Riders hoping to smash the Rocks to reach the last four of the BBL Cup
LEICESTER Riders are looking for Cup glory tonight (8pm) when they take on Glasgow Rocks in the quarter-finals of the BBL Cup at the Morningside Arena.
Riders go into the match undefeated at the top of the BBL Championship, while the Rocks are coming off an unexpected overtime victory over a highly-rated Plymouth Raiders team on the road at the weekend.
To reach the quarters, Riders ended up 3 and 3 in their Cup qualifying matches, to finish second in their group, while Glasgow had a 3 and 1 record in their group, also good enough for second place.
Last season, Glasgow finished with a 4-6 record in the BBL Cup group phase, and they missed out on the last eight.
But the Rocks soon found their stride in the league, and were on a six-game winning streak to lead the BBL Championship with five games left to play, when Covid-19 struck.
Despite their fine run of form, the Glasgow team was overhauled in the summer.
GB forward Gareth Murray remains with the Rocks, although this time with a greater responsibility as player-coach, after head coach Vincent Lavandier departed to France, alongside three players from last season, including Ali Fraser, now with the Riders.
Scottish International Jonny Bunyan has bags of experience with the Rocks, which could prove vital this year, while former GB Under-20 forward Fraser Malcolm will look to push on in just his second season in the league. British centre Boban Jacdonmi has joined from Southern Mississippi University, with the 6ft 9in Londoner signing his first pro contract to bolster Glasgow’s frontcourt options.
Isa Brandon, son of former Riders star Jimmy Brandon, and Dutch forward Julius Van Sauers will look to have bigger roles with the Rocks, having played last season at Plymouth and Worcester respectively.
Meanwhile, French youngsters David Mpondo and Marc Kwedi have both played in European leagues.
The teams have yet to meet this season, giving an extra uncertainty to Riders head coach Rob Paternostro’s preparations.
“We are well aware of the danger Glasgow present, even though we have not seen them yet,” he said.
“We know Gareth Murray and he has a lot of experience of this league.
“He played really well last weekend against the Raiders, and we talked before that game that he can really shoot the ball, and lift his team.
“Our guys are excited to play, and know how hard we worked to get through our group.
“I think when you work hard to get through such a tough group you don’t want to miss this opportunity to get through to the final four.
“Glasgow have players who have maybe been a little inconsistent which has been reflected in their results, but they have had games where you have really seen the talent they have.
“With a young team, and a new group and a new coach, sometimes it takes a while for things to come together, but we are well aware of the potential they have, and will be ready for it.”
BBL Cup teams: Leicester Riders: Corey Johnson, Jamell Anderson, Geno Crandall, Zach Jackson, Darien Nelson-Henry, William Lee, Conner Washington, Ali Fraser, Aaron Falzon, Greg Wild, Kyle Jimenez, Justin Hedley.