Sheffield Arrows 70 (14,31,51)
Leopards 75 (12,31,36)

Lee McCarthy led the Leopards’ scoring for the first time this season as they continued their good start to the EBL Division One campaign with a hard-fought win in Sheffield.

With top scorer Carl Latham-Henry missing with an knee injury, McCarthy stepped up to score 18 points to ensure that Leopards will go into the Christmas break after this week’s game against West Anglia Fury in the top three. Captain Sam Salter added 16 points, and both Stix Bright (12) and Gareth Laws (10) finished in double figures as a depleted Leopards line-up produced a good all-round performance.

The home side opened the scoring after just three seconds through American forward Brennan Martin, but the opening period proved to be a low scoring one. Matt Collins marked his first start in a Leopards vest with an “and-one” and Salter added a three-pointer to put Leopards 6-5 ahead after six error-strewn minutes of play. A pair of Fola Adeleke free-throws put Leopards 12-9 up going into the final minute of the period, but a trey from Dave Siddall and a jump shot from Andre Rankine sent the Arrows into the first break ahead by two.

McCarthy scored the visitors’ first two baskets of the second quarter, but the teams continued to exchange baskets throughout the period. A Collins trey launched a 7-0 Leopards run to open a 23-20 lead, but Arrows replied with six straight points. Adeleke was again fouled cutting to the basket as the hosts continued to struggle with his speed, and he again sunk both free-throw to put the visitors 29-28 up going into the final minute of the half. The dangerous Rankine replied with a trey, but it was McCarthy who scored the final basket of the half to send the teams into the locker room tied at 31.

The scoring pace did pick up in the third period, and after Bright had opened the scoring, Salter drained a trey to give Leopards a five point advantage. They led for most of the quarter, with a Bright jump shot putting them 47-42 ahead with two minutes of the period remaining before four Dustin Bevard points and three from James Kelley launched Arrows on a 7-0 run which saw them take a 49-48 lead. Leopards’ response was immediate, and two three-point plays from Laws and an Adeleke basket completed an 8-2 run to send the Big Cats into the final break with a 56-51 lead.

Salter opened the scoring with a jump shot, and with a seven point lead the visitors looked set to take control of the game. However Arrows hit back, and a Rankine trey launched an 8-0 run to give Sheffield a 61-58 lead with 3:27 of the period gone. That run sparked Leopards into life, and five points from McCarthy in a 9-0 run put Leopards into a 67-61 lead, and they never trailed again.

Bevard, who led all scorers with 31 points, replied with a pair of baskets before McCarthy made it 69-65, only to see the big American cut the margin to one with a free-throw and a score from close range. Adeleke again proved too quick for the home side, and was rewarded with a pair of free-throws to send Leopards into the final minute 71-68 ahead.

A frantic last minute saw both sides miss shots, but Bright was clattered as he went to the basket with 12 seconds to go. The American guard injured his ankle as he hit the floor, and after a time-out from Leopards coach Jon Burnell, he was substituted by Sam Salter.

The Leopards captain coolly sunk both free-throws, and after Rankine had missed a trey, Salter was fouled and wrapped up the Big Cats’ fourth league victories in five attempts from the line.

Leopards: L McCarthy 18, S Salter 16, A Bright 12, G Laws 10, F Adeleke 9, M Collins 8, L Volskis 2, M Eames, J Burnell (DNP)