Tag: Cheshire Phoenix

Leicester Riders pulled off a gritty 101-93 win against Cheshire Phoenix, snapping the visitor’s undefeated streak in 2024. 

The entire Riders unit stepped up after the League’s leading scorer, Teddy Allen, and Leicester’s captain Kimbal Mackenzie were ejected from the game. 

TJ Lall topped the team’s scoring off the bench with 22 points, backed by Miryne Thomas’ who had 19 and exploded out of the half following Allen’s ejection. 

Leicester were red hot from three, shooting 47% from deep on the game led by Lall and Thomas who combined for six. 

Aaryn Rai led the game with 28 points, fighting wire to wire in his team’s effort. But they couldn’t overcome a spirited Riders effort, backed by a raucous home crowd.  

Starting slow

Leicester weren’t just faced with the adversity of two ejections. They started slow, falling in a 20-2 hole in the first quarter. 

Rai scored 8 points to start the game, and Leicester turned the ball over four times in three minutes in a stuttering start. 

Thomas took the lid off the basket with a score at the rim to make it 20-4.  One score was all it took for the Riders to find form, and Lall sank a corner triple to make it 20-9 with 4:10 left in the first.  

Bouncing back

The Riders rallied, going on a 15-3 run to end the first. Big man Duke Shelton ended the first with a drive to the hoop to make it 23-17, getting Leicester right back in it.

The surge continued in the second, and Sam Idowu grabbed the Riders the lead, as the hosts continued to attack inside. 

The sides were locked in a back-and-forth towards halftime. Jaren Holmes put up seven points in the second quarter to shoulder the scoring load, hitting a corner triple after an Allen behind-the-back pass.

But the big moment in the game came minutes later, as Allen picked up a quick double technical which saw him ejected from the game. With the League’s leading scorer out of the tie, the Phoenix ended the period on a 4-0 run to make it 42-42 at the half. 

Gunning out of the break

Thomas drained a three to settle the Riders into the second half. Leicester started the quarter in a 7-0 run, after three Skyler White misses on the other end. Thomas came out hot, hitting two quick triples to put Leicester up 55-48. 

He brought his game tally to double figures with 3:55 left in the quarter, sinking a tough and-one finish over White. 

Up 10, Leicester battled hard to close the third to keep their opponents at arm’s length. But to close the quarter, Riders captain Mackenzie picked up an unsportsmanlike foul after incidental off ball contact, which saw him out of the game with Allen. 

Battling it out late

The third ended 70-62, the Riders needing heart and hustle to see it out. 

Holmes attacked the hoop for two to start the final quarter, followed by Lall who put Leicester up 12. Lall hit a corner three, assisted by Holmes, before Miryne came down and nailed a triple of his own as the Riders ran away with the tie late. 

Cheshire’s star guard LaQuincey Rideau was the third player thrown out of the game, picking up his fifth and final foul in the fourth.

On the other end, Riders’ veteran Conner Washington stepped up in the absence of Mackenzie and Allen, taking a charge on Cam Christon and finishing a layup through heavy contact with four minutes remaining. 

Lall put the exclamation point on the performance with an explosive one handed jam, sending the Riders fans into raptures and sealing the win. 

The Riders are back in action on Sunday, heading to London to take on the table topping Lions.

Pictures from last night’s 101-93 win against Cheshire Phoenix…

Leicester Riders take on the British Basketball League’s only undefeated team in 2024, the Cheshire Phoenix, in their next Championship fixture.

The Phoenix have proved too much to overcome for every opponent this calendar year, including the League leading London Lions who they bested in the Trophy final.

Here have been the keys to their success…

Running the Fastbreak

Cheshire plays fast, with willing runners going coast to coast in transition at the highest rate of any team in the British basketball League. 

The Phoenix lead the League in fast break points with 18.97 per game, and get their opportunities on the break often by topping the points from turnovers charts with 16.77 per game 

Their ability to get buckets in transition stems from their ball pressure on the defensive end, where they rank first in steals with 8.53. 

