Leopards 64 (8,25,50)
Marshall MK Lions 122 (37,62,88)

Game stats

Leopards will be pleased to return to playing EBL opposition this weekend after another heavy defeat against a BBL side on Saturday.

There was no way back for the Big Cats after the visitors scored the first 15 points of the game, and after that it was damage limitation for Jon Burnell’s team as they found the full-time professionals too tough.The Leopards travel to Canterbury this weekend for the Kent Tournament where they will face hosts Kent Crusaders in the semi-final on Saturday and either Bristol Academy Flyers or Southampton Trailblazers on Sunday.

The Big Cats played Crusaders on Thursday evening in a training game, winning by ten points, so the game should give them a good chance of winning. Coach Burnell again took the chance to look at some new players, with five new faces in the 12-man squad with American centre John Smith leading the scoring with 12 points. The rest of the points were evenly shared around, with Sam Salter, Lukas Volskis and Fola Adeleke each getting eight points as all 11 Leopards got on the scoresheet.

Kevin Griffin opened the scoring for the Lions with a three pointer, and the visitors scored two more long range efforts as they rushed into a big lead.Nathan Wilson broke the run, but some poor foul shooting saw Leopards score only three from eight from the charity stripe before a pair of Leigh Greenan free-throws made it 25-8 going into the final two minutes of the first period.That was as good as it got in the opening quarter, as Lions rattled off 12 points in two minutes to lead 37-8 at the first break.

A three pointer from Sam Salter was the highlight of the second period for the Leopards as Lions continued to increase their lead, and the half-time arrived with the visitors leading 62-25.

The third period proved to be Leopards’ best of the game as they matched the Lions. An early barrage of three-pointers saw Rob Parker, Gareth Laws, Wilson and Volskis all score from long range as Leopards outscored the visitors 15-13 in the first six minutes of the half.

The final two minutes of the third period proved to be the Adeleke show – at least as far as Leopards were concerned – as he scored their last seven points of the period to send them into the final break trailing 88-50.

The fitness level of the visitors clearly showed in the fourth quarter as they built on their lead, before Laws completed the scoring with a pair of free-throws, but the game should prove another lesson for Burnell’s team as they look forward to the new season.

Leopards: J Smith 12, S Salter 8, L Volskis 8, F Adeleke 8, G Laws 6, L Greenan 5, N Wilson 4, D Deng 4, R Parker 3, D Muratcea 3, G Hunter 3, M Jarvis (DNP)