Eagles are brought back down to Earth with loss at Riders
STATISTICALLY there was not much between Newcastle Eagles and their hosts Leicester Riders at the end of a real game of attrition from two of the BBL’s most successful teams.
However, the important stat and the one which will hurt Eagles’ head coach Fab Flournoy and his players was the scoreline in the final 10 minutes of the game – where Newcastle fell away under the pressure of a hard-driven home side.
The Eagles had showed a lot of character and cohesion in the first three periods to not only stay with the Riders but take a five-point advantage into the final quarter.
It was then Riders raised the cavalry charge and took the final period 28-13 to seal an impressive win.
Leicester’s Jamell Anderson opened the scoring before the Eagles hit back to take a 4-2 lead.
It was to be their only lead of the half as the home side hit back immediately with nine unanswered points to take control of the game.
But Newcastle’s one-two punch of Victor Moses and Rahmon Fletcher replied to bring the visitors back within a point.
Although Riders still led, there was little between the sides for the rest of the opening 10 minutes, with Fletcher netting the final basket to peg back Leicester’s lead to 21-19.
Kyle Williams quickly levelled things up in the second with two free-throws before an 11-4 home run saw Riders surge ahead again.
Fletcher and Moses continued to keep the Eagles in the game and, with Kai Williams also joining in, they cut the home lead once again.
It was Kai’s triple as time wound down which meant the second period was shared between the two sides.
This meant Leicester had the narrow two-point advantage at 40-38 as the teams headed for the locker rooms after a typically tough wellmatched battle between the two fierce rivals.
The Eagles opened the third in combative style and turned the deficit from the first 20 minutes around right at the start of the second 20.
Moses’ and-one play put them ahead for the first time since the opening and then Jeremy Smith took over.
The guard had been scoreless in the first two quarters but found his shooting boots in the third and his hot-handed efforts inspired his team-mates as he netted 11 points inside that 10-minute spell.
With the ever-present strong inside threat of Moses also significant, Eagles produced a 9-0 burst to take the lead.
It had looked as the teams went to the benches to prepare for the final quarter of the game Newcastle were in the ascendancy – but it was not to be.
Leicester are known for their toughness down the stretch and being able to pull games around late – and this was no exception.
Their defence tightened the screw and forced Newcastle in to a lot of missed shots whilet they themselves became more efficient at the offensive end buoyed by the confidence of their defensive stands.
It was two back-breaking runs which ultimately made the difference.
An 11-2 start to the last 10 minutes and then another 9-2 run soon afterwards suddenly had the visitors down by double digits.
And with time running out, the Eagles couldn’t rally and slipped to their eighth league defeat of the season.
The loss puts them well behind league leaders London Lions as well as further behind Riders.
With Leicester taking the headto-head in the season series it’s going to take some effort from Newcastle in what remains of the season if they are to break into the top two of the BBL.