London Lions VS Newcastle Eagles in SLB League action at the Copper Box. 10/03/24

London taste double-victory, Newcastle struggle and Caledonia earn rare win in week of dramatic hoops

On a week that saw Sheffield win Cup gold, the show must go on in the Championship.

London Lions 75 – 67 Bristol Flyers

Having pulled four points ahead of Sheffield and Leicester last week, London had the chance to get the game-week rolling with the chance of maxing it six. To do so, they’d have to beat the visiting Flyers, on the hunt for their sixth win of the year at the Copper Box Arena.  

The game began with Bristol catching many by surprise, as they stormed out of the gates to take an early lead. Keddy Johnson opened the scoring with a free throw before Demond Robinson and Evan Walshe pushed the tempo and capitalised on fast breaks, giving Bristol an unexpected advantage. The Flyers’ aggressive transition play seemed to catch London off guard.

However, the Lions quickly responded, and as is often the case, it was Jaiden Delaire who led the charge. The British forward scored back-to-back lay-ups to wrestle the lead back in London’s favour. The Lions’ bench then played a crucial role, with Terrell Holloway contributing significantly with both strong passing and finishing close to the basket.

Aaryn Rai and Alen Hadzibegovic also made their presence felt, combining for a crafty lay-up and a thunderous dunk to extend the London lead. Yet, Bristol continued to fight back, as Owen McCormack and Alan Louis scored efficiently off the bench, narrowing the gap to just one point by the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm, but Delaire’s steady scoring continued to provide London with an advantage. Robinson and Sherfield responded for Bristol, scoring from close range to keep the visitors within touching distance.

Bristol seemed to be gaining momentum midway through the quarter when Walshe sparked a run, converting three free throws and finishing through the lane to give the Flyers a brief lead. Robinson added to this with a trip to the charity stripe, putting Bristol up by five. However, London quickly regained control. Hadzibegovic stepped up, scoring critical baskets to halt Bristol’s momentum and reduce the Flyers’ lead to just four points as the teams went into the locker room for halftime.

The half-time team talk by Petar Bozic appeared to have a positive effect on the Lions, as they came out rejuvenated in the third quarter. Hadzibegovic and Tyler Peterson both made quick drives through the lane to tie the game, and Michael Brisker drained a three-pointer to give London a three-point lead.

Although McCormack and Kendall Lewis fought back for Bristol with some timely baskets, London continued to build their lead. Tanner Stuckman added a lay-up, and Peterson followed up with a well-executed floater, helping the Lions finish the quarter six points ahead.

London’s strong play continued into the final period, as Hadzibegovic and Brisker made free throws to open up a nine-point lead. Rai then completed a difficult lay-up to push the lead into double digits, and Delaire added a pair of quick makes in the paint, followed by a free throw, to give London a 13-point cushion.

Bristol refused to give up, with Walshe leading an offensive burst. He scored three quick shots in a minute, including a driving lay-up, to cut the deficit to five points. However, London had the answer. Brisker hit another floater and Stuckman added a hook shot to re-establish a nine-point advantage. Walshe responded once more, draining a three-pointer and finishing another lay-up, but it was too little, too late for the Flyers.

In the final minute, Brisker sealed the win with another three-pointer, and after a crucial turnover from Bristol, the game ended with London claiming an eight-point victory. The win helped the Lions extend their lead over Sheffield in the Championship table, creating a six-point gap, having played three more games.

Most Valuable Player: Jaiden Delaire impressed for London, leading his team in scoring with 19 and pulling down seven boards.

Caledonia Gladiators 94 – 96 Cheshire Phoenix

Elsewhere at the Playsport Arena, Wednesday evening hoops continued, as lowly Caledonia aimed for their third win of the season. Cheshire hoped to prevent that, as they hoped to break into the chasing pack in the Championship table.

The game started with the Gladiators taking an early lead, thanks to explosive plays from Trevond Barnes and Totonitoluwa Fagbenle. However, Cheshire quickly responded, with Skyler White hitting a three-pointer and Larry Austin Jr. slicing through the paint to give the Phoenix the lead. Cameron Holden also contributed, helping Cheshire grow its advantage midway through the first quarter.

Caledonia responded with a 7-0 run, led by Barnes’ aggressive drives and Fraser Malcolm’s shooting from the outside, regaining a slight lead. But Cheshire fought back, with RJ Eytle-Rock’s mid-range jumper putting the visitors ahead once more. Fagbenle tied the game at the line, and Theodore Hughes’ jumpers helped the Gladiators finish the first quarter with a four-point lead.

In the second quarter, Holden continued his strong play for Cheshire, pulling them back to within one. Both teams traded buckets, with Eytle-Rock and Nick Timberlake stepping up for Cheshire and Caledonia countering through new signings Albert Ventura and Jeff Speelman.

Fahro Alihodzic powered the Gladiators inside, and a big three from Patrick Whelan gave them a solid advantage. Whelan continued his hot streak, draining another three and scoring inside to extend the lead to seven points. Speelman and Ventura hit deep jumpers to stretch Caledonia’s advantage to eight as the teams headed into the locker rooms.

