Bristol and Sheffield earned important victories, while London and Newcastle both won twice in two days.
London Lions 98 – 76 Caledonia Gladiators (15/11/2024)
This week’s action tipped off at the Copper Box Arena on Friday night, where the Lions aimed to add to their unbeaten start to the Championship campaign, as they faced the visiting Gladiators.
With the teams experiencing opposite fortunes so far this season, fans expected a tough contest for the winless Caledonia team, led by interim head coach Lluis Riera. Well, that’s exactly what they experienced in the opening stages. Michael Brisker catapulted the Lions to an early lead, then Alen Hadzibegovic put together an impressive string of three unanswered lay-ups to widen the gap further.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>💥 <a href=”https://twitter.com/alen_h4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@alen_h4</a> doing what he DOES! The <a href=”https://twitter.com/LondonLions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@LondonLions</a> are out to an early lead against the <a href=”https://twitter.com/Cal_Gladiators?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@cal_gladiators</a>!<br><br>📺 WATCH LIVE: <a href=”https://t.co/P8HEA7plnq”>https://t.co/P8HEA7plnq</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BritishBasketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BritishBasketball</a> <a href=”https://t.co/SvugBdV4Ep”>pic.twitter.com/SvugBdV4Ep</a></p>— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SprLeagueBballM/status/1857510325433536538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Tanner Stuckman offered some resistance for Caledonia midway through the opening quarter, with a pair of mid-range makes, but just minutes later, Ade Adebayo created a double-digit advantage for the hosts. At the end of the opening period, London led by 12.
At the restart, Adebayo traded buckets with Patrick Whelan, as the latter tried to force his team back into contention. However, Aary Rai joined forces with Brisker to put together another strong offensive surge for the Lions. This was met by a frustrating spell or the Gladiators, who struggled through a series of misses that saw London’s superiority grow.
Jaiden Delaire joined the party toward the end of the half, converting a tough lay-up through traffic and when the teams split for the locker rooms, the home team held a 14-point advantage.
When the teams reemerged, Delaire picked up where he left off. He recorded four consecutive baskets for the Lions, as they flew out of the blocks early in the third quarter. A pair of three-point makes from Fraser Malcolm provided some temporary buoyancy for Caledonia, but they were soon submerged once more by Sean Flood, who offered a tremendous scoring punch off the bench for London.
Entering the fourth quarter with a 13-point lead, London did not let up in the final period. Flood added to his solid contribution with some slick makes, while Adebayo piled on the points for Petar Bozic’s team.
However, Delaire then took centre stage once again. Grabbing the keys to the London offence, the forward carved his way through the paint with ease, overwhelming the Caledonia defence in the process. Despite a valiant effort from Nick Tomsick from the second unit, the Gladiators saw the contest slip away as the fourth quarter progressed.
London controlled the pace down the stretch while Caledonia became frustrated by unnecessary turnovers. Having never led, the Gladiators finished the game down by 22 points and just like that, London moved to 4-0 in the Championship.
Most Valuable Player: Jaiden Delaire spearheaded the London offence, recording 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Newcastle Eagles 81 – 77 Surrey 89ers (15/11/2024)
Further North, the Eagles welcomed the 89ers to the Vertu Motors Arena for more Friday night hoops.
The away team made better start in this one, as Mervin James and Josh Steel combined for a pair of smooth jumpers that pushed Surrey forward to an early lead. The duo continued the offensive onslaught as the quarter continued, penetrating with tremendous assurance and tightening Surrey’s grip on the contest.
Toward the end of the quarter, Cole Long came off the bench to provide pushback for Newcastle with a lay-up, before Seneca Knight’s dunk ensured the gap was a mere two points when the first quarter came to a close.
Long continued to make a difference as the second period got underway, splashing twice from downtown to earn Newcastle their first lead of the game. A deep jumper from Steel offered a response for Surrey, but Mike Okaura and Knight came back swinging for the Eagles with a pair of easy makes.
Veteran forward Tayo Ogedengbe then drained a three for Surrey to pull them within a point, before James took the lead for the visitors. Jalen Ray then widened the gap with a heat-check made up of tough lay-ups which saw the away team remain in front.
In the final minute of the half, Ray even extended the lead beyond double-digits with a deep jumper but Long responded with a three of his own in the last few seconds which pulled them within eight points at the break.
At the restart, Cameron Gooden drew contact to earn a chance at the line, which he took advantage of and pushed the ‘niners eight ahead. Ray took the reins for Surrey shortly after, but Newcastle found an answer in Jordan Spencer, who came off the bench to chip away at the deficit with difficult lay-ups.
