Sat 17 Nov 1930 - Riders 84 v 90 Eagles

Game Report - Jeff King

Esh Group Eagles Newcastle powered through to the BBL Cup semi-finals last night at The Morningside Arena, Leicester against deadly rivals Riders. Stand-out forward Victor Moses was the star of the show but once again he got great support from his team-mates and in particular Jeremy Smith and the emerging flourishing talented Kyle Williams.

It was a terrific first quarter of action and in particular a profitable last half of those ten minutes for The Eagles after a start when both these giants of British basketball slugged it out showing their abilities and taking the game to each other with high intensity.

Moses and Eagles point guard Rahmon Fletcher were leading the way early for their side but their every trust and parry was met by Riders coming back as the side went back and forth. Newcastle made the first break halfway through the first when a 6 – 0 run opened the first significant gap.

The visitors held the upper hand from there to take a seven-point lead in to the second period. Kyle Williams had netted the last basket of the first quarter and he scored the first two of the second including a triple to make it seven unanswered and the first double-digit lead of the game for Newcastle at 35 – 23.

Smith got in to the scoring groove as well as the normally reliable Leicester defence was being ripped to shreds. Moses who had 12-personal inside the first ten minutes added four more to lead all scorers and Fletcher also went in to double figures as the Eagles 1-2 punch kept them comfortably and deservedly in front.

At the half-time buzzer, Head Coach Fab Flournoy was the far happier of the two coaches as his side bounced in the locker room leading by an impressive 14-points, 49 – 35, giving his opposite number Rob Paternostro plenty to think and talk about with his struggling side.

Whatever was said seemed in the early going of the third to make little difference as the Eagles picked up where they’d left off in the first half and a 12 – 7 start with Moses and Smith again prominent saw them soar in to a 19-point lead and force a Leicester time-out with the home side down by their biggest deficit of 19-points at 61 – 42.

The time-out did finally spark a lacklustre Riders outfit and they had a ten-point unanswered run to close within nine points. Newcastle though regrouped, steadied the ship and limited the damage and took a ten-point advantage in to the final quarter.

That final ten minutes was about three things. Moses showing his finishing ability and Kyle Williams continuing his basketball growth meant the visitors always held control of the game and with veteran Drew Lasker and Fletcher conbasketball kiting the game and pulling the games it became about running down the clock.

Leicester threw it all at Newcastle desperate to cut the gap but there was no panicking Flournoy’s side and they simply stood firm, did what they had to do particularly defensively where they were superb. As the final buzzer sounded it was a jubilant Newcastle side that celebrated with their loud and proud travelling support as they moved in to the BBL Cup semi-finals.

newcastle-eagles.com/news/report-eagles-at-leicester-riders-bbl-cup-quarter-final/

Rob sums it up so well here. 3 games in 4 days. 6 games in 9 days and it showed.

We've got 1 more tough week ahead though with 3 games in 5 days then it settles down for us again.

A reason rather than an excuse.

Plenty of praise in there for what eagles did

And at same time admitting that the first half we looked jaded/tired

I think it's a very fair interview

Equally eagles will have been tired from a game the day before and the journey.

Eagles dealt with it and played much better than most expected (even their own fans on here)

I wasn't able to get to this game so had to watch on Livebasketballtv

The intensity and desire we showed in the second half of the game is the intensity we have to show for every quarter of every game. If so we will win the league again.

I accept the fact that we were jaded and we have injuries but we know that our success comes from the above and I'm sure we will be able to demonstrate that intensity and desire every quarter and game in game out once we return to a more normal schedule

I also think we probably under estimated Eagles having won with a bit to spare at their place the other week

Key league game coming up for us next Sunday away at Lions. That's a huge game for both teams to win. 

Yep he's missed most of the season so far with first an ankle then a shoulder injury. Plus when he has played he's been getting back to fitness and form

Its a shame because I know he worked really hard all summer to prepare for the Euro challenge and came back fitter than ever and in better form than ever. Then the ankle injury just before the proper euro games started stopped him in his tracks.

I can’t believe this is another season where Riders have failed at the clean sweep – Cup, Trophy, Championship, Play-Offs.

I know such an achievement is an incredible achievement, but it has been done by a current BBL team (Newcastle), so given how good Riders are right now it just surprises me they haven’t been able to achieve it over the past few years.
This was a tough fixture, and could easily have been a final fixture, but I’m still surprised Riders lost. Well done Eagles, I hope we don’t see you until the final.

Yorick!

Nobody could judge it was a poor signing as he wasn’t getting enough mins tbf INF

Didn't you have Jay Cousinard that season too if I remember right? And Sulli? I'm not sure but seem to remember them both on that team.

Yorick back in the day was one of the best players this country has ever produced - he was at the tail end of his career mind.

Certainly think that Riders have gotten better since then as have Lions who were wildly inconsistent and not as good at best at that stage.

Eagles had a very established core at that point mind. A bit like what Riders have now. Overall league probably weaker but still some achievement as I'd say Eagles then were weaker than they are now so its a lesser comparison.

I'm glad we don't just have one team dominating everything though. Love the Riders/Eagles battle and I'm made up the likes of Lions are making a push at them too.

Cousinard definitely didn't play that season nor Drew Sullivan. Drew returning to us was a turning point and when we started really being competitive and making it hard for Eagles. But that was after eagles had won a clean sweep. Think he may have been at Lions that season?