Manchester tasted sweet victory for the first time in 2024 as they beat the Leicester Riders 94-89. 

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The Giants were back in action this evening as they went out on the road against the Leicester Riders in the penultimate round of British Basketball League matchups. The last time Leicester and Manchester met it saw Leicester ride off victors against the Giants. Brian Semonian and his men would be looking for redemption as they travelled to the Mattioli Arena. 

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Starting 5’s: 

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Manchester Giants: Mason Bourcier, Nicholas Lewis, Nick Stampley, William Lee, Austin Lawton. 

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Leicester Riders: Jaren Holmes, Sesan Russell, Miryne Thomas, Teddy Allen, Duke Shelton. 

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First Half: 

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A highly contested opening quarter between both sides, Manchester started off competitive through a William Lee 3 ball to take an early lead. Duke Shelton tied up the game for Leicester before Miryne Thomas gave Leicester the lead with a make at the rim. Nicholas Lewis then sucker punched the Riders by scoring 4 points in back to back offensive possessions to make the lead change hands once more. The lead would stay with Manchester as Legend Robertin, Mason Bourcier and Nick Stampley all began to contribute on the scoring end for a 3 point lead. 

After the commercial break it began to slightly unravel offensively for Manchester. Allen, Holmes and Lall stretched a Leicester lead to as great as 10 before Evan Walshe began to claw back the lead against his former employers with a pair of free throws followed by a dunk before the end of the quarter. 

The 2nd quarter was firmly Manchester’s as they ran the show at the Mattioli Arena. Callum Jones and Jalen Harris both hit jumpers from midrange and were both orchestrated by Evan Walshe to make it a single possession game. Walshe later turned from facilitator to scorer as he made a driving layup to keep Manchester within touching distance of Leicester and later surpassing Leicester. Walshe took over scoring wise and doubled the lead before Callum Jones made it a 6 point ball game. Walshe would end up being responsible for 12 of Manchester’s 29 points in the 2nd quarter as they would head into the locker room up by 11 courtesy of makes from the likes of: Mason Bourcier, Austin Lawton and William Lee. 

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Second Half: 

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Leicester would rally in the 3rd quarter, honours even at 25 a piece for both teams after the locker room break as Thomas and William Lee would trade 3’s only to be separated by Nick Stampley and Holmes trading baskets of their own. Both teams were equally matched going like-for-like in terms of scoring before Nicholas Lewis pulled the Giants ahead to 15. 

Holmes, Lall and Thomas ensured that Leicester kept competitive as a pair of threes as well as a make inside from Holmes brought the Manchester lead to 7 with Leicester looking to bear down on the leaders. Nicholas Lewis would halt this with a pair of back to back 3’s to restore Manchester’s 13 point cushion. The 13 point lead would downsize to 11 to finish off the quarter as Riders Bowman would knock down a 3 to be met with retaliation from Evan Walshe at the other end. 

The Riders would end up winning the 4th quarter against Manchester 26-20. Holmes would orchestrate the beginning of a Leciester scoring run first off scoring himself before lobbing it up to Shelton who got on the end of an alley-oop. Leicester weren’t done there as Lall sank a pair of free throws to make it a 5 point lead and put the subsequent pressure on Manchester. The Giants responded in emphatic fashion as Mason Bourcier lobbed it up for William Lee to slam home before Evan Walshe let loose from beyond the arc. Nick Stampley would make it a double digit lead once again before the Commercial break. 

Leicester would respond strongly after the break, Allen and Thomas would combine for the Riders next 8 points but would be interrupted by Nicholas Lewis and Evan Walshe who would solidify a Giants 7 point lead. The Riders would come as close as 3 points from evening the odds but a pair of Evan Walshe free throws would prove to be the dagger Manchester needed to secure their first win in 2024. 

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Stats: 

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William Lee: 17 Points, 12 Rebounds, 5 Assists. 

Nicholas Lewis: 23 Points, 5 Assists, 50%FG.

Evan Walshe: 24 Points, 6 Rebounds, 3 Assists.

Nick Stampley: 9 Points, 11 Rebounds, 50%FG. 

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The next game on the Giants calendar is back at home tomorrow for the final game of the regular season as the Manchester Giants host the Newcastle Eagles. Tip off is scheduled for 5:00 pm and will follow the women’s game at 2:00pm against Durham.