Leicester Riders dominate Guildford Heat and go down in history

It won’t be easy but forget for a moment, the importance of beating the Guildford Heat and the records it enabled the Leicester Riders to break and focus instead, on the standalone result and the manner in which the Riders won the game 90-72.

It was a complete dismantling of a play-off bound Heat team by Paternostro’s side.

The Heat didn’t look like they were ever going to trouble the Riders, in part due to the visitors woeful shooting from the outside (5-of-20) but mainly because the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders were so dominant in every aspect of the game: Rebounds: 50-38 in Riders favour, Assists: 31-18 in the Riders favour, FG%: 48%-39%, 3PFG%: 45%-25%. In every way imaginable, the Riders were the superior side. A sick Bradd Wierzbicki went off for a game high 25 points, Drew Sullivan recorded an enormous 19 points/18 rebounds effort and Ayron Hardy was tantalisingly close to yet another triple double (16/8/9).

Looking at the larger picture, Saturday’s win over the Heat enabled this current Riders team to break records and enter their names into the Leicester Riders history book. Their 22nd league win of the season gave the club it’s largest number of wins in a season, topping the two 21 win seasons they had previously registered under Coach Paternostro’s tutelage during his first two years at the club. The victory also meant that the club had achieved it’s greatest ever winning percentage at 73% and finished in it’s highest ever position – second.

Looking back on the campaign, it was fait accompli for all involved at the Leicester Riders as the team tore through the regular season. And with the post-season starting within the next seven days, only time will tell whether this Riders team can go all the way and pick up the silverware required to leave a permanent imprint on the rest of the league.