Pictured above is a pivotal moment in Riders quest for a trophy, it's the moment #5 got whistled for his 4th foul in the Play Off Final at the NIA and probably the moment the chance of a win slipped away. It wasn't as if Cam Rundles was going for 40 odd or locking down an opponent, it just stripped away one of Riders big guns at a time in the game where they needed someone to "Go Big" and try and stamp their authority on proceedings, something the former Wofford captain had done throughout the Play Off run.
Someone who averages a stunning 28.2 ppg in two quarters and two semi finals is always going to be zeroed in on for a big game and so it proved, he was Public Enemy No1 on Newcastle's scouting report for the Final match up. Eagles player/coach Fab Flournoy took it on himself to stifle the rookie guard and he did it by way of some excellent D but also some moves which could and should have been whistled earlier in my opinion. The level of physicality and hand checking going on was not being picked up by the officials and although Flournoy did eventually foul out, he should have been sitting down earlier. The fact that Rundles got repeatedly pinged on off the ball fouls only served to agitate the situation but credit where credit is due, Newcastle did enough to get the job done and their big game experience and savvy got them the win and with it a fantastic clean sweep of domestic silverware, a terrific achievement.
The fact that Riders shot a paltry 6/20 from the line [0/10 in 2nd half] shouldn't be overlooked either, but this was a problem that blighted the team throughout the campaign and just when they needed a steady hand from the stripe to keep them in a big game, they got Basketball's version of "Golfer's Yips" which left Coach Paternostro feeling pretty helpless on the sidelines......
Despite not managing to take out the Play Off Final game, this team can be very proud of their efforts over a fantastically entertaining season, a season that had so many high points on both a team and an individual basis. Blow out wins, come from behind wins, last second wins [and defeats..!!], triple doubles, Player of the Month awards, high flying dunks, blocks and some mind blowing three point shooting.
The rookie pairing of Cameron Rundles and Ayron Hardy were simply irresistable as the season progressed, they both played with a style and panache that the crowd loved to see, but both had their own way of doing things, Rundles by his own admission liked to up the ante as the crowd got louder and had an ability to take games over with bewildering ease, the wins at Worcester and Milton Keynes spring to mind, let alone his Play Off antics. Simply put, Cam is one of the best guards to pull on a Riders uniform.
Hardy was an absolute beast of a player and is in my top 3 best ever BBL players i've ever seen. His ability to punish the stats sheet from all angles was quite stunning as scores, assists, blocks, rebounds and steals all accumulated at astonishing speed, his back to back triple double display mid season won't be repeated any time soon and to think he was only 2 rebounds away from triple, triple doubles...... Wherever Ayron plays next season, and i hope he stays with us [we can hope] fans are in for a real treat, it has been a privilege to watch him at such close quarters.
Bradd Wierzbicki also had a great season in my opinion altough quite how he didn't get voted into any of the Team of the Year awards is beyond me. If we needed a bucket at any time, Bradd could oblige and with the scoring load not being predominantly on his shoulders on this team, it suited the affable former Queens College star down to the ground. The fact he picked up Coaches Player of the Year shows how high a regard he is held in around these parts. One other area that he excelled in was his assists, something that he has improved upon out of sight since his return from Spain last summer. He should hopefully be one of the first guys on next season's roster in an ideal world.
Drew Sullivan was a tremendous pick up by the club who moved heaven and earth to make it a permanent deal to keep the GB skipper for the season. I must admit that when i heard we were in talks with him i didn't think we could pull it off but thankfully it happened and he provided a will to win and court savvy to match. The Olympic Games were obviously in his thoughts but he never slackened up the effort and played with injuries at times to the betterment of the team. A true leader of men.
Brett Royster will look back on his time here in Leicester with mixed thoughts, he was continually whistled as he went after shots on the defensive end, something he made his reputation on back in the States but the refs here never got off his case which held back the 6'8 centre no end. Coupled with the fact he went down with a serious ankle injury at Newcastle late on in the season and it all adds up to one word. Frustration. A fully fit and given the benefit of the doubt by the refs Royster would be great to watch defensively.....
Barry Lamble again played a major role in the season, his continual improvement is there for everyone to see, a much more confident player these days, none more so apparent than in the Play Off Qtr v Sheffield at Loughborough where he was immense at both ends to pave the way for a comfortable win in the end. A lock to return hopefully.
Tom Sherlock overcame early injury bothers to take a role in the starting five after Royster's injury and he made the start spot his own with some all action displays. A fully fit Sherlock is a major asset to any club and lets hope he returns next time around.
Jamell Anderson was a great pick up for us, i'd enjoyed watching his athleticism on a poor Essex side and knew he would hold his own in a Rider uniform. His defensive work was stellar as he took a big part in a sneaky play thought up by Coach Paternostro as the season progressed. His long arms and great ability to get up and down the floor marked him out as a vital part of the team. He is rumoured to be back which will be great to see.
Connor Washington and Reiss Haggith didn't get too many minutes between them but they will have learnt a lot over the season. Haggith's ungainly looking but highly effective three point shot even making an appearance in the Play Off Final as he hosed one home as time ran down!
Finally, a few words for the off the floor Staff.....
Coach Paternostro is a big time recruiter of college talent and he went big this term with his choices. The fact that the players all went on record saying how great it is to be coached by Rob shows just how good a job he has done since he took the role on. We are now a highly respected organisation around the league, a postion we were nowhere near when he took over. A top, top coach who we are very fortunate to have.
Phil Gleadall and LT also played a big part on the sidelines, who will forget their sterling efforts at Milton Keynes when Rob was indisposed due to a family emergency. That road win was awesome!!!
GM Russell Levenston again worked incredibly hard in a multitude of roles to keep the club moving onwards and upwards, he even took over the mic for a few games..........His decision to move to Loughborough for the Play Offs eventually proved to be a masterstroke although when the call was made, i'll admit to being very wary of it working due to our great home form at the JSSC. But work it did and in some style!!
What will next season bring?
Whatever happens, it will certainly not be boring that's for sure.......
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