BBL Round 5 (Regular Season): Leicester Riders are defeated by Giants

After 5 rounds played we can already see who rules in the BBL and who belongs to weaker ones. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The game between second ranked Leicester Riders (4-2) and seventh ranked Giants (2-4) was the most important one in the last round on Saturday night. Leicester Riders were defeated by Giants in Manchester 94-80. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Leicester Riders. Giants looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. The former international forward Jamell Anderson (203) stepped up and scored 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals for the winners and American guard Jalen Harris (185-1999, college: CS Fullerton) chipped in 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. American guard Xavier Pinson (190, college: NM State) responded with 15 points and 4 assists. Leicester Riders' coach rotated eleven players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Despite that victory Giants went down to eighth position due to points difference. Defending champion Leicester Riders keep the second place with two games lost. Giants are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Scorchers (#10) in Guildford in the next round. Leicester Riders will play on the road against Newcastle Eagles (#7) and are hoping to win this game.
BBL top team - Lions (7-0) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed sixth ranked Cheshire Phoenix (4-3) in London 99-80. Irish-Canadian forward Conor Morgan (206, college: UBC) nailed 17 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side and Luke Nelson accounted for 9 points and 10 assists. Lions' coach Petar Bozic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American guard Cameron Holden (196, college: Towson) came up with 27 points for Cheshire Phoenix in the defeat. Undefeated Lions have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 7-0 record. Cheshire Phoenix at the other side dropped to the third position with three games lost. They share it with Sheffield S. and Bristol Flyers. Lions will play against Sharks (#3) in Sheffield in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Cheshire Phoenix will play at home against Plymouth Patriots and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Bottom-ranked Scorchers (0-5) is still winless. But it was rather predictable considering how strong their opponent was. This time they lost on the road their fifth consecutive match to second ranked Leicester Riders (4-2) 91-74 on Friday evening. The best player for the winners was Kimbal Mackenzie who scored 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Saiquan Jamison produced 11 points and 9 rebounds for the guests. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Leicester Riders. Defending champion maintains second place with 4-2 record having four points less than leader London L. Scorchers lost their fifth game in a row. They still close the standings with five games lost. Leicester Riders will meet Newcastle Eagles (#7) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Scorchers will play against Giants and hope to get finally their first victory.

There were no shocking results in the rest of the games of round 5: Plymouth P. lost to Caledonia G. on the opponent's court 83-99. Plymouth P. was outscored by Bristol Flyers in a home game 68-92. Caledonia G. recorded a loss to Sheffield S. on the road 96-78. Cheshire P. defeated Manchester G. on its own court 83-67.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 24 points and 6 rebounds by Maceo Jack of Cheshire P..



Caledonia G. - Plymouth P. 99-83

Very expected game in Glasgow where 9th ranked Plymouth Patriots (1-6) were defeated by fourth ranked Gladiators (3-2) 99-83 on Thursday. Gladiators outrebounded Plymouth Patriots 44-32 including 32 on the defensive glass. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The best player for the winners was American guard Ian DuBose (193, college: Wake Forest) who scored 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. The former international center Fahro Alihodzic (208, college: UAB) chipped in 16 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Five Gladiators players scored in double figures. Gladiators' coach Gareth Murray used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American guard TJ Atwood (198, college: Lamar) produced 26 points and 8 rebounds and the other American import guard Taylor Johnson (193, college: Dartmouth) added 26 points and 4 assists respectively for the guests. Despite that victory Gladiators went down to sixth position due to points difference. Plymouth Patriots lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth place with six games lost. Gladiators will meet at home higher ranked Sharks (#3) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Plymouth Patriots will play against Cheshire Phoenix (#5) in Chester and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Caledonia G.: I.DuBose 20+5reb+4ast, F.Alihodzic 16+8reb+4ast, T.Buttrick 13+7reb+1ast, C.Moore 13+8reb+1ast, L.Palyza 13+4reb+3ast, P.Whelan 11+3reb+5ast
Plymouth P.: T.Johnson 26+2reb+4ast, T.Atwood 26+8reb+3ast, M.Faulkner 11+7reb+7ast, J.Wiley 9+7reb, D.Johnson 5, J.Akodo 3+3reb+1ast

