It might have been a case of opening night jitters but Leicester Riders defence of their BBL Championship crown got off to a losing start at Aston Villa, hometown Birmingham speeding out of the blocks for a dominating 87-63 victory which, for 48 hours at least, sees them lead the standings at 1-0.

A local derby and the presence of the television cameras should normally be enough to inspire any side. Billy Mims had croaked himself hoarse by half-time but still Leicester could not collect their thoughts and find the high gear which they attained in the final stages of last term.

Minus the injured Shawn Jamison and the newly-parented Rashod Johnson, the chips should have been decidedly in Birmingham's favour. Leicester too have another addition to make, electing not to sign Steve McGlothin, but they should have feared little.

Mims pushed Aussie Brit Neil Turner into his starting line up and although the newcomer started well, his colleagues did not, missing a series of three-point shots as the hosts blasted into an early lead which they never relinquished.

"I thought my guys rolled up and gave a gutsy performance," said Bullets coach Lance Randall. "All the guys rose to the occasion."

Irishman Jon O'Connell began his BBL stint in Randall's starting formation and hit two simple early bankers towards his eventual nine points and 15 rebounds tally, Bullets edging out Leicester 17-15 after the first quarter. 

Then it started to go wrong for Leicester as their turnover count mounted up. The next eight points fell in Bullets favour and with the superb Emiko Etete and O'Connell stalling Leicester's guards in their tracks, the advantage grew as the blanks shot out of the hands of Ralph Blalock and Jon Gaines.

Up 37-27 at half-time, the opportunity remained for the defending champs to rebound but they didn't. "You're playing with no passion, no pride.. no confidence," rapped Mims in a time-out, a verdict delivered after his side had given up a further 10-0 burst, Etete instrumental in increasing the Brummies' advantage to 50-29 midway through the period.

Riders simply had no answer. Out-gunned, out-run, out-hustled, they never gelled, leaving an under-sized Bullets to mop up the lion's share of boards. Even Rob Paternostro stood out, cruising by his markers with unnatural ease as much-vaunted Ben Walker quickly took his leave.

Down 61-38 late in the stanza, Mims even threw on Loughborough student Jerone Taylor-Lewis in a bid to underline his disgust and the youngster quickly scored off his own rebound. Then Jermaine Brown produced a moment for Leicester's fans to cheer, hooking a long-range prayer from inside his own arc as time expired to establish the benchmark for 'Score of the Season'.

Not that it mattered. Birmingham put on an exhibition, Paternostro and new boy Sammy Salter firing in another series which extended the advantage to 27. Randall kept the pressure up, mindful of the manner in which Leicester came from 18 down to oust his side from the Cup last year.

He had no need as his NEBL challengers cruised home in a belated battle of the benches. 

Mims could only take the throat pastilles and look for his drawing board and the additional imported rebounder he so desperately seeks.

"We did not test them at all," he blasted.

Etete top scored for Birmingham with 17, while new signing Jon Gaines chalked up the same
individual score for Leicester.

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