Esh Group Eagles Newcastle overcame a spirited Sheffield Sharks on Friday to secure a ninth consecutive BBL Championship victory, making this their best-ever start to a season.
Leicester Riders are right behind them, however, after extending their own perfect league opening to seven games with a strong finish against Glasgow Rocks.
It was a landmark night for Leeds Force too. The Yorkshire club outlasted Surrey Scorchers to string together their first sequence of three straight wins since joining the BBL last season.
And Cheshire Phoenix halted a five-game slide at Worcester Wolves behind an outstanding individual display while London Lions avenged their home defeat at the hands of Manchester Giants just over two weeks ago.
BBL Championship
Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 87 (15, 40, 69) (Martin 21, Fletcher 20, Smith 19)
Sheffield Sharks 78 (12, 36, 58) (Robinson 21, Tuck 17, Barber 11)
Esh Group Eagles Newcastle used another balanced offensive display to despatch Sheffield Sharks 87-78 on Friday and make this their best-ever start to a BBL Championship season.
The all-conquering Eagles’ previous best was an 8-1 record through nine games, but 21 points from Scott Martin, 20 from Rahmon Fletcher and another 19 from Charles Smith off the bench made it nine wins from nine.
Sharks had fought back from 16 points down in the first half to lead 53-52 midway through the third following a 6-0 spurt.
But Drew Lasker responded with a three-pointer to spark a 14-1 run to swing the game back in the favour of the reigning champions.
Antone Robinson impressed once again for Atiba Lyons’ side with a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double as Jerrold Brooks had 10 points and 10 assists.
But Eagles’ efficiency and depth were the difference as they took full control of the contest late on.
Fab Flournoy’s side will aim to extend their perfect league start to 10 games at Manchester Giants on Sunday while Sharks slip to a 3-5 record.
BBL Championship
Glasgow Rocks 68 (10, 32, 51) (Achara 17, Grabau 17, Mazic 12)
Leicester Riders 76 (11, 27, 46) (Wright 21, Sullivan 16, Watson 16)
Leicester Riders underlined their BBL Championship credentials once again with a gutsy 76-68 defeat of Glasgow Rocks at Emirates Arena on Friday.
The teams were tied three times during the fourth quarter, but on each occasion it was the visitors that came up with the big play to move in front, outscoring Rocks 30-17 in the final 10 minutes.
Rob Paternostro’s side then managed the game, and the clock, down the stretch to secure a seventh consecutive BBL Championship victory.
Riders were aggressive on both ends of the floor, combining their stifling defence with 21 trips to the free throw line as they attacked the basket.
Recently crowned Molten BBL Player of the Month TrayVonn Wright continued his fantastic campaign with 21 points and 11 rebounds as Drew Sullivan and Neil Watson each added 16 points.
Kieron Achara had a ruthlessly efficient 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, but too many of Rocks’ big guns were knocked off their stride.
Rocks can get back on track when they host London Lions on Sunday while Riders’ pursuit of reigning champions Esh Group Eagles Newcastle continues
BBL Championship
Leeds Force 73 (19, 34, 49) (Marsden 21, Waller 16, Bullard 15)
Surrey Scorchers 63 (15, 38, 52) (Dusha 13, Behrens 13, Felder 11)
Leeds Force have won three games in a row for the first since joining the BBL last season following a hard-fought 73-63 home win against Surrey Scorchers on Friday.
In a game that could quite easily have gone either way, it was the Yorkshire club that came up with the energy and execution to prevail.
Neither side shot the ball brilliantly, but Force were able to gain the upper hand in other areas, such as rebounding, turnovers and steals, to put themselves in the position to win.
Rob Marsden was one of the players to enjoy a positive shooting performance, going 9-of-14 from the floor on his way to a game-high 21 points.
D’Andre Bullard connected on three triples in the first quarter before finishing with 15 and Kwan Waller added 16.
Christian Behrens started the game well on the offensive end for Scorchers, but with a short rotation, his efficiency began to suffer and he finished with 13 points, a tally matched by Elvisi Dusha.
This result sees Force retain their place in the top four, with a 5-6 record, while Scorchers fall to 3-4.
BBL Championship
Worcester Wolves 76 (17, 34, 56) (Couisnard 25, Blackwell 15, Cameron 13)
Cheshire Phoenix 94 (33, 55, 66) (Ellis 36, Williams 21, Ebanks 12)
Akeem Ellis inspired Cheshire Phoenix to a 94-76 road win against Worcester Wolves with an outstanding 36-point performance on Friday.
The American was simply unstoppable as he connected on seven of 10 attempts from three-point range while getting to the basket, seemingly at will, to create high-percentage looks.
It was behind such scoring that John Lavery’s men were able to build a 21-point half-time lead, which, despite second-half improvements from Wolves, all-but ensured the Cheshire club’s five-game losing run came to an end.
Phoenix were able to maintain a healthy advantage during the second half, in spite of their 18 turnovers, thanks to their 58% shooting from the floor.
Wolves were paced by 25 points by Jay Couisnard, but by the time their big hitters got going, the hosts had left themselves a mountain to climb.
Paul James’ side have now lost back-to-back games, having won six of their first seven, and will aim to arrest that slide at Plymouth Raiders on Saturday.
Jordan Williams also went for 21 points off 8-of-11 shooting for Cheshire, who completed the perfect preparation for their BBL Cup Quarter-Final at home against Bristol Flyers on Sunday, without the instrumental David Aliu.
BBL Championship
London Lions 85 (21, 40, 58) (Lewis 20, Lane 12, Fullah 10)
Manchester Giants 60 (10, 26, 38) (Bankevics 19, Gill 12, Schall 9)
London Lions avenged their home defeat at the hands of Manchester Giants 15 days ago with an 85-60 victory against the same opponents at the Copper Box on Friday.
Nick Lewis marked his 100th BBL Championship appearance with a team-high 20 points as the hosts dominated from start to finish.
Lions’ lead peaked at 29 midway through the fourth quarter as Nigel Lloyd’s side converted an impressive 69% of field goal attempts.
That reverse in the previous meeting between the two teams is now Lions’ only loss in the past five games.
For Giants, however, that win is a solitary success in the previous nine.
The visitors simply could not compete with London’s consistent scoring as once again, one man was forced to carry too much of the offensive load, Ingus Bankevics with 19 points while Stef Gill was the next best with 12.
Lewis’ offensive effort was supplemented by 12 points from Jaron Lane and 10 from Allie Fullah as every Lions player that stepped on the floor scored points.
Life gets no easier for Giants with a trip to reigning champions next up on Sunday while Lions travel to Glasgow Rocks.
| P | PL | W | L | Pts | |
| 1 | Esh Group Eagles Newcastle | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Leicester Riders | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | Worcester Wolves | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 4 | Leeds Force | 11 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| 5 | London Lions | 7 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 | Cheshire Phoenix | 10 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 7 | Surrey Scorchers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 8 | Sheffield Sharks | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 9 | Bristol Flyers | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 9 | Glasgow Rocks | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 11 | Manchester Giants | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
| 12 | Plymouth University Raiders | 7 | 1 | 6 | 2 |