Trophy Final MVP Laquincy Rideau has been key to getting the Phoenix on the run. The American point guard is first among all players in steals this season with 3.1 per game in his first season in the British Basketball League.

He also leads the League in assists with 6.8 per game, pushing the pace in transition and dishing off to his teammates on the run for easy buckets. 

Good shot selection and hustle in transition will be key to keeping Cheshire in the halfcourt in this one, and prevent easy baskets on the break. 

Offensive rebounding 

As well as getting easy looks on the break, the Phoenix crash the glass for second chance points to generate their offence. 

Cheshire ranks second, behind the Bristol Flyers, in offensive rebounding with 13.57 per game, leading to a League-high 11.80 second chance points per game. 

Front court pairing Ethan Chargois and Arryn Rai lead the effort on the glass, grabbing 2.5 and 2.4 offensive rebounds per game respectively. They both rank in the top 10 among all players in that department, their two pronged attack making it difficult to box out from missed Phoenix shots. 

The Riders have multiple players willing to do the work on the glass, from the League’s leading scorer Teddy Allen who pulls down a team-high 6.7 boards per game, to the Riders’ depth at the big position of Mo Walker, Sam Idowu and Duke Shelton who all take pride in their rebounding efforts. 

With the Phoenix shooting at a 45.55 % rate on the season- third best of all teams- the Riders cannot afford to give them second looks at the hoop. 

Points in the paint

Cheshire’s speed in transition, offensive rebounding and halfcourt approach means they rank second in the League in points in the paint. The Phoenix score 39.73 points in the paint per game, led by stars who relentlessly attack the hoop. 

Arryn Rai has been key to the offensive playstyle. The new acquisition from the NBL in the offseason is the team’s leading scorer and a top five scorer in the League with 18.3 points per game. 

Rai attempts 8.2 shots from within the arc per game, connecting on 62.2% of his looks in close.

This ranks third in the League of those who have taken over 100 shots. Rai’s aggressive drives to the rim opens up shots for teammates and draws fouls on opponents, highlighting the emphasis on the Riders being able to contest without fouling. 

The Riders have bodies to throw at Rai in the paint, but staying in front of the talented wing may be key to preventing a big scoring night. Cutting off Rai’s drives to the rim will be tasked with the Riders premier perimeter defenders, who are in for an intense night to limit Rai’s effectiveness.

We need you there!

The team need your help to get over the line in this one!

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Leicester Riders take on the Cheshire Phoenix on Friday, in an important clash for the team.

The star-studded fixture features three All-Star starters, and some of the best talent the League has to offer going head to head.

Here, we take a look at the key matchups in the game…

Aaryn Rai vs Teddy Allen

Last season’s NBL Player of the Year, Aaryn Rai, has established himself as one of the League’s best in his step up to the British Basketball League. 

The Canadian wing ranks top five in scoring (17.38 points per game), sixth in rebounding (7 per game) and top 10 in field goal percentage (56.47%), as well as knocking down his threes at a red hot 41% rate. 

Rai leads the League in three point percentage from the top of arc, finding success pulling up in transition and losing his defenders at the top of the three point line. 

He has also relentlessly attacked the rim all season long, and his willingness to push the tempo in transition has been key to Cheshire’s high-paced, fastbreak offensive approach. 

Rai has exploded for huge games this season, the biggest of which was a 32 point outing against the London Lions. But he’ll be faced with the tall task of keeping up with the League’s leading scorer- Teddy Allen. 

Allen enters this game after back-to-back 35 point performances. Only two players have scored more points in their first eight Championship games. Allen has averaged 26.4 points per game in the League so far, and will look to continue to rack up the points in an attempt to overcome the Phoenix.

Laquincy Rideau vs Kimbal Mackenzie

Laquincy Rideau was instrumental to Cheshire’s Trophy success, hitting the game winning layup against the Riders in the Final Four, and winning Final MVP with 25 points and 10 rebounds against London Lions. 

