Riders, Phoenix, Flyers earn victory, while 89ers and Sharks secure spots in Cup semi-finals

After impressive victories in the Super League Basketball Cup Quarter-finals, the Surrey 89ers and B. Braun Sheffield Sharks advanced to the Final Four of the competition as Cheshire Phoenix, Leicester Riders and Bristol Flyer secured solid victories in the Championship.

Caledonia Gladiators 98 – 101 Cheshire Phoenix – OT (Championship)

The Championship game week tipped off at the Playsport Arena. The hosting Gladiators searched for a much-needed win, as they welcomed a mid-table Phoenix team to town.

With Robbie Peers’ side enduring a difficult campaign, Cheshire came into the game as heavy favourites, but that wasn’t apparent as this one began. Jared Wilson-Frame combined with Patrick Whelan for a pair of early threes, serving as a statement of intent for the home side.

Larry Austin Jr. pushed back for Cheshire, securing a string of lay-ups as the quarter developed and earning successful trips to the charity stripe, as the teams swapped leads for a few minutes. In the final minutes of the opening period however, the Glad’s heated up, with Wilson-Frame and Fraser Malcolm hitting from beyond the arc to open up a home lead. As the quarter ended, Caledonia held a six-point advantage.

Cheshire found a scoring punch from the bench as the second quarter began; Nick Timberlake hit from deep to chip away at the deficit and the Phoenix brought it to within a single point. However, a confident Whelan replied with a pair of threes to pull away from the visitors once again.

Cameron Holden searched for an answer for Cheshire, driving aggressively for well-earned points at the rim, but Caledonia wouldn’t relent. Whelan and Wilson-Frame sank another pair from beyond the arc, before Malik Dunbar stepped up form the bench for a mid-range make to stretch the gap to seven points.

With a couple of minutes left in the half, Holden and Tyreek Scott-Grayson made lay-ins to make it a three-point game, but when Whelan hit a pair of jumpers in consecutive possessions, he ensured that the home team left for the locker rooms with a nine-point lead.

As the teams reemerged, a similar pattern continued; Wilson-Frame and Whelan carried the offensive load for Caledonia, while Scott-Grayson, Holden and Austin Jr kept Ben Thomas’ team afloat on the other end.

The sides traded buckets for a few minutes, with the Gladiators stubbornly keeping their visitors at arms-length. However, a strong offensive sequence for Cheshire provided a lifeline; Holden and Austin Jr. hit lay-ups to pull closer, before TJ Atwood scored one of his own as the third period ended, making it a mere two-point contest.

The Phoenix came flying out of the blocks in the fourth, Holden laid one in and Austin Jr. hit a pair of easy makes inside, propelling the visitors ahead for the first time since the first quarter. Despite having previously led by 12, Caledonia had a game on their hands.

Timberlake took care of business at the free-throw line midway through the final quarter of regulation, as Cheshire moved ahead by five. They were met with resistance from Wilson-Frame and Dunbar however, as they carved through the lane to pull back within a point. Whelan then stepped up yet again, splashing from three-point territory to leapfrog the visitors to a two-point advantage.

Totonitoluwa Fagbenle earned multiple trips to the line, bolstering the Caledonia lead and Dunbar sank a floater with two minutes on the clock, widening the difference to seven. Surely the Glad’s were home and dry? Not quite.

Three consecutive offences paid off for Cheshire in the final minute. Timberlake drained a three, before Austin Jr. stepped up with two major lay-ups with a matter of seconds remaining. Caledonia had dropped another significant lead and just like that this one was tied at 89, forcing overtime.

The final instalment started with Timberlake adding to his already impressive bench contribution, taking an early lead for Cheshire from under the basket. Dunbar then tied the game at the line, before Austin Jr. and Whelan swapped makes to continue the game of cat and mouse.

Timberlake enjoyed another crucial trip to the line, before Austin Jr. scored from deep with under a minute remaining and pushed Cheshire out to a four-point lead. Whelan showed characteristic determination with a buoyant three-pointer and split free-throws down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough.

Timberlake was fouled and subsequently drained three more clutch free-throws to earn the 101-98 thrilling victory, coming back to hand Caledonia a brutal loss in the additional period.

Most Valuable Player: Larry Austin Jr. spearheaded the Cheshire offence, adding eight rebounds and seven assists to his 26-point scoring performance.

