Week three of the Super League Basketball Championship featured a three-game slate, with both Leicester Riders and Caledonia Gladiators searching for their first win of the season.
Bristol Flyers’ victory was inspired by Cameron Holden’s stellar triple-double, while Manchester Basketball kept their perfect home record alive with an impressive comeback win. Sheffield showcased their strong team effort to pick up their third consecutive victory against the Caledonia Gladiators.
Surrey 89ers 66-96 Bristol Flyers
The Bristol Flyers put in a dominant performance to defeat the Surrey 89ers, 96-66, at Surrey Sports Park, with Andreas Kapoulas’ side securing their third win of the season.
Cameron Holden delivered an all-round performance to lead his side to victory, recording an impressive triple-double – the first by any player in this Super League Basketball season – with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals. Meanwhile, William Yoakum led all scorers with 19 points while Zachary Anderson registered a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Flyers seized control of the game early in the first quarter on the back of a 13-0 run, fueled by their interior presence. They maintained their commanding lead and went into halftime up by 14.
A 17-0 run to open the second half for the visitors seemed to seal the fate of this game, as the Niners’ offense faltered, piling up turnovers with the Flyers stretching their lead up to 34 points in the third quarter. Bristol comfortably saw out the game, holding their emphatic lead in the fourth quarter to claim an important victory on the road.
Player of the game: Cameron Holden (Bristol Flyers)
Manchester Basketball 87-72 Leicester Riders
Thanks to a dominant second half saw Manchester Basketball secured an impressive 87-72 comeback victory against Leicester Riders at National Basketball Performance Centre.
Jordan Johnson recorded a team-high 18 points off the bench while Kaiyem Cleary had 15 points in the win as the hosts remain unbeaten at home. Meanwhile, Raequan Battle’s 21-point, eight-rebound outing proved insufficient to lead the Riders to their first win this season, as the visitors faltered in the fourth to succomb to defeat.
Both sides were locked in an intense battle as the Riders searched for their first win of the season. With both defences having the upper hand early on, Rob Paternostro’s side carved out a 10-point advantage thanks to their transition plays. However, Jordan Johnson sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer to trim the hosts’ deficit to six points at the end of the first quarter.
Despite another double-digit deficit in the second quarter, Manchester showed resilience to battle their way back into the game and head into the halftime break trailing by only one.
In the second half, both teams were locked in a tight contest, but Matthew Otten’s side seized control of the game and held onto their lead to complete a great comeback win after a dominant fourth quarter.
Player of the game: Kaiyem Cleary (Manchester Basketball)
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 77-71 Caledonia Gladiators
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks‘ defence was a key component in their 77-71 victory over the Caledonia Gladiators at the Canon Medical Arena as they secured their third consecutive win.
Kevin Allen delivered an outstanding performance for the Gladiators with an efficient 27-point, outing, going 11-17 from the field. However, his performance was cancelled by Sheffield’s impressive collective display. Dirk Williams netted a team-high 25 points in the win while Nick Kern Jr contributed for 19 points, six rebounds from the bench.
The Sharks took control of the game early in the first quarter and never let their foot off the gas against the Gladiators in front of their fans. Nonetheless, Jonny Bunyan’s side refused to go down easily and managed to cut their 18-point deficit to six in the final seconds of the game, but the home side were able to hold on to secure victory.
Player of the game: Dirk Williams (B. Braun Sheffield Sharks)
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