Week Four of the Super League Basketball Championship saw more standout performances and road-team dominance.
Three out of the four matchups were won by the away side and derby spoils were up for grabs in Manchester.
Leicester Riders 73-78 Bristol Flyers
Bristol Flyers recorded a nail-biting victory against Leicester Riders, defeating them 78-73 at Mattioli Arena.
A back-and-forth first quarter was followed by an 8-0 Flyers run to start the second, but the hosts narrowed the deficit from 10 points to just three heading into half-time. That gap remained narrow for the majority of the third period, but another Bristol charge saw them up by 11 points with around seven minutes to play.
Leicester weren’t done yet though, scoring 11 unanswered points to tie the game with four to go, and it seemed all the momentum would be with the home side down the stretch. However, the Flyers dug deep and clutch buckets across the board saw them deny the Riders a first win this season.
27 points from Davion Bailey led all scorers, and teammate Cameron Holden poured in an efficient 16 points on 6-9 shooting. For Leicester, Thomas Hurley had a team-high 19, with Taryn Todd adding 17 in just 18 minutes off the bench.
Player of the Game: Davion Bailey (Bristol Flyers)
Manchester Basketball 91-105 Cheshire Phoenix
The North-West derby saw Cheshire Phoenix get the bragging rights on the road, recording a 105-91 win against Manchester Basketball.
It was the hosts that got out to a hot start with a first quarter that included a 13-2 run, but the second quarter saw the same flipped on its head, with Cheshire winning it 33-13 and finding themselves up big at the break.
They built on that lead even further and found themselves up by as many as 25 points late in the third, and it proved too much for Manchester to come back from.
Jo’el Emanuel dropped a 24-point performance on 8-10 from the floor and 4-5 from three-point range and had a game-high plus-minus of +22, with Nazir Williams also posting a 20-point outing for the Nix.
Jordan Johnson and Keon Thompson Jr. combined for 35 points on 14-21 shooting for Manchester, but it wasn’t to be as they dropped to 1-3 on the season.
Player of the Game: Jo’el Emanuel (Cheshire Phoenix)
Surrey 89ers 74-85 Liverpool Basketball
Liverpool Basketball picked up a second consecutive win on the road with a 85-74 victory against Surrey 89ers.
Surrey were looking to get in the win column for the first time this season and started the game well, finding themselves seven points to the good at the end of the first 10 minutes.
Liverpool responded in the second quarter, with a nine point run without reply helping them go into the break up by a bucket.
That momentum stayed with them in the second half as they increased their lead to eight by the end of the third period, and the Niners couldn’t get within touching distance again.
Last season’s MVP and Sixth Man of the Year, Patrick Robinson, scored 19 points for Liverpool, with Brandon Tchouya tallying 13 points, seven boards and six dimes. For Surrey, Marreon Jackson stood out with 18 points to go with seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Player of the Game: Brandon Tchouya (Liverpool Basketball)
B.Braun Sheffield Sharks 85-75 Leicester Riders
B.Braun Sheffield Sharks maintained their perfect start to the season with a 85-75 win against Leicester Riders at Canon Medical Arena.
A high-scoring first quarter saw the Sharks score 30 and they found themselves up by 14 points at the seven-minute mark in the second, but a 16-4 run from Leicester meant it was a two point game with all to play for after half-time.
The third period was just edged by the Riders, and with 10 minutes to play there was nothing to separate the two sides, but Sheffield showed their class by holding their opponents to just 13 fourth quarter points and sealing the victory.
A monster 25-point, 13-rebound double-double by Fahro Alihodzic on 73% shooting was the key factor for the Sharks, and Lu’cye Patterson scored 20 off the bench whilst also dishing out seven assists. Three players scored 15+ points for Leicester, but it was a third successive defeat by 10 points or fewer.
Player of the Game: Fahro Alihodzic (B.Braun Sheffield Sharks)
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