After halftime, Caledonia came out strong. Devearl Ramsey converted an ‘and-1’ play, pushing the lead to 11 points. But Cheshire responded with a run led by Holden and Eytle-Rock, cutting the deficit to just six. Fagbenle and Speelman helped push the lead back into double digits, but Holden and White quickly closed the gap, with White hitting a contested three to put Cheshire back in front.

The fourth quarter was a tense back-and-forth. Austin Jr. opened with a lay-up to give Cheshire the lead, but Caledonia responded with a lay-up from Whelan. Timberlake tied it again with a lay-up and then split free throws to give Cheshire the advantage.

Caledonia’s Speelman hit a crucial three-pointer in crunch time, but Barnes and Ramsey responded with lay-ups to give Cheshire a one-point lead. With just over a minute left, White drained a clutch three-pointer, but Barnes quickly answered with one of his own.

With 19 seconds left, Whelan’s shot gave the Gladiators a one-point lead, but Austin Jr. responded with a tough lay-up to put Cheshire ahead for good. An all-too-familiar turnover by Caledonia and a free throw from Timberlake then sealed the Phoenix’s win.

Most Valuable Player: Nick Timberlake put on an impressive display, logging 28 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Bristol Flyers 63 – 74 Leicester Riders

Friday night hoops tipped off at the SGS College Arena, where Bristol welcomed Leicester to town. The Riders had a chance to catch up with Sheffield in second place, while Bristol hoped to pull away from Caledonia at the bottom of the table.

The first quarter was a surprising showcase of Bristol’s offensive firepower. Despite being clear underdogs, the Flyers raced out to a strong start. Jared Sherfield opened the scoring with a three-pointer, and shortly after, Owen McCormack came off the bench to knock down another from deep, giving Bristol an early 6-point lead. Leicester responded through Riley Abercrombie, who drained back-to-back threes, pulling the Riders back into the game.

However, McCormack’s second three-pointer and quick baskets from Keddy Johnson and Sherfield pushed Bristol’s advantage to seven. The Riders weren’t finished yet, as Jaylin Hunter’s tough layup and a three-pointer from Ethan Wright tied the game at 16. A brief Leicester lead came at the end of the quarter, with Hunter and Duke Shelton scoring to give the Riders a 2-point advantage heading into the second.

The second quarter saw both teams exchange buckets early on. Wright and Bristol’s Evan Walshe traded shots, but it was Leicester’s Riley Abercrombie and Zach Jackson who helped the Riders regain the lead. Jackson’s three-pointer and a pair of key inside scores from Abercrombie pushed Leicester ahead, and the visitors extended their advantage as the period progressed.

Despite a brief response from Bristol, Leicester finished the half strong, leading by 8 points.

Leicester came out firing in the third quarter. Hunter and Johnson quickly extended the lead with crucial scores, while Demond Robinson tried to keep Bristol within reach with a three-pointer and a dunk. However, Leicester’s interior play from Abercrombie and Hunter kept the Flyers at bay.

Jackson then took over, scoring six unanswered points to push the Riders’ lead to 20. Although Alain Louis and Walshe made some headway for Bristol, the Flyers found themselves trailing by 13 points going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter was a scrappy affair. Both teams struggled offensively, with Leicester managing only a single point in the first six minutes of the period. Bristol capitalised, trimming the deficit to just four points. However, Leicester managed to regain control thanks to clutch plays from Charles Thompson and Jackson, with Thompson’s hook shot and Jackson’s layup sealing the win for the Riders.

A late three-pointer from Abercrombie confirmed Leicester’s 11-point victory, tying them with Sheffield in second place on the Championship table.

Most Valuable Player: Jaylin Hunter made an impact across the board, recording 13 points, seven rebounds, two steals and five assists.

Newcastle Eagles 67 – 83 Caledonia Gladiators

Elsewhere on Friday night, mid-table Newcastle played host to bottom-placed Caledonia at the Vertu Motors Arena. With two games on this weekend’s schedule, Newcastle had to be ready for action, but that’s not how things started.

The game began with a strong start from Caledonia. Led by Trevond Barnes and Patrick Whelan, the Gladiators quickly opened up an early lead. Both players hit a pair of three-pointers to give their team an early advantage. Fraser Malcolm briefly then added three-pointer of his own, but Christian James responded with a couple of difficult shots.

Newcastle’s Trey Pulliam fought back with a tough shot at the rim to help the Eagles stay within reach. However, Caledonia’s new signing, Albert Ventura, added to the Gladiators’ scoring streak with a three-pointer, extending their lead. The Gladiators’ offensive rhythm continued as they made four consecutive triples to start the game.

