Cup semi-final dates revealed
RIDERS TO FACE LIONS AT HOME IN SECOND LEG
THE dates for the much-anticipated BBL Cup semi-final matches between Leicester Riders and London Lions have now been announced.
Riders, having won the BBL Championship last season, get to select the second leg as their home date, and the match will be played on December 30 at the Morningside Arena (8pm).
A BBL Championship match between the two sides had been due to take place on that date, but that league game will now be rescheduled.
The away leg for Riders will be Friday, December 10, at the Copper Box (7.30pm).
London and Leicester currently have the best overall playing records in the BBL, with Lions’ only loss to date domestically having been at the Morningside Arena in October.
Meanwhile, Leicester’s BBL MVP point guard Geno Crandall has again been selected in the BBL All-Star 5, after Riders progressed to the BBL Cup semi-final at the expense of Cheshire Phoenix.
Crandall now has four appearances in the team of the week this season
The American star finished with 24 points, seven assists and four rebounds, and showed his MVP credentials by playing through foul trouble against the Phoenix to make key late plays.
Riders had been down doublefigures twice in the cup match, but the teams were tied heading into the last four minutes when Crandall came back into the game on four fouls.
From that point he scored eight points and two assists, including the drive-and-dish for Jubril Adekoya to score the winning lay-up, with two seconds to play.
Joining Crandall in the All-Star 5 are Lorenzo Cugini and Jordan Williams of London Lions, Tyrik Armstrong of Manchester Giants and former Rider Ali Fraser of Glasgow Rocks.
Riders face Cheshire again at the Morningside Arena tomorrow night (8pm) in the BBL Championship.