BBL Game Report: Cheshire Phoenix 43 Leicester Riders 78

Tough defence, for a second week running, and two devastating runs spanning across the breaks between the first, second and third quarters saw Leicester Riders hold Cheshire Phoenix to under 45 points and secure a confident victory in the BBL Championship.

Starting fives

Cheshire: Crowder, Middleton, Doumbe, Williams and Coleman

Leicester: Rowe, Downing, Hassan, Sullivan, and Couisnard

After a slow start by both sides, the first points on the board came thanks to a jam from Riders’ Jay Couisnard. Each team made the most of the seconds on the shot clock early on in the game, but Rob Paternostro’s men exploded into action in the final thirty seconds of the quarter; extending to a lead of five points at 13-18.

What came next stunned the Phoenix crowd for the first time on the night, as Riders produced a 13-point run across the two periods.

John Lavery called a timeout to regroup his side, and whilst they weathered the initial storm just after play restarted, another short run ahead of half time by the Riders, going to the locker room 28-44 up, was to be a prelude of worse things to come.

Straight out of the blocks, Drew Sullivan was on hand to help push his team out to 24 points in front – but despite another timeout called, the pressure was too much and the final tally of their second to third quarter run also came to 24 points.

The damage was ultimately done; a third quarter score of 7-22 (35-66), and a number of missed opportunities presented to the home side epitomised both the poor display from Phoenix and also the strength in depth that Coach Paternostro has carved out in his squad once more in their bid to retain their trophies from last season.

The final quarter pales into insignificance, but Reggie Middleton, who has been at the heart of Cheshire’s set-up so far this season, found himself singled out in the playbook of the Riders, and midway through the period reached five fouls and sat out the rest of the game. Phoenix could not finish with any kind of flourish to bring the scoreline down, but it ended with a whimper at 43-78 – and for a second consecutive game have kept a side below 45 points.

Cheshire Phoenix’s head coach John Lavery remained tight-lipped at the end of the game, clearly disappointed by the result, however Coach Paternostro praised his players on their effective defence that is setting them apart from the rest of the league at this time.

“What was constant for us tonight was our 94 feet of defence; for us, that is what we do – every day in practice,” highlighted Paternostro.

Speaking of how impressive his side were coming out after the half time break, the Leicester head coach said: “We had the depth and for the long haul, we can sustain that. In the third quarter, Phoenix were worn down and our depth and defensive pressure allowed us to get stops on defence turning into our offence.”

“We’re a long way from the finished product,” Paternostro noted, “but I see really good signs and what I will say is that for 11 guys who are all ready to play at this level; they are very unselfish, and that’s a good start for us.”

The two results over the past two weekends will no doubt have put Riders on high alert where it comes to fighting it out at both ends of the court, and Paternostro could not be prouder: “We held Sheffield last week to 40 and this week, we hold Cheshire, who I think have a lot of talent, to 43 – you don’t see that much in this league. It’s been a scoring league; I’m proud of my guys defending for a full forty minutes.”

Andrew Sullivan, who finished the game with 19 points and nine rebounds for the Riders, knows there is more to come: “The scary thing is, we still have two guys we are bedding in. In practice they are putting in the effort talking to us and understand how we play. Once they get on the same page as everybody else, the defence will get so much better.

“It’s something we are proud of and stress every day,” Sullivan went on to say, “it doesn’t mean we’re going to hold teams every time for 40 points, but if they score 60 or 70, they will know they have earned every single basket. Our goal is to keep teams under 60 points and we’ll keep pushing for that.”

Play of the game

It is difficult to point out a specific play of the game, but Leicester’s general defensive pressure at both ends of the court was sublime and well drilled. Throughout the majority of the game, it exposed Cheshire, and John Lavery’s side will need to go back to the drawing board ahead of next week’s vital first round BBL Cup game away to Durham Wildcats.

MVP

Only one man on the night could take the award, and that was Andrew Sullivan. His 19 points and nine rebounds amounted to a collective effort from Leicester, but the impact he made straight from the locker room after the half time break was incredible and set his side to a comfortable victory.

Next up

Cheshire Phoenix away to Durham Wildcats in the BBL Cup, Saturday 19th October, 7:00pm tip-off, Newton Aycliffe.

Leicester Riders at home to Surrey United, Saturday 19th October, 7:30pm tip-off, John Sandford Centre.