Leicester Riders 89 – 76 Manchester Basketball (Championship)

Leicester came into this contest fresh from Newcastle ending their six-game winning streak, looking to start a new one as they welcomed Manchester to the Mattioli Arena on Friday night.

The game got off to a highly-competitive start, as both teams cut through the paint for close-range buckets. Donovan Mitchell then hit from deep to create a Manchester lead, before Jaylin Hunter and Riley Abercrombie earned points at the charity stripe to draw level.

Midway through the first period, Nathan Cayo exploded on offence, securing a pair of lay-ups and draining a free-throw to propel Manchester ahead by four. The visitors continued to pull away when Mitchell made a turn-around from midrange to widen the gap to six.

Zach Jackson drove aggressively to find a temporary fix for Leicester, but Manchester were flying. Cayo enjoyed a successful trip to the line and made a crafty lay-up to extend the visitors’ lead to nine. When the teams took their first break, Manchester found themselves on top by eight.

Mitchell added to the advantage as soon as the second quarter began, putting Manchester up by double-digits with a driving lay-up. Duke Shelton came off the bench to push back for Leicester with a thunderous jam, before Spencer Johnson’s triple pulled Rob Paternostro’s team within five.

Manchester found their own scoring punch from the bench in Ian Dubose, who drove to stave off Leicester’ resurgence, but the hosts wouldn’t give up. December’s Player of the Month Charles Thompson hit a couple from the line and Johnson hit from close with two minutes left in the half to shrink the deficit to three points, as the teams broke for half-time.

The Riders started the second half in perfect fashion –  a Jackson three to tie the game after five second. Cayo and Thompson then traded baskets, before Mitchell drained a free-throw to push Manchester ahead yet again.

Hunter then drove the lane for a creative lay-up and Thompson did the same, responding to every Manchester bucket with one of their own to stay in the contest. Then Riley Abercrombie stepped up; the Australian drained three unanswered shots from beyond the arc to suddenly forge a nine-point lead for the home team.

Abercrombie continued his heat-check, making a pair of lay-ups as the quarter wound down, firing the Riders into a double-digit lead. Then when Hunter made a shot with seconds left in the period, the home side found themselves 14 points in front.

The fourth quarter saw Manchester struggled to chip away at the sudden deficit. Despite having led previously, the visitors couldn’t make any significant in-roads back into the contest. Elijah Ifejeh and Junior Madut put in a tremendous effort on offence, but Leicester had found their groove.

Zach Jackson controlled the tempo for Leicester, offering a steady diet of scoring down the stretch, hitting big shots from inside and out. When the final buzzer sounded, the Riders had earned a 13-point win and secured second place in the Championship table.

Most Valuable Player: Zach Jackson was a reliable offensive option for Leicester, recording 21 points, three boards and an assist to help his team over the line.

Bristol Flyers 98 – 94 Newcastle Eagles (Championship)

Newcastle arrived at the SGS College Arena, looking to bounce back from a recent loss to Surrey. Standing in their way was a Bristol team on a three-game skid and desperately seeking a momentum-shifting W.

The Eagles opened scoring through a Malcolm Delpeche hook-shot, earning them what would go on to be their only lead of the contest. The Flyers hit back swiftly, with a combination of Demond Robinson dunks and Kendall Lewis lay-ups, creating a four-point home advantage.

Mike Okauru then forced his way to the line twice for Newcastle, pulling the visitors to within a single point, but back came Bristol and Jared Sherfield, who hit a contested three to edge the home side further ahead.

Seneca Knight tied the game minutes later with a confident three-ball, but the Flyers found an answer once again, this time through a Keddy Johnson step-back jumper from beyond the arc to regain superiority.

Lewis went toe-to-to with Okauru as the pair exchanged baskets for a couple of minutes, but then on came Evan Walshe, who stepped up from the bench with five consecutive points for Bristol to remain on top. Newcastle showed resistance, but when the opening quarter finished, they trailed by four points.

The Flyers moved further ahead in the second, as Sherfield and Robinson combined for a string of lay-ups, as Newcastle struggled to contain the now-rolling Bristol offence. The Eagles struggled mightily on offence also, missing an array of makeable shots, as their opponents opened the deficit beyond double digits.

Keddy Johnson punished the visitors inside, banging in the paint to force multiple free-throw opportunities and when the teams split for half-time, Bristol led by 13 and were in total command.