Despite the continued efforts of Spencer, Long and Malcolm Delpeche, Surrey were able to hold onto their lead throughout the remainder of the third period, as Gooden and Andrew Lawrence provided an extra push for the guests. Heading into the final instalment, Newcastle were behind by four.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>🔒 <a href=”https://twitter.com/Adrlawrence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Adrlawrence</a> making a big impact on both ends of the floor for <a href=”https://twitter.com/surreyniners?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@surreyniners</a> as they fight to stay in the lead on the road!<br><br>📺 WATCH LIVE: <a href=”https://t.co/vurO0jbNRQ”>https://t.co/vurO0jbNRQ</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BritishBasketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BritishBasketball</a> <a href=”https://t.co/PrBcZN3AkN”>pic.twitter.com/PrBcZN3AkN</a></p>— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SprLeagueBballM/status/1857525212830450014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Surrey kept Newcastle at arms-length through impressive shot-making from Steel, until the Eagles spread their wings midway through the fourth. De’Sean Allen Eikens sank a pair of floaters to close the gap, before Long pulled up from mid-range to tied the game at 70 with just under five minutes on the clock.
A stretch of turnovers and poor decisions making followed for Surrey, who surrendered the momentum to Newcastle with four minutes remaining. Long converted from beyond the arc to edge the hosts ahead, before Knight and Allen-Eikens bolstered the advantage with points in the paint.
Despite the efforts of Ray down the stretch, the Eagles held on and when the final buzzer sounded, Marc Steutel’s team had bagged the four point victory.
Most Valuable Player: Cole Long made hugely important plays for Newcastle, logging 23 points and five rebounds to inspire them to victory.
Bristol Flyers 92 – 85 Manchester Basketball (17/11/2024)
Sunday afternoon basketball started at the SGS College Arena, with Bristol and Manchester both on the hunt for their first Championship win of the season.
Manchester flew out of the blocks, with Junior Madut converting three consecutive jump shots, inside and out to create an early advantage. Nathan Cayo then put down his marker with a make from beyond the arc that widened the gap.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>“Junior Madut has come to play” 🎙️<br><br>📺 <a href=”https://t.co/Nqhpm5RmCN”>https://t.co/Nqhpm5RmCN</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BritishBasketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BritishBasketball</a> <a href=”https://t.co/Nl56YvKpFy”>pic.twitter.com/Nl56YvKpFy</a></p>— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SprLeagueBballM/status/1858167505488883877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Demond Robinson pushed back for Bristol, forcing his way through the paint for difficult lay-ups that pulled the Flyers back within touching distance. Evan Walshe then stepped up from the bench, attacking his former team aggressively in transition, further shrinking the deficit. Manchester found another weapon in the form of Makai Ashton-Langford, who pulled up twice from mid-range to keep the visitors eight points ahead, as the first quarter ended.
As the second got underway, Cody John drained a pair of threes, leading the second unit to push Manchester ahead by double-digits with just 11 minutes played. Donovan Mitchell then made his mark with a smooth jumper, but he was met by a reactive offensive surge from Bristol. Walshe and Robinson worked hard as the quarter developed, reducing the difference to just six points.
Cayo and Mitchell came back swinging for Manchester, shooting with reckless abandon and rebuilding a 14-point lead as the teams broke for half-time.
Jared Sherfield jammed it home seconds into the restart, as Bristol responded promptly to Andreas Kapoulas’ team-talk and sank threes to pull back within six. Kendall Lewis then made a pair of lay-ups, before Robinson made a pair of his own and all of a sudden, the game was tied.
A game of cat and mouse played out for the remainder of the quarter, with Manchester edging forward and Bristol biting back with offensive runs of their own. When Raphell Thomas-Edwards swished from three-point range with five seconds left in the period, the hosts were back in front by a single point.
Mitchell converted from the charity stripe a minute into the fourth quarter to take the create a Manchester lead. Thomas-Edwards responded with a deep jumper to push Bristol back in front, which was met by a pair of buckets from Cayo and Isaih Moore, who lifted Manchester back on top with five minutes remaining.
A minute later, Walshe forced his way to the line, where he cooly took advantage to tie the game for the hosts. Soon after, he followed up with a dynamic finish that earned Bristol supremacy once again.
Cayo and Robinson swapped baskets for a couple of minutes down the stretch, keeping the gap at five points, until the former hit from deep to pull it back to within two points. Corey Samuels enjoyed a successful trip to the one to extend the gap to four, but Isaih Moore’s layup slimmed the deficit back to two.
