Riders must keep danger man Fletcher quiet to reach final
LEICESTER ‘LOST THEIR WAY’ IN FIRST LEG CLASH
Thursday, May 13, Morningside Arena
LEICESTER RIDERS (77) v NEWCASTLE EAGLES (76)
LEICESTER Riders face Newcastle Eagles in the second leg of their BBL Play-offs semi-final at the Morningside Arena this evening (5pm) with the tie very much in the balance after Riders’ 77-76 victory on Tuesday.
With the tie decided on aggregate scores over two legs, Riders need to avoid defeat to progress to the final for the fifth time in succession.
With the win, Riders took a 4-3 lead in the match-ups between the clubs this season, evidence there is little between the teams.
The Eagles came back twice in the game from deficits as high as 20 points, in the second and fourth quarters, and so will be pleased with the first leg outcome.
Riders will know their fourth quarter performance left something to be desired, when they took their foot off the gas and missed a series of shots they would normally convert.
The difference for the Eagles on Tuesday night was veteran American point guard Rahmon Fletcher, a two-times BBL MVP, who was unstoppable, converting two thirds of his shots on the way to a gamehigh 34 points.
Riders will need to find a way to contain him, and take better care of the ball, with their 16 turnovers on Tuesday coming at crucial stages to give Eagles momentum.
Riders head coach Rob Paternostro knows his team is facing a testing 40 minutes.
“We know what we are up against,” he said. “Tuesday was a game of runs, no question about it.
“First quarter we jumped on them and played some great basketball in that early going.
“We got a big lead, but they came back in the second quarter and cut our margin at half-time.
“The Eagles came back again in the third quarter, but we had a real nice run to close out the third.
“But they got going in the final quarter, we tightened up a bit, and lost our way a little.
“Give them credit and give credit to Fletcher. He did a great job.
“He made some tough shots to bring them back into it.
“It is what it is – two teams going back and forwards and who can make the big plays.
“We have also got to do a better job of keeping them off the free throw line.
Twenty-five free throw attempts for them are too many and we have to do better in that regards.
“But the tie is now nicely set up. “If you told either team beforehand, they could be within a point going into the second leg, they would have taken it.
“Now there are no permutations or thinking about how to stay ahead on aggregate, you just play to win the game.
“We have to get some rest, look at the tape, make some adjustments and go from there.
Leicester Riders: Corey Johnson, Jamell Anderson, Geno Crandall,
Mustapha Heron, Darien NelsonHenry, William Lee, Conner Washington, Ali Fraser, Aaron Falzon, Greg Wild, Kyle Jimenez, Justin Hedley, Victor Ndoukou, Mo Walker.
Newcastle Eagles: Rex Pflueger, Evan Maxwell, Justin Gordon, Rahmon Fletcher, Cortez Edwards, Louis Sayers, Darius Defoe, Drew Lasker, Sauveur Kande, Eddie Matthews, Shore Adeneken, Sean Murphy.