He has been the League’s true point guard, leading all players in assists (6.8 per game) and steals (3 per game), making his impact felt on both ends of the ball. 

Rideau pulls the strings for Cheshire, and has logged double digit assists seven times this season. This has contributed to his seven double doubles so far, three of which coming against the Riders. 

He battled down the stretch with Riders captain Kimbal Mackenzie in the Trophy, Rideau having the final say on that occasion, but Mackenzie has stepped up consistently in the clutch for the Riders over the past few seasons, and will look to again when his number is called. 

He led the team down the stretch in a clutch win against Caledonia Gladiators, scoring six points in the final two minutes, and has hit a rich vein of form of late. 

Mackenzie had scored 15+ in his last three games, earning Player of the Game with his 21 point performance against the Gladiators. 

The Canadian has been a killer from midrange, getting to his sports consistently and connecting on over 50% of his looks. Expect a back-and-forth between him and Rideau from the backcourt in this one. 

Skyler White vs Sam Idowu 

A Cheshire weapon that has been effective against the Riders this season has been stretch four Skyler White, who has put up big numbers from behind the arc. 

Two of his best games of the season were against the Riders, the first a 22 point outing on opening night, and 23 points in the Trophy Final Four. 

White hit a combined 13 threes in those games, and chucked up 31. His high volume of three point attempts mean the Riders have to close out when he drifts to the perimeter. 

Sizing him up in the front court will be Sam Idowu, a versatile forward who is more than comfortable stepping up to the outside. 

Idowu has a versatile game on both ends, capable of hitting the three, taking defenders off the dribble and working in the post down low. He has the size to challenge White when he goes to work in the paint, and the athleticism and perimeter defence to follow him out to the three point line and contest his three point attempts. 

Idowu has enjoyed good form over the last few months, and went off for 20 against Plymouth City Patriots on February 9. The matchup at the forward position has been a significant factor between the sides this season, and it could be no different in this one.

We need you there!

The team need your help to get over the line in this one!

Get tickets here to get behind your Riders!

The Riders fell 87-83 on the road to the Cheshire Phoenix to drop their record to 7-9. 

They looked in control of the tie going into the fourth, but the Phoenix won the final period 25-8 as the Riders took their second straight loss. 

Leicester’s TJ Lall led the game with 24 points, going 5-7 from deep and cooking in the third quarter to build a lead. But the Riders’ offence stalled in the final quarter, while Cheshire took 16 foul shots to get points on the board. 

Laquincy Rideau led the Phoenix with 22, as four of their starters put up double-digit points. Rideau accompanied his scoring with 10 rebounds and eight assists in a near-triple double performance.

After a 6-0 Phoenix start, the Riders relied on their captain Kimbal Mackenzie to steady the ship and get the team’s first six points on the board.

The Riders found joy at the basket to generate their offence as they edged a narrow lead. They had seven scorers in the first quarter, which was concluded by Lall who made it 26-19 with a reverse at the rim. 

The hosts came back into it in the second, draining their shots from distance at the hot hands of American guard Maceo Jack. The sides engaged in a back and forth, trading buckets up to the half. Sam Idowu hustled hard to bring his quarter tally to six points and a monster block on Rideau. 

There was nothing in it going into the locker rooms, the Riders edging a 45-44 lead at the half led by nine from Mackenzie. 

Lall took over to start the second half, scoring 10 points in five minutes including three triples. Miryne Thomas followed up his teammates from range to extend the visitor’s lead to eight. 

Lall made it a double digit advantage with two minutes left in the quarter with another three point bomb, brining his tally on the game to 22. Holding a 13 point lead, the Riders were in control with one to play. 

The Phoenix started the final quarter 8-2 to get themselves back into the tie. Jaren Holmes stepped up to stem the tide for Leicester, driving into the lane to string a floater, but Cheshire brought it to a three point game with four straight trips to the free throw line. 

