Bristol Academy Flyers 96 (22,46,65)
Leopards 74 (22,37,61)

A poor end to each half cost Leopards the chance of winning the Kent tournament on Sunday, although the final score bore little relation to the pattern of the game.

American trialists Quincey Shannon led the Big Cats’ scoring with 26 points, although his shot selection was questionable and defence almost non existent, while Gareth Laws chipped in with 15.

With coach Jon Burnell unavailable senior players Sam Salter and Laws ran the team, which limited their combined court time to 38 minutes on a day where they would have been expected to play for around 65 minutes.

An even first period saw the teams exchange baskets for long stretches. Centre Leigh Greenan picked up two fouls in the first three minutes to leave Leopards with a small line-up, but the teams went into the first break locked on 22 points.

Leopards led 35-34 with three second period minutes remaining, but the West Country side – who were promoted to Division One last season – finished strongly with an 12-2 run to take a nine point lead into the locker room.

The start of the second half saw Bristol extend their lead to ten, but Leopards fought back well, and a Salter jump shot cut the deficit to 57-54 with 3:22 remaining in the this period, and a trey from Shannon ensured that Flyers’ lead was only four going into the final stanza,

Shannon halved that lead with the first play of the fourth quarter, but that proved to be as good as it got for the Leopards.

Bristol, led by a 32 point night for American guard Ryan Williams, took the lead back out to ten midway through the period, and they held that advantage until the final three minute when, with all the senior Leopards’ players sitting on the bench they wrapped up the win with a 15-2 run.