BBL Eagles end wait for a win
Lee Ridley
It took a long time coming but when it did, it came in some style. Newcastle Eagles' first win in seven attempts came at the end of a see-saw battle with fellow Northern Conference strugglers Leicester Riders at the Telewest Arena.
But it was the hosts who ended on a high, resisting a late surge from their guests to win 104-102.
Leicester's Purnell Perry threatened to steal the show early in the game but Shahid Perkins, Ralph Blalock and new-signing Stedroy Baker made sure that Newcastle ended up on top.
Perry scored Riders' first eight points of the game on his way to a massive 22 first half points and it was he who kept Leicester in it in the early stages. This game was always going to be close and the Eagles weren't helped when Ian Whyte came off with an injury after less than a minute played to be replaced by another injured man, Charles Smith.
With the game tied at 25-25 after the opening quarter, it continued to be a nip and tuck affair in the second stanza. Whatever Newcastle did, the Riders replied with something else and it was more often than not Perry who was the man to do it. Whyte put up a two to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the quarter at 44-40 but Leicester, and Perry, then went on to a 4-7 run to the end of the half and they went into the break only one behind at 48-47.
For all that Perry had done in the first half, he was restricted to just five points for the rest of the game as Newcastle took control. Some tough defensive play by the Eagles at the start of the third saw them up 63-54 before Riders' Coach Billy Mims called a time-out halfway through. That lead was increased to 65-54 before Leicester replied with Karl Brown bagging five points on their way to getting it back to 68-65. However, a 7-2 run by Newcastle to make it 75-67 saw out the quarter.
New-boy Baker opened the Eagles' account in the fourth with a three pointer, one of five treys for him, and Newcastle soon found themselves 80-69 in front. Another time-out by Mims saw the Riders come back strong, this time pulling it back to 82-78, before Mims himself cost his team dear. Perkins shot four from four from the line after a technical was called on Mims to give control back to the Tynesiders after Perkins had already grabbed three to put his team 89-78 ahead.However, Newcastle's fourth quarter nerves struck again and Leicester were allowed back into it and even tied the game at 102-102 with 0.20 to play. Perkins then sank a vital two pointer from under the basket to make it 104-102 and Drew Barrett couldn't save the Riders with a last gasp basket much to the delight of the home town fans.
Afterwards, Eagles captain Perkins - who ended on a game-high 32 points - said: "I'm no loser and this is no losing team. There was no way I was going to allow Leicester to win that game. We started the year 2000 with a clean slate and people are going to see a different Newcastle from now on.
"Stedroy's arrival means both Ralph Blalock and I can play different roles and we'll be a very tough team to guard."
Coach Craig Lynch added: "I'd have liked to have seen Leicester off with a bit more style. That win means a lot, but in terms of play-off ambitions it means nothing."Perry ended on a team-high 27 points, Malcolm Leak adding 23 while Ralph Blalock grabbed 18 for the victors.
Copyright Britball. Download is subject to Britball's Terms of Service.