They tied it up on the following possession with a three from EJ Stephens, and took the lead with an and-one play scored by Aaryn Rai. They went on to extend their lead, Ethan Chargois laying it in from close to make it 85-79 with 1:42 to play.

Mackenzie drained a long two to keep the Riders in with a chance of the win, but a 50/50 out of bounds call went Cheshire’s way with eight seconds left to seal the win for the hosts. 

The Riders are back in action next Sunday, taking on the London Lions in the capital.

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Sunday evening sees the Riders travel northwest to Cheshire as they take on the Phoenix in Round 12 of the British Basketball League Championship.

It will be the second game of a weekend double-header for Rob Paternostro’s squad after a spirited 89-79 defeat to the London Lions on Friday night.

Fixture Information

Leicester Riders @ Cheshire Phoenix

Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Cheshire Oaks

Sunday, December 3, 6:00pm

Riders Looking to Play Smart

After Friday’s defeat to the league leaders, Paternostro expressed the need for the Riders to play smartly if they are to claim victory in Cheshire. The Phoenix have only lost once at home since October 1 and have won five of their last six in the league.

 Every member of the Riders’ squad should expect significant minutes on the floor and will need to make the most of them.

One player that made the best of his opportunity against the Lions was recent signing Sesan Russell. The British two-guard drove his team forwards in the second half, coming off the bench to score 13 points in just 14 minutes.

The Florida Tech University graduate also flashed his playmaking ability, dishing four assists to add to his scoring.

Young forward Victor Ndoukou may also need to step up against the Phoenix as his minutes have increased since the reshuffling of the Riders’ roster.

The 6’8” man from Wigan has bags of potential, representing Great Britain at under-20’s level last summer. Now could be the time for Ndoukou to start realising that promise.

The Phoenix, who sit second in the BBL standings, are excellent on the offensive side of the ball. The Riders’ defence has improved over the past two games, largely down to high effort plays from the likes of Russell and Ndoukou.

That hustle will be needed once more on Sunday night.

Phoenix in Great Form

Cheshire have been the surprise package of the BBL championship this season. Ben Thomas’ squad play turnover-free basketball which – combined with rampant crashing of the offensive glass – gives his team more chances at buckets than anyone else.

The Phoenix have claimed two victories over the Riders this season. The first a shock road win on the opening weekend of the season, the second a tight 102-96 win at home after a previous Riders’ double-header.

Round 12 is an exact replica of Round 9, with Leicester falling to both London and Cheshire. The Riders will be looking to change history on Sunday with a victory.

Cheshire’s success is largely due to the elite play of dynamic duo Maceo Jack and Aaryn Rai. 

Jack, a tall point guard who play five seasons in college before joining the BBL, has been at the centre of everything good the Phoenix have done this season. The ‘shoot first’ guard stands at 6’5”, making him difficult to guard and tricky to keep off the boards, shown by 18.1 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game this year.

Rai is a big-bodied 6’6” small forward whose speed and ball handling skill belies his size. The former Dartmouth player has added a lethal second scoring option that Cheshire lacked last season, averaging just over 17 points per game.

Keeping the Phoenix’s scoring stars quiet will be priority number one for the Riders’ defence.

Key Matchup

Both teams possess high volume stars such as Jaren Holmes, Kimbal Mackenzie, Jack and Rai, but the most enticing matchup could come between a pair of rangy big men.

Cheshire’s Skylar White has been putting up good numbers this season, dropping over 11 points per contest, pulling down 4.1 rebounds per game and hitting at nearly 85% from the charity stripe.

The 6’8” Brit is an intelligent player, and while he doesn’t possess great speed or athleticism inside the paint, his shooting touch cannot be questioned. White dropped 22 points on the Riders on opening night, so Paternostro will be aware of the danger he poses.

Facing up to the test of White is exciting rookie, Miryne Thomas. 

