Raiders set up probable return match against Eagles

The Raiders will get another shot at a championship against the Newcastle Eagles as they outlasted the Milton Keynes Lions in a gruelling two legged semi final.

No team deserved to leave the Pavilions on Sunday afternoon a loser, it was a game fought with the highest intensity, an overtime thriller of clutch plays, euphoric celebration, and agonising heartbreak. Simply put, it had it all, and will no doubt go down as one of the all time greatest contests the Pavilions has hosted.

Fans and critics alike made the naïve assumption that the route to the Trophy final would be some what fairly straight forward. The general consensus was that the Lions didn’t have enough to hang with the Raiders over two games. How wrong this would prove to be, the Lions had their Trophy final dreams snatched away from them just as they were in sniffing distance of the finish line and the biggest upset of BBL season so far.

Right from the opening tip the Lions were in attack mode, they took the initiative early, and through their catalyst Damarius Bolds, built themselves a 23-18 first quarter lead. Bolds showed off his all round game in the opening exchanges, numerous times he saw his scoring options cut off by James Jones, but managed to find his cutting team-mates for well timed assists against questionable Raiders helpline defence.

Although down early, a big Raiders run was always expected, and given the occasion it was expected sooner rather than later. Plymouth’s designated marksman Michael Ojo did what he’s done all season long and sparked a mini run connecting on a three to put his side up 26-25 early in the second period, however the lead only grew to as much as five, as once again the Lions stepped things up and went on a 11-4 run to take a 43-41 advantage into the locker room.

The fate of the Raiders place in the final was very much up the air, they didn’t play a bad first half, they were just matched in every way by their gutsy opponents. Everyone was just waiting, waiting for that big get out of jail run that would save the day, with enough time left for the fans to enjoy the final couple of minutes secure in the knowledge that their boys have done enough to get the win.

So you can imagine the unease felt by a near sell-out crowd when the third quarter started, and that run did not happen. Their team trailed 60-54 late in the third, down ten on aggregate and their backs well and truly against the wall. This is when the realisation sank in, the team who came back from the dead a week prior against the Glasgow Rocks, found their form once again. A late quarter surge saw the Green’s take a 64-62 lead into the final period of regulation, setting the stage for one of the most exhilarating finishes in the Raiders eight year BBL history.

The mini Raider revival did not spell the end for the Lions, they had worked too hard and played too well to simply fall apart when it mattered the most. They battled intently, and through a Pedroso three ball, the Lions yet again found themselves with a lead, and at 79-75 had re-established a ten point aggregate cushion. Neither team could establish a stronghold on the game, and as good as the Lions were, they were never quite convincing enough, and as bleak as the Raiders situation looked, they never appeared to be out of it.

Every comeback story needs a hero, and although there were big performances across the board, it was left to Jeremy Bell to make this game his own. Last seasons MVP had been quiet, overshadowed by the brilliance of Bolds, but in the dying stages, Bell turned the Plymouth Pavilions into his very own playground. Bell calmly dispatched three from three from the line to give his team a 92-89 lead before Lions Howard Crawford choked on the two biggest free throws of the afternoon. Howard’s missed shots gave the Raiders a chance, and with 30 seconds left to play, it was time to do or die.

Paul Williams collected the rebound and found Bell who pushed the ball up the floor and let it fly from the left wing, Bell had overshot it, it looked set to miss the mark completely, but instead connected with the backboard with just enough force to drop in for three of his biggest points of the night and send the game to overtime.

Anthony Rowe scored in transition to make it a 103-92 lead, but this lead was soon quickly wiped out thanks to Pedroso racking up a quick five points and Bolds converting on an easy hoop in transition off an errant Raiders pass. The Raiders held a 105-99 lead, the scores tied again on aggregate. With under a minute to play, man of the moment Jeremy Bell hit a short jumper on the right wing, delivering the decisive blow. Up 107-99 the Raiders had done enough to secure their place in another championship final.