Coach is expecting another epic battle with the Eagles
RIDERS SEEKING REVENGE AFTER LOSING AT HOME
LEICESTER Riders are expecting another epic battle when they visit Newcastle Eagles tonight (7.30pm).
It is the return leg of their BBL Cup group match after Newcastle outlasted the Riders 102-96 in their season opener at the Morningside Arena last Sunday.
In a high-scoring affair, Riders held the edge for most of the game, but it was the Eagles who came up with the big baskets in the last few minutes.
Newcastle are undefeated at the top of the group and will be hard to overcome on their home court.
They remain the most successful side in BBL history, ahead of the Riders, and won the last piece of silverware contested – the BBL Trophy Final in March.
Last season was Newcastle’s first under head coach Ian MacLeod, who replaced the legendary Fab Flournoy, now at the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.
They advanced to the quarterfinals of the BBL Cup with a 6-4 record in the North group before a home defeat against eventual winners Worcester Wolves. Riders were beaten by Wolves in the semi-finals.
Two-time league MVP Rahmon Fletcher is back to orchestrate the Eagles’ offence, and is joined by two veterans in Darius Defoe and Drew Lasker with over 30 BBL seasons between them.
Eddie Matthew also returns for another season alongside fellow academy products Themba Yabantu and Sauveur Kande.
The Eagles also snapped up a BBL Cup winner from Worcester Wolves in guard Cortez Edwards, while sharpshooter Louis Sayers joins from Cheshire Phoenix. Edwards was a particular thorn in the side of Riders last Sunday.
American duo Justin Gordon and Evan Maxwell join with European experience.
Maxwell showed a deft shooting touch from long range on Sunday in spite of being a bulky 6ft 10in.
Dual national guard Rex Pflueger is on his first pro deal following five years at University of Notre Dame. Riders head coach Rob Paternostro is expecting another epic battle.
He said: “The schedule makers gave us a heck of a challenge with us having to place the Eagles twice in quick succession to start the season, followed by the little matter of London Lions on Sunday afternoon.
“We know the Eagles are going to be very tough, but we won’t overreact to the opening game loss. We will improve after watching the video from Sunday, and hopefully they won’t make as many long range shots as they did.
“We will look at our defence and make some changes, but it remains very early in the season and I will just be looking for improvements.”
Riders’ match on Sunday against London Lions at the Morningside Arena will tip off at 5pm.
Leicester Riders: Corey Johnson, Mo Walker, Jamell Anderson, Gino Crandall, Zach Jackson, Darien Nelson-Henry, William Lee, Conner Washington, Greg Wild, Kyle Jimenez, Justin Hedley
Newcastle Eagles: Cortez Edwards, Darius Defoe, Rahmon Fletcher, Louis Sayers, Justin Gordon, Rex Pflueger, Evan Maxwell, Sauveur Kande, Eddie Matthews, Themba Yabantu.
Leicester Riders sharpshooter Corey Johnson has been selected in the BBL All Star Five after he led the way in the opening night defeat to Newcastle Eagles in the BBL Cup.
Despite the loss, Johnson put in a great performance, hitting four of his seven three-point attempts en route to 20 points.
He shot 8 from 12 (75 per cent) in total from the field, adding seven rebounds and four assists.
Joining Johnson in the starting five was Cortez Edwards of Newcastle, Kahron Ross of Cheshire Phoenix, Antwon Lillard of Sheffield Sharks and Alex Quandie of Manchester Giants.
Riders’ Mo Walker was selected off the bench.
In the WBBL, Riders GB international Holly Winterburn was also selected in their All Star 5.
Leicester’s star guard returned to the club this summer after a year at the powerhouse University of Oregon, and she turned in a complete performance, as Riders beat Manchester Met Mystics 65-44.
Winterburn had 15 points on 6-10 (60 per cent) shooting, to go with eight rebounds and six assists, and that included eight first quarter points, as Riders were fast out of the blocks to lead 21-6 after the first ten minutes.
Jasmine Joyner, Moa Lundquist and Simone Costa of Nottingham Wildcats and Dominque Allen of Manchester Met Mystics joined Winterburn in the starting five.
Ella Clark and Christine Gaskin of the Riders were selected off the bench.