Leicester Riders came into the contest looking for redemption after a painful Super League Basketball Cup Quarter Final defeat to Surrey 89ers, where they surrendered a 24-point lead. With revenge firmly on the agenda, Rob Paternostro’s side started brightly, but once again Surrey proved too strong in the closing stages, claiming an 89–80 victory.
First Quarter
The Riders burst out of the blocks, with Donald Carey Jr setting the tone early, knocking down two triples to spark an aggressive opening. Leicester’s fast start mirrored their Cup meeting, as Carey Jr found RaeQuan Battle cutting to the rim for an early layup.
Surrey responded through a powerful Tyrin Lawrence dunk, but Leicester continued to look sharp offensively. Marc Loving added to the momentum with a smooth jumper from the wing, while Carey Jr dictated the tempo throughout the quarter. Despite Surrey staying in touch, the Riders closed the opening period with a narrow lead, 22–19.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Second Quarter
Leicester’s bench made an immediate impact to start the second, as Travis Evee drained a three before finishing a layup for five quick points. Flynn Boardman-Raffet followed suit, linking up with Carey Jr and knocking down a wing three to keep the Riders rolling.
Surrey, however, steadily worked their way back into the game. Isaiah Small found his rhythm, reaching double figures as the visitors increased the pressure. Carey Jr continued to orchestrate the Riders’ offence, reaching 11 points and five assists by the midway point of the quarter, but a late Surrey run turned the momentum. The 89ers took control in the closing minutes of the half, heading into the break with a 45–39 lead.
Credit: Leicester Riders Media
Third Quarter
Knowing they had work to do, the Riders came out with renewed intensity. Spencer Johnson read the passing lane to perfection, forcing a turnover before racing to the baseline for a layup. Moments later, RaeQuan Battle ignited the Mattioli Arena with a thunderous dunk to lift the home crowd.
Johnson continued to step up, knocking down a step-back three as Leicester closed the gap. At the other end, Kino Lilly Jr and Isaiah Small continued to cause problems, keeping Surrey just ahead in an increasingly physical battle. The Riders finished the quarter strongly, with Travis Evee finding Aaron Menzies on the baseline for a powerful dunk to tie the game heading into the fourth, 59–59.
Fourth Quarter
Surrey struck first in the final period, as Lilly Jr opened the scoring with a three-pointer. Battle responded calmly at the free-throw line before once again firing up the crowd with another emphatic dunk.
After a relatively quiet start by his standards, the fourth quarter belonged to Battle, who attacked relentlessly and completed a three-point play to level the game. The contest remained tight and tense, but Surrey found another gear late on. With three minutes remaining and the Riders trailing by five, Coach Paternostro called a timeout in search of answers.
Battle continued to knock down tough shots, but Surrey matched Leicester score for score and executed better down the stretch. The visitors closed out the game with composure, pulling away late to secure an 89–80 win and complete another hard-fought victory over the Riders.