Leicester R. - Surrey S. 91-74

Bottom-ranked Scorchers (0-5) is still winless. But it was rather predictable considering how strong their opponent was. This time they lost on the road their fifth consecutive match to second ranked Leicester Riders (4-2) 91-74 on Friday evening. Leicester Riders made 19-of-22 free shots (86.4 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. The best player for the winners was the former international guard Kimbal Mackenzie (185, college: Bucknell) who scored 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). American forward Miryne Thomas (203-1999, college: Kent St.) chipped in 14 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. American forward Saiquan Jamison (203, college: Bowie St.) produced 11 points and 9 rebounds and American-South Sudanese guard Padiet Wang (193, college: UCCS) added 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists respectively for the guests. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. The victory was the fourth consecutive win for Leicester Riders. Defending champion maintains second place with 4-2 record having four points less than leader London L. Scorchers lost their fifth game in a row. They still close the standings with five games lost. Leicester Riders will meet Newcastle Eagles (#7) on the road in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Scorchers will play against Giants and hope to get finally their first victory.
Top scorers:
Leicester R.: K.Mackenzie 22+6reb+6ast, J.Holmes 18+3reb, M.Thomas 14+8reb+4ast, S.Idowu 9+9reb, T.Lall 8+5reb+2ast, C.Washington 6+3ast
Surrey S.: A.Lawrence 12+1reb+2ast, S.Jamison 11+9reb+2ast, J.Robinson 10+3reb+1ast, T.Ogedengbe 9+2reb+2ast, J.Steel 8+3reb+2ast, E.Bailey 8+2reb+1ast

London L. - Cheshire P. 99-80

BBL top team - Lions (7-0) had no problems winning another game. This time they crushed sixth ranked Cheshire Phoenix (4-3) in London 99-80. Lions players were unselfish on offense dishing 37 assists comparing to just 15 passes made by Cheshire Phoenix's players. Irish-Canadian forward Conor Morgan (206, college: UBC) nailed 17 points and 8 rebounds for the winning side and the former international guard Luke Nelson (191, college: UC Irvine) accounted for 9 points and 10 assists. Lions' coach Petar Bozic allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. American guard Cameron Holden (196, college: Towson) came up with 27 points and the other American import forward Cameron Christon (198, college: GSU) added 12 points respectively for Cheshire Phoenix in the defeat. Five Cheshire Phoenix players scored in double figures. Lions have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. They maintain first place with 7-0 record. Cheshire Phoenix at the other side dropped to the third position with three games lost. They share it with Sheffield S. and Bristol Flyers. Lions will play against Sharks (#3) in Sheffield in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Cheshire Phoenix will play at home against Plymouth Patriots and hopes to get back on the winning track.
Top scorers:
London L.: C.Morgan 17+8reb+3ast, M.Morgan 16+2ast, J.Sharma 16+4reb+1ast, G.Olaseni 10+2reb+3ast, L.Nelson 9+2reb+10ast, T.Phillip 8+3reb+5ast
Cheshire P.: C.Holden 27+1reb+3ast, E.Chargois 13+5reb, C.Christon 12+4reb+3ast, M.Jack 11+4reb, S.White 10+3reb+1ast, D.Ulph 2+8reb+1ast

Plymouth P. - Bristol Flyers 68-92

Rather predictable result when fifth ranked Flyers (4-3) smashed on the road 9th ranked Plymouth Patriots (1-6) 92-68 on Saturday. Flyers outrebounded Plymouth Patriots 40-26 including a 30-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was American forward Brad Greene (210, college: UC Irvine) who scored 15 points and 9 rebounds. His fellow American import guard Tevin Olison (193-1998, college: YSU, agency: One Motive Sports) chipped in 23 points. Four Flyers players scored in double figures. American guard TJ Atwood (198, college: Lamar) produced 14 points and 6 rebounds and the former international guard Jules Akodo (187) added 8 points and 5 rebounds respectively for the hosts. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. The victory was the third consecutive win for Flyers. They moved-up to third place, which they share with Sheffield S. and Cheshire P. Plymouth Patriots lost their third game in a row. They keep the ninth position with six games lost. Flyers will meet at home Newcastle Eagles (#7) in the next round. Plymouth Patriots will play against Cheshire Phoenix in Chester and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Bristol Flyers: T.Olison 23+2reb, B.Greene 15+9reb+1ast, K.Johnson 14+5reb+2ast, T.Jacob 12+7reb+2ast, R.Graham-Bell 8+2reb+5ast, L.Smith 8+3reb+1ast
Plymouth P.: D.Johnson 14, T.Atwood 14+6reb+2ast, J.Wiley 11+4reb, J.Akodo 8+5reb+3ast, T.Johnson 6+3reb+2ast, W.Will 5+1reb

