Dave Ryan reports…
Levett Essex Leopards will look to wrap up their pre-season campaign with a victory when they host Reading Rockets at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday, tip-off 7pm.
Admission prices for this game have been reduced to £5 for adults, £3 for children and £12 for a family ticket.
The Big Cats have played the Rockets more than any other club in their 14-year history, with the most famous coming in the 2006 National Cup final when Leopards won the trophy in front of over 6,000 people at the NIA in Birmingham.
The Berkshire side did the double over Leopards on the way to finishing third in the Division One table last season and should provide a good test for Thomas Baker’s side before they make their Patrons Cup debut against Nottingham Hoods on Sunday September 17. That game tips off at 4pm at the Brentwood Centre, with the Big Cats against offering their popular pre-game coaching session – details on www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk.
Baker’s team split their opening pair of friendlies over the weekend, playing against two of the touring USA Select teams,
Leopards opened their season with a victory as Team USA Whites were beaten 86-71 at Oaklands College, on Friday evening.
Spanish guard Ruben Saiz Colon led the way on his Leopards’ debut with 21 points, scoring the opening points as Thomas Baker’s side led from tip to buzzer. Jamie Hayes added 14 points, while captain for the night Kevin Moyo finished with eight points and as many assists.
After Saiz Colon had got the scoreboard moving, three point plays from Kevin Moyo and Hayes saw Leopards rush into an 8-0 lead. The closest the visitors came in the first period was six points. But treys from David Moyo and Steve Hemmings kept the home side ahead before Hayes took his first period tally to nine as his team led 26-11 at the opening break.
Two days later Leopards came up short in the final period as they went down 71-62 against Team USA Select Blues at the Brentwood Centre.
The Big Cats led for almost all of the first three periods but were outscored 27-18 in the final period as the visitors chalked up the victory.
AJ Roberts came off the bench to lead the Big Cats with 18 points, while Colon battled foul trouble all game to finish with 12 points in 20 minutes of action. Kevin Moyo added seven points, five assists and four rebounds while Hayes struggled with his shot, shooting one from nine, but finished with nine rebounds, three assists and a steal.
A Team USA side who were considerably stronger than the White side Leopards had faced on Friday were led by Isaac Lyerly-Pina with 17 points, including a couple of big treys down the stretch, and seven rebounds.
Baker was pleased with the weekend’s work: “We did the things we’re good at well, playing at a fast tempo and forcing turnovers” he said. “But it also confirmed what we need to work on – rebounding and not letting a big lead slip. If we’re up by 15 we need to push on and build it to 20 or 25 points, not relax”
