The busiest week of SLB Championship action this season saw the London Lions stumble and Leicester Riders thrive.
A total of 11 games took place this week, starting with an instant classic in the capital.
London Lions 88-90 Manchester Basketball
Manchester Basketball injected life into their top four dreams as Nathan Cayo scored a clutch basket to give them a 90-88 win over London Lions at the CopperBox Arena on Tuesday.
Cayo drove along the baseline to score off the glass with 1.4 seconds left, with Manchester surviving a desperation attempt from Tu Holloway to secure their first win over the league leaders this season and condemn London to only their second home loss in the Championship.
Six Manchester players scored in double figures, led by Cayo’s 23 points on 8/11 shooting. Makai Ashton-Langford added 17, going 6/9 from the field as the winners went 52% from the floor.
Aaryn Rai paced the Lions with 21 points with Jaiden Delaire going for 19, but the hosts were unable to close the game out without the services of Michael Brisker, Ovie Soko and Ade Adebayo.
MVP: Nathan Cayo (Manchester Basketball)
Bristol Flyers 71-64 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks
Bristol Flyers sealed a valuable 71-64 victory over the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks on Tuesday night, as they broke the game open in the final quarter.
With the game wide open at 52-51 after the third quarter, a 10-0 start to the fourth by the Flyers proved to be the game-changer as Alain Louis hit five points in that spell.
Louis might have helped break the game open, but Kendall Lewis proved to the constant threat all-game long, leading Bristol with 20 points and seven rebounds.
Prentiss Nixon had a game-high 21 for Sheffield.
MVP: Kendall Lewis (Bristol Flyers)
Caledonia Gladiators 90-81 Surrey 89ers
Caledonia Gladiators bagged their third straight win as Devearl Ramsey starred in their 90-81 success over Surrey 89ers at PlaySport on Wednesday night.
Hitting form at just the right time, Caledonia reignited their post-season aspirations with Ramsey scoring 21 points and dishing out five assists in this latest success.
Fraser Malcolm connected on three triples to score 16 points to pile pressure on Surrey, who sit just above them in eighth spot.
Jalen Ray hit six three-pointers for 20 points to lead the Niners, as they ended their three-game road trip with a loss.
MVP: Devearl Ramsey (Caledonia Gladiators)
Bristol Flyers 81-62 Caledonia Gladiators
All runs must come to an end though for the Caledonia Gladiators, as Bristol Flyers snapped their three-game winning run with an 81-62 win in the South-West on Friday.
Fatigue looked evident from the visitors as they only shot 39% from the floor, while Bristol, who themselves had little time to rest after Tuesday’s encounter with Sheffield, shot 51%.
As the game wore on though, that extra rest proved to be beneficial, with Bristol gradually pulling away from Caledonia as the game wore on.
Keddy Johnson and Evan Walshe each got 16 points to lead the Flyers, with Johnson dishing out six assists and Walshe going a solid 7/10 from the field.
Demond Robinson added 15 points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the victors in a strong performance where he showcased his talents at both ends of the floor.
Jett Speelman led Caledonia with 17 points with Pat Whelan going for 13. After his game-winning performance on Wednesday against Surrey, Devearl Ramsey was held scoreless as he went 0/10 from the field.
MVP: Demond Robinson (Bristol Flyers)
Newcastle Eagles 69-100 Manchester Basketball
Manchester Basketball showed no regard to Newcastle Eagles’ brutal schedule by ruthlessly dismissing them 100-69 on Tyneside on Friday night.
Makai Ashton-Langford had 18 points as coach Herman Mandole rotated frequently, with all 12 players getting court-time, and no-one playing more than 23 minutes.
It was brilliant strategy from Mandole against an Eagles team who had travelled from the ENBL Final Four in Slovakia less than 48 hours before and looked fatigued.
Mike Okauru led all scorers with 21 points for Newcastle, who battled hard but ultimately were overpowered by a fresher Manchester side.
