Magic keep title as Giants bag win

MANCHESTER Magic retained their NBL Division One play-off title with a comfortable 73-53 win over Loughborough.

And, on the same day, Manchester Giants finally bagged a win in the last game of the BBL season.

Magic held the Leicester Student Riders to just 2/15 from the floor in the second quarter and could even handle the disqualification of star man Stefan Gill as they racked up a 20-point victory.

An altercation between Lee Goldsborough and Jonas Dieterich during a loose ball play led to unsportsmanlike fouls for both players and Gill was involved in the aftermath. Duane Morgan treated the vocal crowd at Manchester’s National Performance Centre to some spectacular plays and was named the game’s MVP with 20 points, 12 rebounds and two assists.

Giants pulled off a 99-93 win over Plymouth Raiders in what could be player-coach Yorick Williams’ final professional playing appearance.

The 41-year-old managed 35 minutes and hit 25 points including seven threes from 12 attempts as his team came from behind to scupper the visiting Raiders’ play-off hopes.

His performance was only bettered by Giants captain Callum Jones.

The Mancunian played the whole game and was just three assists short of a triple double with 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.

The Giants finish bottom of the BBL for the first time since their return to the league in 2012 with a 5-28 record.