Riders 161 v 193 Bakken Bears thread

Exactly what I was thinking. Like a Boxer who refused to stay down and kept coming back. Full credit and respect to our players.

Like you I think they had way more in their locker though had they needed it

Loved Burnett. He's a fantastic find. Praying he isn't seriously injured. Larsson unable to make an impact on offence and poor on defence tonight. He was much more effective against Kongsberg in offence. A measure of how good Bears were in defence. They nullified him. Of course, he didn't have Hampton so he bore the weight of inside plays all by himself. Given their height advantage and skill, Bears were easily able to contain him.

Larsson will be fine in BBL IMO

I agree completely but he was brought in primarily for European competition. Got to stop picking up fouls so easily.

It keeps getting mentioned didnt esgles beat them?

Credible result with arguably two starters out (new pg just in the team) i do not feel the riders roster is kitted out for europe this season nor do i think they will cruise the league. However if they win the league and do europe again next year they will be much better from this years adventure.

I think Larson won’t cut it in BBL, far too slow, Burnett is a prototype BBL two man, and that’s the level of quality Riders needed at point, not Washington. I also think the BBL will be a lot closer than some think.

Whatever bakken team Eagles scored 112 against in a friendly either was half the quality of this bakken team or was a bakken team this quality having a walk in the park and playing half court press and not worried about the result as it was a friendly. 

When we defend Eagles with our best intensity we restrict them to 70 or 80 tops. They don't score 100 plus even against US when we play well.  But Bakken defend a whole lot better than we've ever achieved to date. It was a real eye opener and no BBL team of this era  will defend anywhere near like this against us for more than 5 minutes in a game at most. Even then they won't have the same know how. They absolutely smothered us. There is nobody at that game who supports riders thinking we were unlucky to lose last night. Some players didn't play well for us but bakken didn't allow them to play well. All the riders players gave 110 per cent as normal but bakken are a couple of levels above us. 

Way more intensity than even the most competitive BBL Finals we've played in. The final scoreline wasn't a good indication of the game IMO. The result looks close ish. That doesn't reflect the game. We battled and fought so hard just to get a scoreline that looks close ish and to have some pride. That's what a Rob team always will do. But not sure we will be in a position to keep the return game that close. I know Rob will go trying to recover the match but at some stage if they go at us like they did last night and develop a lead then we need to protect Burnett for example who could barely walk at the end of last nights game and was having to play hero ball. Something he will rarely have to do or be allowed to do in BBL. Any normal game last night I don't think he would even be playing as he was playing injured after a few minutes. 

Did you watch the game Bigz?

If so I'm expecting you to agree with me on most of what I say above. Honestly I am. I am really hoping you've seen the game to give your take on it?

As far as I'm concerned they were just way too good for us in all areas. 

Theres people on here seeing a scoreline and thinking it tells a story of what happened. Offensively I believe Baaken have a couple more gears they only used when needed. 

Like I say he was on 4 fouls after just 8 mins on court. Each foul rob took him off, had a word. He came back on and same or similar thing happened. Totally inexperienced for dealing with their big guy who was a beast compared to BBL big guys I've seen. 

And in Euro terms I don't even think they are a particularly big or physical team at all. 

They reached semis of Euro Cup last year though. 

I enjoyed the night. It's all been said before but Bears defence was outstanding. You couldn't move before there were two of them in your face. Excellent and good luck to them. Riders battled and in the end did well to close to it just 13. And wow, Deandre Burnett - what a find. He's going to enjoy himself in the BBL. Larsson doesn't look too bad to me and I think he's going to do well here, too.

Isn't it a case of douse not being at this level though. Nor conner being honest

It's a whole different level Bigz to bbl?

Re holder. We all know his quality and how he stands out in bbl

He tried all his usual moves that would create space to the basket

Against these guys they just closed the door every time.

I lost count of the amount of times he tried to get to the basket and got stopped in his tracks and had to turn back and dish the ball

I've never seen that happen like that in BBL bigz

Same player different level of opposition