With nine seconds left on the clock, Moore finished an alley-oop which levelled the score and took this one into overtime.
Manchester’s effectiveness faded in the extra period. Callum Jones’ team turned the ball over and missed open looks, allowing Bristol to assert their dominance throughout the final instalment. Walshe and Sherfield took control of the contest down the stretch and when the game reached it’s eventual end, the Flyers had etched their first victory of the Championship campaign.
Most Valuable Player: Evan Walshe dazzled from the bench, adding seven rebounds and four assists to his 22-point scoring display.
Caledonia Gladiators 76 – 90 Newcastle Eagles (17/11/2024)
The Eagles travelled to the Playsport Arena on Sunday to face the Gladiators, who entered the game with a point to prove, having yet to win a Championship game.
As the game got underway, Newcastle took an early lead and Mike Okauru made an early impact with a mid-range jumper, setting the tone for the evening’s proceedings. Caledonia soon responded however, with Tanner Stuckman making a pair of buckets from close range to earn the hosts their first advantage.
Fraser Malcolm then converted steadily from the line to widen the gap, before De’sean Allen Eikens combined with Seneca Knight to score a series of lay-ups that tied the game five minutes into the contest.
Allen-Eikens then scored seven unanswered points to launch his team ahead by as many. For the rest of the opening quarter, he was joined by Okauru and Knight, taking turns on offence to ensure that the period ended with a nine-point Newcastle advantage.
Malcolm continued to impress for Caledonia’s second unit, leading his team offensively with assured shot-making, to chip away at the difference. Patrick Whelan joined the party soon after, driving into the pain for impressive finishes to pull closer to the visitors.
The Eagles played effective team basketball, in order to maintain a healthy lead and when the teams split for half-time, Marc Steutel’s side led by seven.
As the teams returned for the second half, Caledonia continued to fight stubbornly, helped enormously by the continued efficient shooting from Malcolm, who stretched the floor brilliantly. Unfortunately for them however, Okauru took it up a notch midway through the third period. The American guard found his way to the basket with ease, protecting Newcastle’s lead consistently.
Toward the end of the quarter, Fahro Alihodzic offered an option in the low post, as the home team pulled closer. When Nick Tomsick scored a lay-up moments before the break, Caledonia trailed by just four points.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Great pass to Whelan who sinks the 3 🎯<br><br>📺 <a href=”https://t.co/xaBKqGuz0i”>https://t.co/xaBKqGuz0i</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BritishBasketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BritishBasketball</a> <a href=”https://t.co/5yeA3afu0V”>pic.twitter.com/5yeA3afu0V</a></p>— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SprLeagueBballM/status/1858198160633413834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
After a minute of fourth quarter action, Stuckman drained from deep to pull back to just a single point behind. The home crowd’s optimism was soon squashed though, when Okauru, Delpeche and Josh Ward-Hibbert grew the lead back to seven.
Malcolm completed a three-point play half way through the fourth quarter, but Okauru answered again, pounding the paint for a couple of makes to push further ahead. Newcastle were able to control the pace of the game down the stretch, scoring steadily and forcing the hosts into unnecessary turnovers with swarming defence.
At the close of play, Newcastle had earned a 14-point win and Caledonia remain winless for the season.
Most Valuable Player: Mike Okauru led his team with a tremendous display, recording 27 points, five rebounds and four assists.
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 79 – 61 Leicester Riders (17/11/2024)
At the Canon Medical Arena, the Riders were in town to face the Sharks for the second time this season.
The home crowd witnessed a hopeful start, when Sheffield surged ahead almost immediately, due to a pair of early makes from Donovan Clay and an aggressive drive from Prentiss Nixon. Jaylin Hunter swiftly responded moments later though, splashing from deep to tie the game with three minutes played.
Charles Thompson and Zach Jackson combined to open up a Leicester lead, but then came Rodney Chatman III, whose contested three levelled the contest again. The Riders fought back once again, with Hunter and Duke Shelton completing lay-ups that catapulted the visitors eight points ahead. Hunter continued the offensive charge, completing a three-point play at the line and ending the first quarter with a seven-point advantage.
