The Leicester Riders suffered a difficult night at the Mattioli Arena as the Sheffield Sharks took control early and held firm, handing the Riders a 65–93 defeat on Friday night.
First Quarter – Sharks Start Fast
The visitors struck first through Prentiss Nixon, who opened the scoring with a three-pointer. Emmanuel Akot quickly replied with a finish off the glass, but the Sharks found early rhythm as Ratinho added another triple to stretch the lead.
The Riders began to respond late in the period. Travis Evee attacked the rim before Akot added another finish. Flynn’s work on the boards opened the door for a trademark Duke dunk, while Mike Mitchell Jr. gave the home crowd a lift with a confident three. Flynn then broke through on the counter for a layup, capped once again by Shelton above the rim.
Despite the late rally, the Riders ended the first quarter trailing 13–28.
Second Quarter – Struggles From the Line
three throws proved costly for Leicester in the first half, with just two makes from 11 attempts. Still, there were positives. Tomiwa Sulaiman drove hard to the basket, converting through contact and adding the and-one for a three-point play that brought the crowd to life.
Travis Evee found his flow after a quiet start, attacking the baseline for a composed layup and finishing the half with nine points and three assists. Akot continued to contribute with four points and three rebounds, while Mitchell Jr. remained an offensive spark with four points.
The Sharks, however, maintained their rhythm and took advantage of missed opportunities, leaving the Riders trailing 29–51 at halftime.
Credit: Leicester Riders | Nathan Green
Third Quarter – Fighting Spirit
The Riders came out of the locker room determined to push back. Spencer Johnson opened the half with a drive to the basket, and Akot continued to battle inside as Leicester traded points with Sheffield.
Evee and Sulaiman combined well in transition, cutting the deficit, while Akot made his presence felt on the glass with four rebounds to that point, proving influential at both ends. Johnson stepped up from deep, draining a three, before Nate Martin showed his strength in the post with a spinning fadeaway jumper. Martin also impressed defensively, pulling down eight rebounds by the end of the third.
Despite the improved energy, the Sharks’ cushion held, and the Riders entered the final period down 46–68.
Credit: Leicester Riders | Nathan Green
Fourth Quarter – Sharks See It Out
The Riders continued to battle through the final quarter, with Emmanuel Akot rallying the team and Duke Shelton adding points from the free-throw line. However, offensive rhythm remained hard to find against a strong Sheffield defence.
There was time for a late highlight as Victor Ndoukou knocked down a three-pointer in the closing seconds, providing a consolation for the Riders fans inside the Mattioli Arena.
In the end, Leicester fell 65–93, a tough night on the floor but one that offered lessons and glimpses of individual quality to build upon.
Riders have a chance to bounce back from the tough opening fixtures as the team travels away to Bristol Flyers on Sunday, 28th September.
