MATCH REPORT

Leicester Riders kept their unbeaten streak against the Plymouth City Patriots with a 99-85 win at the Pavilions.

Zach Jackson led Leicester with 24 points and six rebounds, helped by 22 from Marc Loving, as the Riders claimed their 42nd win in a row against Plymouth. Elvisi Dusha had 19 for the Patriots, but defeat, coupled with a Newcastle win, will be cause for concern for the team from the south-west.

Both teams executed in the opening plays, but the Patriots took the early initiative as scores from Elvisi Dusha and Rashad Hassan gave the hosts an early 11-8 lead. The Riders quietly and efficiently responded with a 9-0 run, with the primary source of points coming through back door cuts and free throws to take a 17-11 cushion when a mid-range jumper from the elbow from Ralph Bissainthe stemmed the bleeding.

The pace of the game was furious, but it favoured the deeper Leicester side, as they were able to establish a double-digit advantage nearing the end of the first, which was cut to 25-16 with less than a minute left thanks to a three from Bissainthe.

As the second quarter progressed, the Riders’ lead grew as Kimbal MacKenzie drilled a three from the top, and despite a thunderous slam from James Hawthorne Jr., the visitors kept putting points on the board, leading 35-21 with 7:10 remaining in the half.

Slowly but surely, the Patriots hit back, reducing the deficit to as little as five points as they were fighting for every loose ball, attacking the basket and putting Leicester in the penalty. And as a result, the sizeable double-digit advantage that the Riders enjoyed was reduced to 46-39 at the half.

However, Leicester restored their double-digit cushion once more, as they attacked the rim and hit their free throws as part of a 10-0 run to take a 65-51 lead with 4:20 left in the third. The Patriots were able to shrink the deficit to single figures towards the end of the third, but the Riders still held a manageable lead heading into the fourth.

Any hopes of a comeback though from the hosts were dashed as the Riders maintained their doubledigit lead throughout the final period to strengthen their top-four dreams.

Just as the quarter came to a close, the relative newcomers to Plymouth showed their heart. Otas Iyekekpolor checked in and immediately grabbed a defensive rebound. Up the other end Bissainthe found his teammate on the attack, who was fouled and hit both free throws. Bissainthe then stole the ball and got a layup to go. And it was Lanipekun who made a big three to pull within four.

Leicester’s Mackenzie was fouled on the three-point line before the buzzer went, and he hit all three, but Plymouth had closed the gap to five before that. Iyekekpolor and Lanipekun kept this going to start the fourth and within 90 seconds the Patriots trailed by just three.

It was a competitive back and forth down the stretch as Iyekekpolor and Loving traded the lead with threes. Hassan got a two to cut the deficit to one, and got a great block to give Plymouth a chance to go for the win. But a clutch defensive stop from Adekoya saw him get a hand in Dang Akodo’s pocket to take away the ball.

This put Leicester on the line, where Mackenzie sunk both, so Plymouth needed a three, which was snuffed out by good Riders defence.