BBL Riders take their time to win basement battle
If Brighton Bears were hoping that a change of coach on their team would have the same effect as Leicester Riders' recent move at the top, they were wrong, as Leicester Riders grabbed a dramatic 115-118 double-overtime win at Brighton to make it three wins in four since the arrival of Billy Mims.
It looked so positive for new Bears boss Mark Dunning early on, his team looking ready to break a five game losing run as they led 36-24 after the opening period, despite the absence of Charles Claxton and Michael Martin through illness.
The visitors closed to seven points at half-time but Brighton, pulled 77-63 clear entering the last quarter. But Riders clawed their way into contention with a 16-7 run early in the fourth period to cut Brighton’s lead to 84-79 and it was nail biting stuff after that.
Riders Kevin Gilroy held his nerve in the final seconds to land two from the line and tie the game at 88-88 and send the contest into extra time.
The first overtime session went almost basket for basket, and with the score level at 106-106 the game went into a second period. Malcolm Leak scored the opening basket and then added a successive three pointer to put Riders 111-106 up and they never trailed again – Leak scoring the first nine Riders’ points of the second overtime period.
A Gaines basket briefly closed Riders’ lead to 116-115 but Troy Coleman then landed two free throws to clinch his side's fourth victory of the campaign.
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