MATCH REPORT: Rocks lose final game of league season to Eagles
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Newcastle Eagles kept their Play-off hopes alive on Friday as they managed to defeat Glen Luss Glasgow Rocks, 93-80, in front of Sky Sports cameras, and Leicester Riders managed to hold off a Plymouth City Patriots victory.
The Eagles entered tonight’s clash with Glasgow knowing that a lost would mean they would not make the Play-offs for the first time in 22 years, so it’s fair to say there was added tension when they took to the floor at the Vertu Motors Arena against an already qualified Glasgow.
Things got off to a competitive start, after Eagles managed to carry a five point lead throughout most of the first period, Glasgow responded with a 5-0 run to put the game level, before Eagles managed to retain the lead, but only by a mere two points at the end of the first period.
It was in the second quarter when the hosts managed to break out ahead of the visiting Scots, as a 10-2 run saw them stretch their lead to double digits by the time the half-time buzzer sounded.
The Eagles increased their lead to a 19 in the third, and as they stretched their lead out to as much as 21 points, with just over six minutes remaining in the final period of the game, things were starting to look very promising for the Eagles. However, a sudden run 11-0 run from the visitors suddenly gave a reality check that this game was far from over yet.
With their lead cut down to just 10, the Eagles began to pile on the pressure, and a pair of layups from Justin Gordon and Brandon Peel saw Eagles retain a 14 point lead, and as Glasgow began to struggle on the offensive, the Eagles managed to keep their lead and pick up a much needed victory to keep their Play-off hopes alive, at least for now.
As the Eagles game wrapped up, all attention turned to the Leicester Riders and Plymouth City Patriots game, as a Plymouth victory over the BBL champions would mean that despite their hard fought home victory, Eagles would still lose out on the final Play-offs spot.
Not in the least bit intimidated by a dominant Leicester Riders season, the Patriots came out guns blazing, taking the lead over the recently crown league champions for the first five minutes of the game. Riders responded in the second period, outscoring the visiting Patriots 24-16 to give themselves a seven point lead heading into half-time.
Eager to confirm their Play-offs spot in their debut season, a determined Patriots side took an 8-0 run in the second period to go from a double-digit trail of 10, to now just trailing the hosts by just two points, eventually managing to hold Riders to just a three point lead at the end of the third period.
With the Eagles game now over, all eyes turned to the final period of the Riders and Patriots game. Despite Riders retaining another double digit lead, the Patriots weren’t prepared to quit and another 7-0 run cut the trial down to just five points with just over two minutes remaining. But Riders managed to respond with a pair of baskets and a free-throw to pump their lead back up to 10 as the game entered the final minute.
A three-pointer from Elvisi Dusha gave hope to a last second comeback from Patriots, but thanks to a triple free-throw conversion from leading scorer Conner Washington, Riders managed to keep their 10-point lead in tact until the final buzzer.
The final Play-offs spot now comes down to the Plymouth v Newcastle game on Sunday. Will the Patriots be able to bag themselves a Play-offs spot in their first season in the BBL, or will Eagles manage to make it 23 years in the Play-offs?
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