Loughborough Riders 83 v 66 Leicester Warriors
Saturday 5 January 2019 - 2.00pm
The Loughborough Riders kick started the New Year with a home victory over the visiting Leicester Warriors on Saturday, breaking their three-game winning streak to begin the second half of the season. Coach Mark Jaram’s side got off to a commanding double-digit lead by the second quarter which the East Midlands side found difficult to recover from. The win for the Riders gives them a 7-3 record to start January.
Lucien Cristofis led the way for his home team scoring an efficient 20 points in just 17 minutes of play and shooting 55% from beyond the arc. Teammates Reis Pinnock and Niall Harris both contributed double-digits with 11 points each. For the visitors, Lamin Willan led all scorers with 22 points, whilst teammate and regular stand-out, Raphell Thomas-Edwards had another impressive double-double performance knocking down 18 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Manchester Magic 87 vs 98 Reading Rockets
Saturday 5 January 2019 - 6.30pm
The struggles for the Manchester Magic continued on Saturday despite a decent effort against a strong Reading Rockets side. The Magic found themselves up as much as 17 points in the third quarter before the Rockets made an impressive comeback to take a one-point lead going into the fourth. The game was then out of reach for Coach Simon Fisher’s side who are now 1-11 to start the second half of the season. The win for the Rockets on the other hand, gives them an 8-4 record and moves them into third place in the standings.
Trae Pemberton led all scorers in the game with an impressive 34 points and 6 rebounds whilst AJ Carr and Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo both contributed double figures with 14 and 15 each respectably. For the losing side, Andre Gayle had an impressive performance with 23 points and 9 rebounds whilst teammate Loick Pouale added 16 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. New signing Ryan Lewis also added some new scoring power with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Derby Trailblazers 92 v 98 Hemel Storm
Saturday 5 December 2019 - 7.15pm
The Hemel Storm continued their winning streak into the New Year with a surprise win over the Derby Trailblazers. The game was a close one throughout but Coach Robert Younblood’s side managed to hold off the Trailblazers as they headed back down South with a victory. The win now gives the Storm their third win of the season, whilst the Trailblazers fall to sixth place in the standings.
Hemel guard Blayne Freckleton led the way on the night with a massive 35 points and 11 rebounds, whilst big man Leome Francis had a huge 18 points and 10 rebounds to help give his side the edge. For the losing side, Tre-Shawn Wilford made an impressive contribution with 29 points and 8 rebounds whilst teammate Benson Arogbo knocked down 18 points and dished out 8 assists.
Worthing Thunder 92 v 76 Thames Valley Cavaliers
Saturday 5 December 2019 - 7.30pm
Despite having a successful start to their debut NBL Division One campaign, the Thames Valley Cavaliers didn’t manage to begin the second half the season on a winning note after falling to the second place Worthing Thunder on the road. Despite leading in the first quarter, Coach Robert Banks’s side were overtaken by the Thunder in the second period of play that they couldn’t recover from. The win for the Thunder now positions them firmly in second place with a 10-3 record, whilst the Cavaliers fall to fifth place in the standings.
Thunder Captain Brendan Okoronkwo led all scorers on the night with 27 points, whilst teammates Jorge Ebanks added 18 points and 8 assists and Zaire Taylor dropped 16 points to go along with 9 rebounds. For the losing side, Abdoulaye Sylla made an impressive effort with a huge double-double of 25 points and 14 rebounds, whilst teammate Martelle McLemore added 21 points.
Team Solent Kestrels 101 v 60 Essex Leopards 
Saturday 5 January 2019 - 7.30pm
The Kestrels were served their first loss of the season before the Christmas break and clearly didn’t like the taste as they got to back to winning ways with a convincing win over the Essex Leopards at home on Saturday. The South Coast side got off to an early lead in this one, that eventually overwhelmed Coach Thomas Bakers side. The win for the Kestrels gives them an 11-1 record to start the second half of the season and a number one spot in the standings, whilst the Big Cats’s record turns to 3-7.
