Still proud after first league loss
COACH HAILS RIDERS’ DISPLAYS ON DOUBLE HEADER WEEKEND
LEICESTER Riders head coach Rob Paternostro was proud of his team despite losing their unblemished record in the BBL Championship.
The Riders succumbed 79-77 to London Lions at the Copper Box on Sunday, after a convincing 86-69 home win over Manchester Giants on Friday night.
But Paternostro said: “Overall, we have to be pretty pleased with the efforts at the weekend, in spite of that first loss.
“Obviously, you are disappointed anytime you lose, but, in spite of missing Mo Walker to injury, and our captain Darien Nelson-Henry getting into foul trouble early in the third quarter, we were within a basket in the last few minutes.
“In the end we just could not knock down some good open looks, which happens sometimes.
“We knew it was going to be tough going down there in the second leg of a weekend double header.
“They were relatively rested and had to win if they wanted to stay in the hunt.
“Losing Mo hurt us because they struggled to contain him last time we were there.
“The key was the second quarter when we got on top, then let them back in before half-time.
“That gave them a lift going into the second quarter, and they got a lot of free throw opportunities for whatever reason.
“But it was a great win over the Giants and a fantastic atmosphere at the Morningside Arena.
“Hopefully, the injury to Walker won’t be too serious and we can get rolling again.”
Elsewhere in the BBL, the return of American forward Justin Gordon helped Newcastle Eagles batter Surrey Scorchers 114-72 before a sell-out crowd.
Gordon finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists but he was just one of six Newcastle players to score in double-figures.
Newcastle made it a good weekend with a 97-91 away win over Glasgow Rocks.
The Eagles led most of the game without ever putting the Rocks away.
Newcastle had six scorers in double figures points led by Wesley Person Jr’s 22.
Former Eagle Rodney Glasgow Jr was a thorn in the side of Glasgow as the Sheffield Sharks won at home 90-77. Glasgow Jr scored six of his 21 points in the first quarter, but it wasn’t until the second period that the Sharks found their stride and took the game away from the Rocks.
The biggest result of the weekend came at the SGS Arena as visitors Plymouth City Patriots outlasted Bristol Flyers 77-73.
Eight points was the most either side would lead by and, at halftime, the teams were deadlocked on 39 points each.
The Flyers led by eight with four minutes to go in the final period, but a 14-2 run in the final three minutes saw Plymouth home.
And it was a winning weekend for the Patriots after they staged an extraordinary comeback at home to beat Manchester Giants 77-76.
American guard Antonio Williams was the hero with an offbalance last-second winning three-pointer.
Rowell Graham-Bell top scored with 17 points and added five rebounds.
Finally, Cheshire Phoenix held on to outlast Bristol 84-76.
Americans Levi Bradley and exRider Namon Wright both chipped in 18 points.
Meanwhile, Leicester Riders’ BBL Championship fixture at Glasgow Rocks has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 20 at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow (7.30pm).
The match was originally due to take place on the last day of the regular season, Sunday, April 24.
It means Riders’ final match of the regular season will be at home to the Plymouth City Patriots on Friday, April 22.