MVP: Makai Ashton-Langford (Manchester Basketball)
Leicester Riders 100-95 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks
Leicester Riders turned the screws on the SLB Championship title race by beating fellow hopefuls B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 100-95 after a period of overtime at the Mattoli Arena.
With Leicester up 87-84, Rickey McGill buried a triple with 5.1 seconds left to take the game to overtime. However, the Sharks couldn’t build on that improbable score, as the Riders overpowered their Yorkshire rivals to overtake them into second.
Zach Jackson paced Leicester with 28 points, including a triple to set the hosts on their way in the extra period. Riley Abercrombie added 22. Jacob Groves led the Sharks with 22.
MVP: Zach Jackson (Leicester Riders)
Surrey 89ers 88-80 London Lions
Surrey 89ers recovered quickly from their loss in Scotland in midweek by adding more drama to the SLB Championship title race, beating London Lions 88-80 on Saturday.
On the whole, it was a routine victory for the Niners, who led for the majority and enjoyed a lead as big as 18 points, led by Dame Adelekun, who made his first seven field goal attempts, settling for 7/8 from the field for 20 points and nine rebounds.
Jalen Ray, hit two triples to start as part of an early 8-0 run for the home team, and he ended with 25 overall to lead Surrey.
Terrell “Tu” Holloway led London with 20 points off the bench.
MVP: Dame Adelekun (Surrey 89ers)
Cheshire Phoenix 78-91 Leicester Riders
London Lions’ loss was second placed Leicester Riders gain as they bested Cheshire Phoenix 91-78 in Ellesmere Port to move within four points at the top with a game in hand.
In a sublime team effort, seven Riders players scored in double figures with Jaylin Hunter leading with 18. Spencer Johnson shot 60% from the floor to support with 14 as Leicester shot 50% from the field.
Tyreek Scott-Grayson had a game-high 19 points for the Phoenix.
MVP: Jaylin Hunter (Leicester Riders)
Bristol Flyers 73-82 Surrey 89ers
Surrey 89ers ended their busy week on a high by downing the Bristol Flyers 82-73 at the SGS College Arena on Sunday.
Two wins in less than 24 hours proved to be the perfect counter to Caledonia’s recent form as Surrey strengthen their post-season dreams with Dame Adelekun posting a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way for the victors.
Mervin James added 16 points in a game where the 89ers established an early 28-14 cushion after the first quarter, on their way to a 48-32 advantage. The Flyers showed some fight in the second, but the mountain was too steep by that point.
Keddy Johnson led all scorers with 21 for Bristol.
MVP: Dame Adelekun (Surrey 89ers)
Manchester Basketball 99-86 Cheshire Phoenix
Manchester Basketball’s flawless week was capped off with a deserved 99-86
win over Cheshire Phoenix in the North-West derby at Belle Vue on Sunday.
Makai Ashton-Langford scored 19 and dished out 10 assists as Manchester flew out the gates with venom to start, leading 29-13, before being pegged back by the visitors in the second quarter.
A 30-15 second period from the Phoenix immediately narrowed the gap to just 44-43 at the break. But Manchester regrouped and overpowered Cheshire in the second half to take the win.
Tyreek Scott-Grayson had 28 points for the Phoenix.
MVP: Makai Ashton-Langford (Manchester Basketball)
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 90-79 Newcastle Eagles
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks maintained their composure in the title race to lock up a top three spot, beating Newcastle Eagles 90-79 at the Canon Medical Arena.
After a subpar first ten minutes, the Sharks sprung into life to take a 48-39 half-time lead. The Eagles fought back in the third but Sheffield had enough in the tank to get over the line.
Jacob Graves shot 7/8 from the floor for his 19 points. Donovan Clay secured a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards.
Trey Pulliam led Newcastle with 21.
MVP: Jacob Groves (B. Braun Sheffield Sharks).