Leicester Riders ended 2024 by taking down the table topping London Lions in a thriller at the Mattioli Arena.
Charles Thompsons’ 16 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks led the team to an 84-75 win, as he continued his dominant end to the calendar year. Ethan Wright led the scoring with 21 off the bench, and Riley Abercrombie finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and the game sealing three in the clutch.
The Riders’ defense sealed the win the the fourth, holding London scoreless for four minutes late with emphatic rejections from Thompson and Wright. In a game between the two best defences in the league, Leicester led by anchorman Thompson proved an immovable object when it mattered most.
Jaiden Delaire was the one to end the scoring drought for London, but it was too little, too late for the visitors. He led London with 16 points and 8 rebounds, backed by Arryn Rai’s who had 14 points, 10 coming in the fourth quarter.
The win saw the Riders take a dent out of the Lions at the top of the table, moving to within one win of them with a 7-2 record.
Riders bolt out to early lead
Two buckets at the hoop started the Riders’ scoring on the night, with Spencer Johnson drawing an and one on Michael Brisker. Abercrombie pulled up from midrange for his second score with three minutes played, making it an 8-2 Riders start.
Everything dropped early for Leicester, including Jaylin Hunter’s pull up triple from the wing. Johnson followed from the perimeter after Zach Jackson was doubled on his drive, and London called timeout down 16-6.
Following the break, Hunter fired a laser into Thompson in the lane who finished for two, before Jackson drew a foul on the inbound to steal a possession.
As the end of the first neared, the Lions gathered themselves to chip into the Riders lead and cut it to five. Ovie Soko battled down low for two scores, and star guard Michael Brisker showed off his handles before adding to his tally from the midrange.
But Ethan Wright stopped the London run with a triple on the buzzer, and the period ended 24-17. And Wright started the second with a bang, drawing an and one play after taking it to the rim with authority.
Lions gather form to take halftime lead
London’s Delaire got going in the second with six points and the Lions cut the Leicester lead to two. The visitors went on a 6-0 run with back-to-back baskets from Delaire as they continued to grow into the contest.
With 7:25 on the clock in the second, Tyler Peterson tied it up with an and-one by scooping in a layup through contact. The sides engaged in a back-and-forth battle with the score locked up.
Peterson bettered his season-high in the second quarter alone, bringing his game tally to 11 with his play in the paint. Meanwhile Wright and Thompson found joy inside to keep pace with the league leaders.
The Lions looked to be building separation in the scoreline as the half closed with Brisker and Soko combining to make a five point lead. But they lost Johnson on the perimeter, who hit a three from the corner to bring it back to a single score.
London had the final shot of the period which fell to Brisker, who airballed a three to send the sides into the half with the score 45-46 to London.
Riders lock down to lead with one to play
The closely fought affair in the first half carried over to start the second as Leicester battled in an attempt to snatch the lead back. Hunter fired a deep three at the end of the shot clock to do exactly that, making it 52-51 in the host’s favour.
The lead was exchanged between the teams with Delaire drawing a goaltend from Thompson and Jackson scoring twice at the foul line. The Riders were in the bonus five minutes into the period, giving them chances at the stripe in the third.
Jackson took advantage of the London foul trouble by drawing a foul on Ade Adebayo, then Spencer connected from the corner to put the Riders up 61-53- their biggest lead of the second half.
London made a charge after Delaire threw down a monster jam on the drive. Peterson followed with an and-one play and the Lions were back in it quickly.
Again, it was Wright to stem the momentum with a triple from the wing off a Johnson offensive rebound. Thompson grabbed an offensive rebound on Wright’s three on the final possession of the third and laid in a hook shot, and Leicester led 66-58 with one to play.
The Riders began to lock down, holding the Lions to 12 points in the third.
Lions muster comeback to start fourth
The Riders continued to get to the foul line to fend off the Lions early in the final period. Wright and Abercrombie had perfect trips to the stripe to nullify Rai’s three straight buckets for London.
The Lions were the first to go on a run in the fourth, however, making it a one possession game once again with a three from Brisker and second chance points from Rai, forcing a Riders timeout.
The break didn’t slow Rai, who came out of the break and got straight to the foul line to cut it to one. Peterson then took the lead at the line with five minutes left.
Riders find late form to see out win
Trying to take hold of the game in the clutch, Wright drove baseline for a layup against Delaire, who on four fouls couldn’t risk fouling. Jackson then took the mantle, drawing a tough and-one make with 2:29 on the clock to make it 77-73.
Next time up, with the clock winding down, Abercrombie hit a deciding three on the buzzer to make it a seven point affair. Blocks on the other end from Thompson and Wright locked down London until Delaire made it to the line and hit both.
The Lions applied full court pressure with less than a minute on the clock, but Hunter found Abercrombie who was sent to the line and made both. Thompson then sealed it with another swat on Delaire, and Hunter finished the game with a pair of foul shots.
The Riders return to action on January 3, taking on Newcastle Eagles on the road. They then return home on January 10 to host Manchester Basketball.