Johnson carried over the momentum into the second half, controlling the pace on the offensive end and making shots at will for Bristol. However, Newcastle ramped up the effort also, with Christian James contributing with crucial threes to pull his team back into reachable distance.  

Knight and De’Sean Allen-Eikens also drained important jumpers for Newcastle, as they found their groove offensively to stay in the contest, despite Robinson, Johnson and Sherfield’s steady production. When the penultimate quarter ended, Bristol were again ahead by 13.

James finished a three-point play at the line to open the final period, providing Newcastle with a lifeline. He then followed it up with two further trips to the charity stripe and just like that, the Eagles moved within single digits.

Johnson and Lewis converted much-needed lay-ups in consecutive possessions, after a three-minute barren spell for the home team. Around a minute later though, Allen-Eikens pulled up from mid-range to make it an eight-point game.

Despite buckets from Lewis, Robinson and Walshe, Newcastle kept their hopes alive leading into the final minute, when Okauru hit a clutch three-pointer to shrink the deficit to just six points. Sherfield responded with split free-throws to move seven points ahead, but back came James, who scored a lay-in and pulled within five.

Johnson exchanged baskets with Allen-Eikens, who stepped back from three-point range to make it a four point game with just 17 seconds left on the clock. Johnson was fouled as the Eagles ran out of time and when he cooly sank both, even a last-gasp lay-ups from Allen-Eikens couldn’t change the inevitable.

Having trailed by 21 points, Newcastle will be disappointed to have finished the game with a four-point loss, while Bristol earned their third victory of the season in front of a jubilant crowd.

Most Valuable Player: Keddy Johnson led the way for Bristol, recording 30 points, four rebounds and six assists to secure the W.

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 92 – 78 Cheshire Phoenix (Cup Quarter-Final)

With a game cancellation in Manchester, just two SLB Cup Quarter Finals took place over the weekend and the first one tipped off at the Canon Medical Arena, where Sheffield met the Cheshire.

With the Phoenix fresh from a challenging overtime Championship victory two days prior, the Sharks smelled blood. However, the visitors no signs of fatigue as they made a bright start to the game. Tyreek Scott-Grayson and TJ Atwood combined a smooth lay-up with a contested three to earn Cheshire an early advantage.

It didn’t take long for Sheffield to find an answer though; Prentiss Nixon pounded in the paint to convert at the line and early substitution Jordan Ratinho converted from close range as they hosts tied the game within minutes.

Atwood and Ratinho traded makes from mid-range, as the teams played a game of cat and mouse that saw Cheshire edge ahead every time the Sheffield managed to draw level.

Eventually, a three from Prentiss Nixon and a reverse lay-in from Jacob Groves pushed the Sharks ahead, but that’s when the Phoenix looked to their bench. Skyler White and Nick Timberlake hit consecutive threes for the road team, earning their team a lead of their own.

Nixon came back swinging for Sheffield, scoring in the paint to leapfrog their opponents, before Cameron Holden completed a three-point play to tie the game yet again. A minute later, Larry Austin Jr. carved through the lane to push Cheshire ahead, before a three from White and a floater from RJ Eytle-Rock built their advantage to six points to end an action-packed opening quarter.

Drake Jeffries made a triple to get the second period rolling, but Scott-Grayson responded immediately, recording seven points in just over a minute to propel Cheshire ahead by double figures. Nixon answered back for Sheffield with a smooth three, before forcing his way to the line to pull the hosts within five points.

Timberlake remained a threat from deep, hitting big shots to keep Cheshire ahead, but the Sharks continued to plug away, with Jamell Anderson converting an ‘and-1’, before Ratinho and Nixon put together an excellent offensive sequence, tying the game at 40 as the teams left for their respective locker rooms.

The Sharks re-emerged with continued momentum, with Nixon firing multiple shots from mid-range to earn the home team a slim lead. Scott-Grayson and Austin Jr. tied the game with consecutive makes, but that’s when Sheffield took control of the situation.

Groves and Nixon hit three unanswered shots from beyond the arc to push forge a double digit differential in just over a minute. Groves continued to impressive with a reverse lay-up to stave off the efforts of the stubborn Holden and Eytle-Rock, who scored inside to keep their team’s Cup hopes alive.