If White lacks in speed, Thomas has it in abundance. The Cleveland-native has an eye for the spectacular dunk and is adept at freeing space inside for the monster jam. The 6’8” power forward is averaging 12.4 points per night and is hitting over 62% of his shots inside.

Thomas also shows confidence to hit from downtown and shows hustle on the boards, evident in his team-high three double-doubles. #3 is yet to score in double digits against Cheshire this season. If the Riders are to snag the road victory, he may need to set his sights on a fourth double-double.

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The Riders fell on the road 102-96 against the Cheshire Phoenix. 

It was a tie game entering the final quarter, little separating the sides throughout the contest. Cheshire went up 11 with 2:30 to go, but the Riders found a spirited comeback to cut it to a possession with 30 seconds on the clock. 

They went on an 8-0 run led by Samuel Idowu’s three and putback slam to give themselves a chance, and Cheshire’s Laquincy Rideau missed both at the line with the difference only three points. 

But the officials pointed Cheshire’s way on a 50/50 out of bounds call, allowing the hosts to see it out. 

Caleb Asberry continued his hot form after his 16 point performance against the London Lions on Friday night, leading the Riders with a season-high 23 points going 8-12 from the field. 

Iwodu also impressed off the bench throughout with 18 points and seven rebounds, finishing the game with a +/- of 15. 

For Cheshire, American forward Ethan Chargois led the game with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists. They took a late advantage with hot shooting to start the fourth, benefitting from a week’s extra rest late. 

Asberry picked up where he left off after his Player of the Game performance against London, scoring the Riders first eight points. But the Phoenix exploded to a hot start, gunning from behind the arc to make their first five three point attempts, going up 10 early. 

The Riders’ second unit checked into the game midway through the first to breath some life into the Riders’ offence. Mo Walker immediately got to work with two quick baskets, before Sam Idowu drove to the rim for an and-one play- Leicester’s frontcourt doing the business inside. 

The bench got the Riders back into the game despite a red hot Chesire offensive start led by 10 points from American forward Ethan Chargois. Walker came up with a block on Rideau with seconds left in the period, setting up an Asberry buzzer beating layup to cut the deficit to four.

Leicester took the game by the reins in the second, starting with two triples from TJ Lall and Kimbal Mackenzie which took their first lead of the game. It was the Riders’ turn to punish their opponents from deep, making four in five minutes. 

The Phoenix hung around in the game, the Riders keeping ahead in the ball game by finding success attacking inside. Mackenzie’s drive to the hoop concluded the half’s action with Leicester leading 55-49. 

Cheshire started the second half the nighter of the sides, running in transition to generate their offesnce in the open floor and snatch back the lead. The Riders fired back in response to reclaim their advantage at the hands of Lall, who scored four quick points inside. 

Lall kickstarted a 7-0 Riders run to give the Riders a five point lead, but a stong end to the quarter from Cheshire’s Aaryn Rai tied it up at 72 with one to play. 

The Phoenix started the fourth hot, attacking the rim to start the quarter 9-1. The Riders battled back, finding their way to the free throw line by driving to the hole to keep it to a six point defecit as the clock ticked down to five remaining in the game. 

But Cheshire closed out strong, hitting big shots down the stretch led by Chargois’ seven point final quarter to secure a win. Asberry and Idowu came up with late threes to bring it back to six, before Idowu threw down a huge putback jam to give Leicester a late chance. 

Mackenzie followed up a missed free throw with a bucket to cut it to a possession, and Rideau missed both after the subsequent foul, but the referee’s gave the out of bounds call Cheshire’s way, allowing them to seal it at the line. 

The loss sent the Riders home empty handed in a closely fought game for the second time in the weekend. They return to action next week on the road against the Sheffield Sharks. 

Sunday evening sees the Riders travelling northwest to take on the 7-4 Cheshire Phoenix in the British Basketball League Championship.

It will be the second game of the weekend for Rob Paternostro’s squad after they fell 102-95 to the league-leading London Lions in an epic clash on Friday night.