Sheffield answered back straight away in the second quarter, Rodney Glasgow Jr. and Mike Ochereobia made jumpers and E.C. Matthews sliced through the key so that Sheffield can earn a lead of their own. Matthews then hit from beyond the arc to stretch the gap, before Prentiss Nixon logged three points to push the difference to nine.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Great ball movement from <a href=”https://twitter.com/SheffieldSharks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@SheffieldSharks</a>, Groves with the finish 🔥<br><br>📺 <a href=”https://t.co/jyBFvw2LKh”>https://t.co/jyBFvw2LKh</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BritishBasketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BritishBasketball</a> <a href=”https://t.co/k5iTCmElJs”>pic.twitter.com/k5iTCmElJs</a></p>— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SprLeagueBballM/status/1858187536306520542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Just before the teams split for half-time, Leicester found hope through Charles Thompson, who finished two consecutive dunks for Leicester to reduce the deficit to just four points at the break.
At the restart, Sheffield continued in the same vein of form. They scored as a unit and when Chatman III converted a lay-in three minutes in, the hosts found themselves 15 points ahead. Jordan Ratinho contributed a pair of jumpers to extend the lead, before Chatman III drove to grow the advantage to 18.
Jackson and Hunter earned successful trips to the line near the end of the third quarter but heading into the final period, they remained behind by 14.
Sheffield remained in cruise control for the final quarter, with Leicester unable to mount any realistic attempt at a comeback. The Sharks totally dominated the boards, out-rebounded the visitors by 14, earning multiple second-chance opportunities and tightening their grip on the game.
Chatman III, Clay and Matthews scored steadily down the stretch, securing the 18-point W.
Most Valuable Player: Chatman III headlined an excellent team performance from Sheffield, recording 20 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Cheshire Phoenix 93 – 97 London Lions (17/11/2024)
London came to the Cheshire Oaks Arena on Sunday, looking to ride the momentum of their unbeaten start and improve their record to 5-0, against a tough Cheshire side – also yet to lose a Championship game.
Alen Hadzibegovic and Michael Brisker have been in tremendous form as of late, which was evident again in the opening stages of the first quarter, when they scored a pair of jumpers to create a 5-0 lead for the visitors.
A few minutes later, Larry Austin Jr. and Cameron Christon responded with lay-ins to tie the game at eight points, before Tyreek Scott-Grayson converted twice to stretch the lead to five. London’s Brisker responded with a contested three and Scott-Grayson bit back immediately with a deep make of his own.
Ciaran Sandy offered resistance for the Lions, but Scott-Grayson continued to offer a steady diet of smooth drives and pull-up jumpers to repeatedly re-establish the Phoenix’ dominance. When the first period halted, the hosts were ahead by seven.
Austin Jr. made a quick start to the second, sinking a pair of shots to widen the gap to nine. Brisker and Christon then exchanged buckets for a couple of minutes, before Aaryn Rai bulldozed his way to the cup and earned a successful trip to the line. London chipped away at the deficit for the remainder of the quarter and when Sandy drained a shot in the final second, the visitors were up by one.
After the break, London built on that momentum, as Hadzibegovic, Rai and Jaiden Delaire nailed jumpers to pull ahead by eight points. Cameron Holden converted from the line to draw Cheshire closer, but the same trio hit back with another offensive burst and just like that, the Lions held a double-digit advantage.
Half-way through the third, Cheshire upped the intensity on defence and scored as a group to shrink the deficit to three points. Minutes later, Christon hit a three-pointer move the ‘Nix within a single point.
Brisker and Delaire teamed up, answering every Cheshire make with one of their own and when the penultimate period ended, the league-leaders were on top by one.
The final quarter got off to an exciting start, as Delaire and Christon swapped buckets and leads, as the pendulum shifted both away until the midway point. Hadzibegovic then went toe-to-toe with Cheshire’s Skyler White, trading blows with and snatching momentum from one another repeatedly.
London then stepped up again, with Brisker and Rai combining to creative a sizeable seven-point advantage with three minutes remaining. Holden remained scrappy, hitting shots of his own, but that’s when the Lions grabbed the game by the horns. Adebayo made a late contribution to protect the lead and when play ended, London won by four points and remained unbeaten.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Rai gets the tough bucket 😤<br><br>📺 <a href=”https://t.co/vAyJ08lSXC”>https://t.co/vAyJ08lSXC</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BritishBasketball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BritishBasketball</a> <a href=”https://t.co/6Edq8Wkx0b”>pic.twitter.com/6Edq8Wkx0b</a></p>— Super League Basketball (@SprLeagueBballM) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SprLeagueBballM/status/1858227800043642977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>November 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Most Valuable Player: Michael Brisker was excellent, leading the team with 27 points, while pulling down two rebounds and dishing out five assists.
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