Weakened Riders can’t keep pace with Sassari
DEPLETED SQUAD BATTLES BRAVELY, BUT ANOTHER EUROPEAN GAME ENDS IN DEFEAT
A HUGELY under-manned Leicester Riders ran out of steam in Sardinia, going down 95-60 to Dinamo Sassari in their final away game in the FIBA Europe Cup.
The result secured the passage to the next round for both Sassari and Olaj, leaving Leicester and Falco to fight it out for places in the final two weeks of the group stages.
With JR Holder, Deandre Burnett and Kiefer Douse all out, Riders’ predominantly English squad battled manfully for three quarters, but in the end Sassari ran away with it to pad their winning margin.
Josh Ward-Hibbett, who had not played a single minute of Europe Cup action so far this season, was thrust into the starting line-up because of Riders’ injury woes.
But despite their makeshift lineup, Leicester began by scoring the first seven points of the contest.
Dinamo responded immediately with nine in a row of their own, but triples from Harrison Gamble and two from Andy Thomson kept Riders’ noses in front.
Another long-range effort from Gamble to end the first quarter gave Leicester their final lead of the game at 21-19.
Sassari bagged 12 of the first 14 second quarter points to open a 31-23 advantage.
Leicester’s difficulties in scoring continued all the way to half time, just threes from Thomson and Conner Washington punctuated the Italian runs as the home side opened a 14-point half-time lead.
Sassari were 20 ahead early in the third, but some good play from Washington and another long-range effort from Thomson saw Riders cut the gap to 12 points. But five points from Achille Polonara widened the gap to 20 at the end of the third and their short rotation saw Riders wilt down the stretch.
Marco Spissu hit three late threepointers, including two in the final 30 seconds, to leave the score line looking slightly harsh.
They will now have to pick themselves up and go again with a double-header of domestic play, starting tonight against league leaders London Lions at the Morningside Arena. While Holder will be back in the line for that and tomorrow’s trip to London City Royals, Burnett and Douse remain doubts.
Polonara 22, Pierre 14, Cooley 12, Smith 12, Spissu 11, Gentile 8, Thomas 8, Petteway 4, Devecchi 2, Magro 2, Bamforth, Parodi.
Scorers, Dinamo:
Washington 15, Thomson 12, Hampton 9, Wright 9, Gamble 6, Larsson 4, Anderson 3, Ward-Hibbert 2, Lascelles, Douse.
Riders: