London Capitals 73 (24,41,48)
Essex & Herts Leopards 95 (24,40,30)

A dominant second half performance saw the Big Cats record their first away league win of the season, on Saturday. Led by fine performances from American duo Demetrice Williams (pictured) and Troy Selvey, Jon Burnell’s side took control during the third period to run out comfortable winners.

Selvey finished as top scorer with 28 points and ten rebounds, while Williams racked up a fine 25 points and an incredible 14 boards. A single Selvey free-throw gave Leopards the lead after six seconds, but that was as good as it got in first period for the visitors as they produced a sluggish performance.

Capitals, who went into the game bottom of the table, saw their lead grow to nine with two minutes of the period after a basket from American K Robins, and it took another drive to the basket from Williams to cut the hosts’ lead to seven at the first break. Gariba opened the second with a lay-up to take the lead back to nine, but a Brian Moore three launched a steady comeback for the Big Cats.

The home side clearly could not cope with the electrifying pace of Williams and five straight points from the point guard saw Capitals’ lead cut to one before acting coach Milek Jivens called a time-out. The move worked as Capitals went on a 6-0 run, but four successful Selvey free-throws plus an “and-one” from Steve Ogunjimi tied the score at 38.

A Robins free-throw and a Gariba dunk took the lead out to three as Errol Seaman was forced to sit down on three fouls, but his replacement Roger Lloyd put his name on the scoresheet in the dying seconds to send the visitors into the locker room trailing by a point.

Whatever Burnell said during the break clearly worked as Leopards opened the second half with a 20-2 run to take control of the game. Selvey launched the run with five straight points, before Sam Salter sunk a three-pointer off Williams’ assist. Williams was next in the act with three consecutive baskets, before put-backs from Ogunjimi and Matt Eames, plus a Williams lay-up gave Leopards a 60-43 lead at the midway point of the period.

Coach Burnell was able to rest his starting five during the final three minutes of the period, but the visitors stretched their lead with an “and-one” from Moore and steal and dunk from Lloyd as they went into the final break with a 22-point lead.

To be fair to the home side, they did not go down without a fight, and an incredible four point play from the impressive McCue as he drained a three as he was knocked over by Williams, saw them score ten unanswered points, with Nyako and Blaszckyk also hitting treys. The run was ended with four successful Selvey free-throws, and the visitors never looked in trouble again.

Salter ended a disappointing shooting night with seven points in three minutes, while James Warwick scored his first points for the Big Cats as they wrapped up their third league win of the season.

Leopards: T Selvey 28, D Williams 25, S Ogunjimi 11, S Salter 10, R Lloyd 6, B Moore 6, E Seaman 4, J Warwick 3, D Jones, E Gregory.