Three players for the Kestrels scored 20 plus points in the win, with Nick Lewis knocking down 21 points to go along with 8 assists, and Tayo Oyefusi and Travis Charles both adding 21 points and 12 rebounds each. Almost coincidentally, the top three scorers for the losing side each scored the exact same amount of points, with Lee Hodges, Luke Mascall-Wright and Findlay Wood each adding 11 points on the night with Lee Hodges also grabbing an impressive 15 rebounds.
Nottingham McDonalds Hoods 72 v 64 Team Newcastle 
Sunday 6 January 2019 - 2.30pm
The Nottingham McDonalds Hoods bounced back with a win to start the second half of the season after defeating Team Newcastle on their home floor on Saturday. Coach Ryan Westley’s side led as much as 18 in the third quarter before the Hoods took the lead with 3 minutes remaining in the fourth. The win keeps Nottingham in eighth place with an even 6-6 record, whilst Team Newcastle remain in the bottom five.
David Watts led the way for his side in their victory with 14 points and 6 rebounds off the bench, whilst teammate Cole Welle added a solid double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Ben Seipt top scored for Coach Ian Hewitt’s side with 14 points, whilst teammate Onyekachi Nzerem added a solid double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds respectably.
Derby Trailblazers 86 vs 87 Leicester Warriors
Sunday 6 January 2019 – 4.15pm
After both teams suffered a loss in their Saturday match-ups, Sundays game was a chance for both teams to make amends to the start of their New Year campaigns. With both teams hungry for a win it was a nail-biting battle throughout with the Trailblazers tying the game in the final seconds to send the game into overtime. Raphael Thomas-Edwards then took control to give the Warriors the edge and the one-point victory at the final buzzer.
Martyn Gayle led all scorers on the night dropping 21 points for the Warriors, whilst teammate Raphael Thomas-Edwards had a monster night on the boards with 18 points and 19 rebounds. For the losing side, Malcom Smith was top scorer with 20 points and 7 rebounds whilst teammate Oli Stanley had an impressive double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Sussex Bears 90 vs 82 East London All Stars
Saturday 5 January 2019 – 5.00pm
The Sussex Bears extended their winning streak to three games on Saturday with a win over the East London All Stars. The Bears held a narrow lead in this one throughout, but it was just enough to hold off the visitors who start the second half of the season with a defeat on the South-Coast.
NBL Division Two leading scorer Cordaris Townes continued his impressive first-half of the season play dropping a huge 31 points and grabbing 9 rebounds on the night, whilst teammates Tomas Seduikis and James Felstead each added 15 and 14 points respectably for the Bears. For the visiting London side, Aaron Badibo continued his impressive recent play adding a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds whilst Brian Nguru dropped an impressive 29 points to go along with 9 boards.
Ipswich 87 vs 79 London Westside 
Saturday 5 January 2019 – 5.30pm
Ipswich start the New Year off with a victory over London Westside on Saturday, a much needed win that boosts their position in the mid table. After winning just one game in their last four before the break, Saturday was a much needed win for the Suffolk side whilst London Westside continue their struggles with still only two wins to their name. A close game throughout, both teams exchanged the lead several times before Ipswich pulled away with a small lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Ethan Price led the way for Ipswich dropping 18 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in the contest, whilst teammates Veron Eze and Eivydas Aleksa both contributed 13 points respectably. For the visitors, Santiago Leon had a monster double-double game despite his teams loss with 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Levi Edwards continued his high scoring ways with a strong 20 point performance.
Derbyshire Arrows 70 vs 98 Westminster Warriors
Sunday 6 January 2019 – 4.15pm
The Westminster Warriors continue their successful season as they got off to a winning start in the New Year against the Derbyshire Arrows on Sunday. The London side got off to a flying start after a made three pointer by Juan Manning that propelled the Warriors to a lead that extended to as much as 31 points by the fourth quarter. The win gives the Warriors a comfortable seat in second place behind Liverpool whilst the Arrows remain in the bottom three to begin the second half of the season.
Joseph Baugh led all scorers on the night with 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Przemyslaw Milak also contributed double figures with 11 points off to bench for the Arrows. For the Warriors, Justin Hitchman led in scoring with 20 points and 9 rebounds whilst three other teammates contributed double figures to give their side the win.
For full Scores & Schedules for this weekend's action, click the link below:
