An exciting slate of Super League Basketball saw the title holders smoothly cruise forward and the new boys grab an historical first victory.
London Lions 71 – 66 Leicester Riders
Rob Paternostro’s Leicester Riders arrived at the Copper Box Arena on Friday as underdogs, given their rough opening loss compounded by the unstoppable form of the champions. So, it wouldn’t have been much of a surprise to anyone when the London Lions came flying out of the blocks to create an early lead, led by the aggressive play of Ethan Price and Joshua O’Garro.
Though Deante Johnson Jr and Bernard Pelote offered resistance for the visitors, Tautvydas Sabonis’ men kept their foot on the gas, even building up a 20-point advantage in the third period, helped by the scoring punch of Thomas Kennedy off the bench.
The Riders made a late charge into contention, largely due to a barrage of second unit scoring, which brought the deficit back to single digits. However, it was too little, too late and when the contest ended, London secured the 5-point win to remain unbeaten in 5, while Leicester slid to 0-2 to start the campaign.
Player of the Game
British big Ethan Price played the starring role, earning a PIR of 17 by logging 19 points and eight boards in just 22 minutes.
Bristol Flyers 76 – 58 Manchester Basketball
Manchester Basketball travelled South West to the SGS College on Friday for the first clash of their tough two-game weekend. Upon arrival, Matthew Otten’s squad met a hungry Bristol Flyers team, looking to bounce back from a recent loss in Newcastle.
Forwards Michael Diggins Jr and Brandon Mitchell-Day went shot-for-shot to open the game, as neither team could take control. A scoring surge from Luke Nelson put Manchester ahead in the second quarter and the teams left for the locker room with all to play for.
Whatever Andreas Kapoulas said at the break, it worked. An 11-0 run to open the third period created a double-digit advantage that Manchester never really recovered from. Mattheus Case then made his mark emphatically, scoring 10 consecutive Flyers’ points to widen the margin to 22.
Down the stretch, Manchester struggled to find significant inroads and when the final buzzer sounded, Bristol had returned to winning ways with an 18-point victory.
Player of the Game
Michael Diggins Jr put on a steady, versatile display, finishing the game with 12 points, nine assists and two assists to earn a PIR of 23.
Newcastle Eagles 91 – 67 Caledonia Gladiators
The Newcastle Eagles met the Caledonia Gladiators at the Vertu Arena, with both teams holding a 1-1 record and looking to kick on from a mixed start to the season.
Looking to make a statement, Newcastle made the perfect start, flying out to an 11-0 lead, spearheaded by the offensive efforts of recent recruit Blondeau Tchoukuiegno. Kyle Carey and Cole Long then grabbed the reins, scoring inside and out to widen the chasm to a massive 26 points.
Jonny Bunyan’s team improved in the third, with Terry Roberts and Al-Amir Dawes doing their best to make a dent in the deficit, but it couldn’t be done. With double the amount of turnovers than their opponents at 20, the Glads slipped further behind down the stretch and when all was said and done, lost by 24.
Player of the Game
Cole Long made a difference, adding nine boards, two steals and two blocks to his 16 point offensive contribution. His performance earned him a 22 PIR.
Manchester Basketball 64 – 73 Liverpool Basketball
A rich, historic North West sporting rivalry continued on Sunday, as Liverpool Basketball made the short trip to the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester.
Having suffered a loss in their inaugural contest against the Caledonia Gladiators, Liverpool were on a mission to earn their first ever win from the opening quarter. Olutomiwa Sulaiman propelled them into an early lead, which was built upon by Patrick Robinson.
If Manchester were suffering from fatigue following Friday’s loss, it wasn’t apparent. Keon Thompson Jr and Luke Nelson drove relentlessly to forge a comeback effort, but Brandon Tchouya came back swinging for the Liverpudlians, nailing three consecutive triples to open a double figure advantage for the visitors.
Through the second half, Roy Rogers’ men built on their advantage, but Manchester had one more run in them. A run from Brandon Mitchell-Day gave them a fighting chance, but ultimately, the damage was done. When the clock ran down, the visitors had clocked their first SLB victory.
Player of the Game
Brandon Tchouya enjoyed a standout game, logging 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on his way to a 15 PIR.
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