The Leicester Riders opened their Super League Basketball Trophy campaign on the road at the Cheshire Oaks Arena, facing a familiar opponent in Cheshire Phoenix. The two sides last met on Halloween night at the Mattioli Arena, where the Riders came out on top in a thrilling 95–93 victory — led by SLB Player of the Month RaeQuan Battle and club captain Spencer Johnson.
This time, however, Cheshire turned the tables defeating the Riders 98–78 to claim their first win in the Trophy group stage.
Phoenix Fly Out of the Blocks
The Phoenix started fast, with Michael Diggins opening the scoring and leading a strong early charge. Cheshire’s energy and transition play helped them establish a double-digit advantage inside the first few minutes, as Tobias Cameron added six early points.
Riders’ RaeQuan Battle hit back with two triples to keep Leicester within touching distance, while Victor Ndoukou also found the target from deep. Despite flashes of offence, the Riders struggled to find consistency at the rim against Cheshire’s physical defence and trailed 29–16 after the opening quarter.
Credit: Leicester Riders
Riders Fight Back but Phoenix Stay Hot from Deep
The hosts continued their hot start as Patrick Robinson and Liquency Rideau kept the scoreboard ticking. Spencer Johnson responded at the line before Donald Carey Jr and Travis Evee combined to produce some sharp offensive movement, with Evee draining a triple to cut the deficit.
Flynn Boardman-Raffet came off the bench to provide instant impact, knocking down two threes and reaching double figures before the break. However, Cheshire’s perimeter shooting proved decisive, as they made nine three-pointers and shot an impressive 78% on two-point attempts in the first half.
Despite Tomiwa Sulaiman’s work on the boards and Evee’s eight points in the period, Leicester went into the half trailing 56–39.
Credit: Leicester Riders
Battle Sparks Late Surge Amid Cheshire Pressure
Leicester opened the second half with intent, but missed key opportunities under the basket. Cheshire capitalised through Michael Diggins, who continued his strong form with another dunk, before Aaron Menzies responded in kind with a powerful finish to lift the Riders.
Johnson and Menzies rotated heavily as Leicester’s bench was tested. Despite tireless efforts from Sulaiman and Boardman-Raffet, the Phoenix extended their advantage to 23 points.
A late flurry saw Battle hit his third three-pointer of the night, followed by a mid-range jumper from Johnson, trimming the deficit to 15. Cheshire led 73–58 heading into the final quarter.
Riders Show Heart but Fall Short in Cheshire
Leicester continued to battle until the final buzzer, with Menzies scoring inside and Johnson finishing a strong move off the glass. Evee and Sulaiman added further baskets — Sulaiman lifting spirits with a strong dunk — while Carey Jr drew fouls attacking the baseline and converted both from the line.
Despite the late fightback, the Riders couldn’t find their offensive rhythm, with Battle and Carey Jr doubled up defensively for much of the night. Cheshire’s depth and accuracy from deep proved too much as they closed out a 98–78 win.
Leicester will look to regroup and bounce back quickly as they continue their Super League Basketball Trophy campaign against Manchester Basketball on December 14th.
