Riders on the early season storm

by UK American Sports Fans

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Friday 21st September 2012

BBL Championship

One Health Sharks Sheffield 55 Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders 71

Starting Fives:

Sheffield Sharks: Gage Daye, Mike Tuck, Olu Babalola, Colin Sing, Andrew Bridge.

Leicester Riders: Jay Couisnard, Andrew Sullivan, Zaire Taylor, John Fraley, Pavol Losonsky.

Leicester Riders dominated this early season clash with Sheffield Sharks, neither side looking wholly prepared for the start of a contentious 2012-13 BBL season. The Sharks were hit with an early blow; newly-recruited shooting guard Micah Williams unable to suit up due to a delay in clearance from the Japanese League. Despite the setback, it was the Sharks who set the early pace. A run out to 11-7 was typified by a two point lob from new recruit Gage Daye, the homesters in the ascendancy. Three impressive triples by Spanish PG Jorge Calvo re-asserted the Riders dominance but it was left to an unexpected trey from Sharks’ George Brownell to close the quarter with the scores at 16-21.

There was little to choose between the two sides for the majority of the second stanza. Riders big John Fraley posted 17 hefty points in the half, despite good triples from Tuck and Gachette as 30-38 became 31-49 at the mid-point; a Couisnard maximum on the buzzer signifying the increasing Leicester dominance. The third period saw Sheffield reduce the difference to eleven. The impressive Daye allied with a confident finish from Sing was symptomatic of improved defence, just giving the Sheffield side a glimmer of hope going into the final passage at 45-56. Alas it was not to be for the Sharks as the Riders found a new hero in Fraley, who dragged the scores out to a fifteen point differential. The traditional Riders travelling support, having battled with delays on the M1, found their voices in support of the 6’ 8” centre from Austin Peay University as the clock ran down to a comfortable 55-71 first road win of the 2012-13 season.

Play of the game:

The first half buzzer-beater by Jay Couisnard for three that typified the expansive Rob Paternostro style of basketball. A cross-court stretch provided the open look for rookie Couisnard, who grew into his role as the game progressed.

Game MVP:

John Fraley by some distance. Twenty three game leading points, some awesome defensive blocks and a ‘beastly’ presence under the basket at either end.

Game quotes

Riders coach Rob Paternostro was pleased to have commenced the season on the right footing. “In the first half we played well, but in the 2nd half we tired. The season has come one week too early for us and it has been a quick pre-season. We played some sloppy ball second half and we were fortunate that the home side were down a couple of players. Defensively we played well enough to get through the game and get the win.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Atiba Lyons stated that,

“We lost the opening game. There is no need to get upset, it’s a long season.”

Traditionally, the Sharks have improved from an initial first loss so there may be rationale behind the Sharks chiefs’ thinking.

Next Up:

Friday 28th September Manchester Giants v One Health Sharks Sheffield 7.30pm tip off Wright Robinson College Gorton Manchester.

Saturday 29th September Leicester Riders v Cheshire Jets 7.30pm tip off Sir David Wallace Sports Centre Loughborough.

Photos courtesy of Rob McPherson & Catherine Moore of Mphotography.org.uk