Jeff Speelman, another recent addition for Caledonia, broke the three-point streak with a two-point basket, but Newcastle’s Cole Long quickly responded with two close-range shots to make it a two-point game. Despite that, Caledonia continued to dominate from beyond the arc, with Whelan hitting a contested three and Devearl Ramsey adding another to push the Gladiators’ lead into double digits. Newcastle’s Seneca Knight hit both of his free throws in the final seconds, leaving the Eagles trailing by eight at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with a strong push from Newcastle. De’Sean Allen-Eikens scored a mid-range jumper to spark a comeback effort. However, Ramsey responded in a big way for Caledonia, scoring nine unanswered points to lead a game-changing 11-0 run, which put the Gladiators ahead by 17.

Newcastle fought back, with Allen-Eikens scoring under the basket and Darius Defoe completing an ‘and-1’ play to shrink the deficit. Pulliam added two three-pointers, bringing the Eagles to within five points. Seneca Knight then took charge, scoring both inside and outside to make it a three-point game as the teams went into the locker room.

In the third quarter, Caledonia attempted to halt Newcastle’s momentum. Barnes hit a layup, and Totonitoluwa Fagbenle finished a flashy alley-oop to extend the Gladiators’ lead. However, Newcastle responded as Allen-Eikens drew fouls and scored from three to bring the Eagles to within two points. Whelan answered with an aggressive drive, but Knight’s three-pointer made it a single-point game.

Once again, it was Ramsey who stepped up for Caledonia, hitting a three-pointer, a layup, and adding a free throw to finish the third with the Gladiators leading by seven.

The final quarter saw Ventura continue to shine for Caledonia, draining yet another three-pointer to re-establish a 10-point advantage. Ventura then scored a pair of quick baskets to extend the lead further as Newcastle began to tire. Long and Christian James made a valiant effort to chip away at the deficit, but with Barnes hitting free throws and Whelan adding a layup, the Gladiators’ lead became insurmountable.

In the final minute, Ventura and Ramsey combined to put the finishing touches on the victory. When the buzzer sounded, Caledonia had earned their third win of the season, showing impressive resilience throughout the game.

Most Valuable Player: Devearl Ramsey recorded 21 points, three boards and six assists, propelling his team ahead on multiple occasions, on the way to a well-earned W.

London Lions 79 – 68 Newcastle Eagles

Though it was Cup Final day, Sunday also saw some Championship action at the Copper Box Arena, where league-leading London faced Newcastle, who aimed to react to a tough loss two days prior.

London opened the game in commanding fashion. Alen Hadzibegovic scored the first points with a lay-up and followed up with a smooth floater, giving the Lions an early lead. The hosts extended their advantage further with Tyler Peterson and Michael Brisker each hitting a three-pointer to cap off an 11-0 run.

Newcastle struggled to respond early, but Trey Pulliam briefly gave them some momentum with a lay-up. However, Brisker came back with another three-pointer, and Hadzibegovic added a pair of free throws to keep London in control.

As the quarter progressed, Cole Long helped chisel away at the deficit with a couple of inside scores. However, Ovie Soko entered the game off the bench and immediately made an impact, scoring two consecutive lay-ups to restore a 15-point advantage for London. Newcastle’s Seneca Knight responded with a strong offensive run, closing the gap slightly. At the end of the first quarter, London led by 13.

In the second quarter, Terrell Holloway hit a pair of threes to further strengthen London’s lead. He was soon joined by Ciaran Sandy, who made a free throw to extend the advantage. Newcastle pushed back, with Josh Ward-Hibbert and De’sean Allen-Eikens contributing scores to close the gap. But London soon reasserted themselves, scoring by committee, with Brisker and Rai hitting back-to-back threes to give the Lions a 22-point lead.

Knight and Soko then traded baskets for a few minutes, but Pulliam kept Newcastle in the game with a couple of free throws. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, London maintained an 18-point lead.

Coming out of halftime, Tanner Stuckman helped London get off to another strong start. However, this time Newcastle found an answer, with James and Long hitting threes and a step-back jumper to cut the deficit to 11 points. London’s Rai quickly responded with a reverse lay-up and an easy drive to stop Newcastle’s run.

Hadzibegovic continued his solid performance, hitting two mid-range shots as the quarter progressed. By the time the third quarter ended, London led by 16 points, keeping the Eagles at arm’s length.

In the fourth quarter, Sauveur Kande ignited a mini-comeback for Newcastle, draining a three-pointer to make it a 13-point game. Knight followed up with a free throw to close the gap further. But Brisker responded for London with a contested three-pointer, and Peterson added a couple of lay-ups to rebuild the lead.

As the quarter progressed, London’s offence continued to tick along, with Brisker, Stuckman, and Peterson all contributing to the scoreline. Despite a determined effort from Cole Long, Rai finished strong, scoring both from the field and the free-throw line to seal the win for London.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Lions had earned a hard-fought 11-point victory, moving six points ahead in the Championship standings while Newcastle had to settle for a well-fought but ultimately disappointing loss.

Most Valuable Player: Aaryn Rai impacted this one massively, adding five dishes to a 15 point and 11 rebounds double-double.

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