Manchester G. - Leicester R. 94-80

The game between second ranked Leicester Riders (4-2) and seventh ranked Giants (2-4) was the most important one in the last round on Saturday night. Leicester Riders were defeated by Giants in Manchester 94-80. It ended at the same time the four-game winning streak of Leicester Riders. Giants looked well-organized offensively handing out 26 assists. The former international forward Jamell Anderson (203) stepped up and scored 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals for the winners and American guard Jalen Harris (185-1999, college: CS Fullerton) chipped in 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Four Giants players scored in double figures. American guard Xavier Pinson (190, college: NM State) responded with 15 points and 4 assists and Canadian guard TJ Lall (198-1996, college: Carleton) scored 11 points and 9 rebounds. Leicester Riders' coach rotated eleven players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Despite that victory Giants went down to eighth position due to points difference. Defending champion Leicester Riders keep the second place with two games lost. Giants are looking forward to face bottom-ranked Scorchers (#10) in Guildford in the next round. Leicester Riders will play on the road against Newcastle Eagles (#7) and are hoping to win this game.
Top scorers:
Manchester G.: J.Harris 20+6reb+4ast, J.Anderson 19+7reb+6ast, N.Stampley 13+7reb+2ast, N.Lewis 12+1reb, E.Walshe 10+8reb+6ast, A.Lawton 9+3reb+1ast
Leicester R.: X.Pinson 15+3reb+4ast, C.Asberry 15+3reb, T.Lall 11+9reb+1ast, S.Idowu 8+3reb+1ast, J.Holmes 6+5reb+3ast, M.Walker 6+1reb

Sheffield S. - Caledonia G. 96-78

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams in Sheffield where 4th placed Gladiators (3-2) were defeated by fifth ranked Sharks (4-3) 96-78 on Sunday. Sharks made 20-of-23 free shots (87.0 percent) during the game. The best player for the winners was American guard Devearl Ramsey (180, college: UCSB) who scored 11 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. His fellow American import forward Kipper Nichols (198-1997, college: Illinois) chipped in 14 points and 5 rebounds (perfect from the field making all six shots). American guard Ian DuBose (193, college: Wake Forest) produced 20 points and 7 assists and Serbian point guard Mihailo Jovicic (190-1999) added 16 points and 4 assists respectively for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to get some rest. Sharks moved-up to third place, which they share with Cheshire P. and Bristol Flyers. Loser Gladiators dropped to the sixth position with two games lost. Sharks will again meet Gladiators (#6) in the next round. Gladiators will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Sheffield S.: K.Nichols 14+5reb+3ast, J.Pipkins 13+4reb+1ast, J.Adekoya 13+2reb+2ast, D.Ramsey 11+7reb+7ast, T.Allen 10+1reb, B.Koch 9+4reb+2ast
Caledonia G.: I.DuBose 20+2reb+7ast, M.Jovicic 16+1reb+4ast, T.Buttrick 14+6reb+1ast, L.Palyza 10+2reb, P.Whelan 8+2reb, P.Onwas 5+6reb+1ast

Cheshire P. - Manchester G. 83-67

The game between closely ranked teams ended with sixth ranked Cheshire Phoenix's (4-3) home victory over 7th ranked Giants (2-4) 83-67 on Sunday. Cheshire Phoenix looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. The best player for the winners was American guard Maceo Jack (196, college: Buffalo) who scored 24 points and 6 rebounds. His fellow American import guard Cameron Holden (196, college: Towson) chipped in 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. The former international forward Jamell Anderson (203) produced 16 points and American center Austin Lawton (206-1996, college: Claflin) added 16 points (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field) respectively for the guests. Cheshire Phoenix moved-up to third place, which they share with Sheffield S. and Bristol Flyers. Loser Giants dropped to the eighth position with four games lost. Cheshire Phoenix will meet at home Plymouth Patriots (#9) in the next round which should be theoretically an easy game. Giants will play against Scorchers in Guildford and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Cheshire P.: M.Jack 24+6reb+1ast, C.Holden 12+7reb+6ast, E.Stephens 11+1reb+1ast, L.Rideau 9+3reb+7ast, C.Christon 8+5reb+3ast, S.White 8+2reb
Manchester G.: A.Lawton 16+4reb+1ast, J.Anderson 16+2reb+3ast, N.Lewis 9+2ast, E.Walshe 8+5reb+5ast, N.Stampley 8+10reb, M.Bourcier 5+1ast