Dave Ryan reports…
Levett Essex Leopards’ scoring spree continued as they hammered London Westside 104-64 at the Brentwood Centre on Sunday.
It was the third straight home game the Big Cats had reached double figures, and they have poured in a massive 350 points during those three games.
As Thomas Baker’s side prepare for a league trip to Sussex Bears on Saturday before Thames Valley Cavaliers are the visitors to Harlow Leisurezone for a National Cup fourth round tie (tip-off 4.45pm), they are now one of only two undefeated sides in Division Two.
Recent signing John Shodipo led the way for the Big Cats with 16 points, seven assists, six steals and three rebounds in just 17 minutes of action. Captain Dougie Bennett also finished with 16 points, while Will Ashby added 15 points. Jamie Hayes had seven rebounds to go with his 13 points while youngster Wes Moore had 11 points in under 14 minutes, converting all four of his field goal attempts.
Danail Hristov scored the visitors’ first four points, split by a Shodipo basket before Hayes launched – and scored six points in – a 14-0 run which gave the Leopards a lead they never came close to losing.
A trey from Phillip Lartey cut the hosts’ lead to 16-9 but the Big Cats closed out the period on a 15-5 run, with Moore beating the buzzer to add to an earlier three as his side went into the first break 31-14 ahead.
Shodipo opened the second period, and with Hayes and Ashby draining from downtown, as Leopards outscored the London 18-5 during the first six minutes to effectively end the game as a contest at 49-19…and they closed out the half on a 7-0 run to lead 58-27 at half-time.
Coach Baker used the second half to give his bench players plenty of court time, with all 11 used players playing at least 11 minutes playing time and scoring at least four points.
Moore hit a second five point burst of the game to help Leopards go into the final break 80-43 ahead on the back of a 9-0 run, and it was a Shodipo free-throw which brought up the century before Bennett wrapped things up from the Land of Plenty.
Leopards will look for their sixth straight win when they travel to Sussex on Saturday where they will face a Bears side who have won two of their first three league games including a stormy encounter against Westminster Warriors this week in a game which saw a brawl result in 11 players being ejected and the visitors playing 23 of the 40 minutes with just four players.
With the side containing several former Worthing Thunder players, Leopards will have a good idea of what they’re facing against a Bears side who have already gone out of both the Patrons and National Cups.
Sunday’s cup game at Harlow sees Leopards facing a Thames Valley side who started the season as favourites to win Division Two. They lived up to that hype with two big wins in the Patrons Cup as well as progressing in the National Cup but lost their opening two home league games.
Led by British-American forward Martelle McLemore’s 26 points they bounced back with an 87-77 victory at London Greenhouse Pioneers on Sunday.
