led by as much as 15 in the fourth, but having played three games in six days and playing a Manchester team which hadn’t played in 20 days, they hung on for the win late on tired legs with big plays in the clutch.
Zach Jackson hit the dagger, a floater off the dribble, and led the game with 18 points and 5 assists to earn Player of the Game. Ethan Wright was the spark plug off the bench with 14, pulling down two game-sealing offensive boards and a putback score late in the fourth.
Charles Thompson continued his interior dominance with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, meanwhile Jaylin Hunter went off for 14 from the point.
Leicester’s highly touted defence, led by Thompson on the inside, held Manchester’s talented offence to 40% from the field and 27% from three. They were led by Makai Ashton-Langford’s 15.
The Riders will meet Surrey 89ers over two legs in the Semi-Final, hoping to book their spot in the Final at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.
Back and forth first quarter ends with Leicester lead
The game began with an exchange of threes between two Australian-born sharpshooters, as Riley Abercrombie and DJ Mitchell went back-to-back from deep. Jackson followed Abercrombie with a wide open three after a miscommunication from the Manchester defence, and Leicester led 9-8.
Thompson made his presence felt against Manchetser’s Nathan Cayo on both ends, backing him down for two then swatting him on the other end as he drove to the hoop. The American rookie then drove baseline for a monster one reverse jam over Mitchell.
Wright checked in off the bench to inject his energy into the tie, hustling for an offensive rebound and getting two buckets from the midrange. Thompson finished the first by putting back Washington’s three, making it 24-23 by the buzzer.
Leicester take narrow lead into the half
The game’s back and forth nature continued into the second and Wright and Conner Washington got on the board for Leicester, and Manchester got to the basket for two scores.
The game remained within a score for five minutes in the second, before Hunter and Spencer Johnson combined for five points to make the score 35-31. But Zak Irvin quickly pegged Leicester back with a fastbreak bucket.
As Leicester looked to maintain their narrow lead, Jackson showed patience at the rim to make an and-one play. Johnson ran the fastbreak and dished it to the cutting Jackson, who got Junior Madut in the air and finished through contact.
Jackson finished the half at the foul line, making it a 47-42 Leicester lead at the break.
Jackson builds Riders’ foundation
The Riders stormed out to their biggest lead of the night out the half, with Hunter and Abercrombie finishing in the paint to make the difference nine. Manchester got to the foul line to chip away, but big shots from Johnson and Jackson kept them at arm’s length.
Jackson, running in transition, gave Leicester their first double digit lead of the night with a finish over Irvin. After a back-and-forth exchange, Jackson pulled up off the dribble from deep, making it 64-51 and forcing a Manchester timeout.
Hunter hit a floater out of a timeout as Leicester kept their foot on the pedal with a 7-0 run. But Manchester, through Ashton-Langord on the break and Madut on the third quarter buzzer, cut it to 10 points with one to play.
Riders hang on to lead late in the fourth
Madut kept it rolling in the fourth with a layup to start the period. He then got to the line next time down, and it was quickly a seven point difference.
Wright stepped up to stem the momentum with a triple, after he got Madut in the air with a pump fake. After Manchester brought it back to a six point affair with a pair of buckets, Wright drained another three, before Abercrombie found himself wide open to make it 77-63.
Duke Shelton put an exclamation point on the Riders run, flying down the lane to throw it down with authority.
Again Manchester had a response, as Madut’s three kicked off a 7-0 run which made the score 79-72. Leicester, having played a much busier January schedule than their opponents, dug deep late in the game to hang on.
Hunter found the energy to make a play, driving inside two a two through traffic. But the hosts went back-to-back for scores to keep chipping away.
In a five point game, Leicester’s leader stepped up, taking on a one-on-one matchup and getting inside for two. Thompson and Wright then took over on the inside, pulling down four offensive boards to set up a Wright finish inside to seal the hard-fought win.
The Riders are back in action on Friday, hitting the road again to take on Caledonia Gladiators in the Super League Basketball Championship.
They then return home on January 31 to play Bristol Flyers. You can get your tickets here!