Fixture Information

Leicester Riders @ Cheshire Phoenix

Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Cheshire Oaks

Sunday, November 12, 6:00pm

Close to Victory

The Riders may have been defeated by the Lions on Friday night, but there was plenty of evidence that this squad can beat anyone on their day.

The home side bettered their opponents in several categories, including three-point percentage, points in the paint and rebounds. Victory looked possible, especially during a sustained period in the third quarter which saw the Riders holding onto a narrow lead.

However, what makes the Lions special is the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over. They very rarely waste a possession, and even as the Riders’ defence forced several missed shots, London’s knack of getting to the foul line told in the final score.

The visitors – who claimed their thirteenth win in fourteen British Basketball League Championship games on Friday – hit 26 points from the free throw line at a clip of 86%, nine more than the Riders who knocked down 16 at an uncharacteristically low 72%.

A major positive for the Riders was the play of shooting guard Caleb Asberry.

The 6’3” Texan balled out on both ends of the court, tormenting the opposition big men with fast hands-on defence, knocking down 16 points on offence and leading the Riders with nine rebounds for good measure.

As Friday’s game went on, the energy of the Morningside Arena grew, and Asberry’s tenacity grew with it.

The in-form Jaren Holmes also had a nice showing, flashing his skills as a playmaker to dish eight assists to go with 18 points for a near double-double.

Leicester scored 95 points on a defence that gives up only 79.5 points per game, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Cheshire is another team that can score the ball, averaging an impressive 88.5 points per game, so the Riders may find themselves needing another total within touching distance of three figures to take victory on the road.

The Surprise Package of the Season

Judging on whispers throughout the pre-season, few around the BBL were predicting the Phoenix to have a hot 7-4 start.

Ben Thomas’ team sit third in the standings on 14 points, playing consistent basketball predicated on a solid defence and dominance on the boards.

The Phoenix are currently pulling down 40.9 rebounds per game and sit second in total rebounds percentage with 54.3% – just behind the 8-4 Bristol Flyers.

That hustle to get to missed shots allows Cheshire to be the most prolific team in the league when on the fast break, hitting 17.9 fast break points each night. The Riders have been susceptible to giving up fast break points this season, so this is sure to be an area of focus for Coach Paternostro.

Top scorer for the Phoenix is guard Maceo Jack, the second-year American having an excellent sophomore season, dropping 18.7 points per night to become one of the most prolific scorers in the league.

Jack is ably supported by big men Aaryn Rai and Skylar White who put up double-digits in points on most outings.

Rai, who has only played in six of the Nix’s 11 games this season, is a 6’6” forward with an eye for a pass. Should he play on Sunday, expect him to be a large part of Cheshire’s offense. 

Key Matchup

Sunday’s key matchup is between two players who bring high-quality minutes from the bench – Cam Christon and Riders’ captain, Kimbal Mackenzie.

Christon, a rookie who joined the BBL this season from the Grambling State Tigers, stands at 6’6” and uses his combination of speed and length to slice inside and finish effectively in the paint.

The Texan has scored close to 20 points on several occasions this season despite second-unit minutes, even dropping 21 points in 23 minutes on the Patriots in an October win.

Riders’ fans may be somewhat familiar with Christon’s ability to score in bunches as he knocked down 16 in just ten minutes on opening day.

A player Riders’ supporters will certainly be familiar with is energetic point guard, Mackenzie. The Leicester veteran is often brought off the bench to galvanise the team when the opposition is on a run or to hit clutch shots in the waning moments of a game.

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#1’s presence was felt yet again on Friday night, as he bolted around the court and involved himself in everything positive the Riders produced.

Mackenzie finished the night with 17 points, five assists and managed to draw four trips to the charity stripe.

It is going to be interesting to see when and how both coaches decide to use their second-unit weapons. The player who brings the best from the bench could prove to be the one that wins this game for their team.

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