A crafty Holden lay-up pulled Cheshire within six points with a minute left in the penultimate quarter. Rodney Glasgow Jr pushed back for Sheffield but a free-throw from Scott-Grayson ensured that heading into the final 10 minutes, the Phoenix trailed by seven.

The fourth quarter got off to the perfect start for Cheshire; Holden hit a pull-up jumper, Eytle-Rock drained a three and Scott-Grayson made a lay-up. In the space of just two minutes, the away side had scored seven unanswered points and drawn level. Game on.

Groves had other ideas though, the American forward made another go-ahead lay-up and followed it up quickly with another trey to move the Sharks ahead by five.

Anderson and White swapped three-point makes with five minutes remaining, before Nixon grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns. The point guard converted twice at the stripe and made another lay-up to extend Sheffield’s lead to seven.

Groves and Nixon continued to make major shots for the home side down the stretch, widening the gap to double digits, as Cheshire saw their Cup dream slip away. More impressive threes from Timberlake and White weren’t enough; this one was over.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Sharks faithful celebrated a 14-point victory, which saw them book a ticket to the SLB Cup semi-final.

Most Valuable Player: Prentiss Nixon got it done in style, logging 32 points, eight boards and three assists in a all-out performance.

London Lions 86 – 95 Surrey 89ers (Cup Quarter-Final)

Meanwhile in the capital, London welcomed Surrey to the Copper Box Arena for the other SLB Cup Quarter Final of the weekend.

With the Lions atop the Championship table, the home crowd had cause for optimism going into this win-or-go-home clash. However, they were quickly reminded of the stiff competition that Surrey present when Mervin James opened scoring with a smooth turnaround jumper.

Alen Hadzibegovic and Michael Brisker hit a pair of jumpers in response, earning London a lead of their own, before Jalen Ray sank a contested three to tie the game at five after a minute. Cameron Gooden then pushed Surrey ahead with a step-back from mid-range, as teams battled it out early.

Jaiden Delaire drove the lane for London, temporarily edging them ahead with a smooth lay-up. Ade Adebayo scored an effort of his own from close range a minute later, moving the hosts ahead by a slim margin.

Ray hit another three for Surrey to regain the advantage for the ‘niners, but they were quickly met with an Ovie Soko floater to tie the game. Nedas Cholevinskas and Tanner Stuckman then exchanged buckets for a minute, as the lead bounced around furiously.

When Dame Adelekun scored a couple of lay-ups for Surrey in consecutive possessions, the visitors finished a highly-competitive opening quarter with a three-point advantage.

Soko tied the game with a three-point play for London as the second period began, but the 89ers found their own veteran forward to hit back; Tayo Ogedengbe splashed home a three to regain the Surrey advantage.

Gooden then scored to extend the lead to six points, before answering a Hadzibegovic bucket with one of his own to make it a seven-point game.

As the second quarter progressed, Aaryn Rai entered the game, scoring twice in transition to keep the Lions within touching distance. However, more impressive makes from Ogedengbe and Ray helped Surrey sustain the lead.

The road team then caught fire, moving the ball with fluidity and finding scoring opportunities for Mervin James and Josh Steel. Then when Ogedengbe slammed it home at the close of the first half, Lloyd Gardner’s team were up by 15.

London showcased a lot of heart when they returned to the court for the second half. Rai and Brisker bulldozed their way to the free-throw line to chip away at the deficit, but Surrey just wouldn’t relent. Adelekun and James found easy looks to squash the Lions’ momentum.

Rai made a pair of jumpers from inside and out of the paint, but London struggled to bring the deficit to within single digits as the third period progressed. Delaire and Soko drained three consecutive makes, but they were met with an Andrew Lawrence pull-up jumper, which ensured a 12-point Surrey lead heading into the final quarter.

James and Delaire swapped baskets for a few minutes, but when Ogedengbe hit another three with just under four minutes remaining, the game moved beyond London’s reach. Surrey were up by 15 with the clock on their side.

Delaire wasn’t ready to give up of course. The forward earned multiple trips to the line to offer some hope to the home crowd but it wasn’t to be. Surrey scored consistently down the stretch and when Lawrence split a pair of free throws in the final seconds, the visitors had won the contest by nine points and secured their spot in the SLB Cup semi-finals.

Most Valuable Player: Mervin James put on an excellent display for Surrey, helping his team over the line with 20 points, six boards and two assists.

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