London United 72 (18,40,58)
Essex & Herts Leopards 78 (16,33,50)

Leopards’ best league performance of the season saw them move into pole position in the race for the play-offs. Nineteen unanswered points in the fourth period proved to be turning point as the Big Cats defeated high-flying United for the second time this season.

With London Capitals losing both games this weekend, and Solent also suffering a defeat, Leopards now have their play-off destiny firmly in their own hands. In contrast, United’s third league defeat of the campaign effectively ended their title chances. Balanced scoring proved to the be the key for Jon Burnell’s team, with Brian Moore (pictured), Troy Selvey, and Steve Ogunjimi all hit 18 points. It was Ogunjimi who took control in the final period, hitting 11 points and proving to be deadly from the charity stripe as he iced the victory with six straight free-throws.

The visitors started strongly, and with Moore draining a pair of jumps shots, they led 8-4 at the midway. Despite Laurent Irish being forced to sit down on two fouls, three points from Selvey kept Leopards in front before a pair of threes from United’s Jack Jagodka put the home side into the driving seat. Further scores from Walid Mumuni and the imposing Mantia Callender sent London into the first break 18-16 ahead, and the same two players hit three-pointers and the hosts opened the second period with a 10-0 run.

A time-out from Burnell did little to halt the hosts’ domination, and with Selvey missing a pair of free-throws, an “and-one” from Callender saw the lead balloon to 14 midway through the period. A Moore trey finally kick-started the Leopards, and despite continuing to struggle from the line, they finished the half with an 8-2 run, seven of which came from Selvey, to trail 40-33 at half-time.

The third period saw the teams exchange baskets for long periods, with the main talking point being an extremely harsh intentional foul call on Brian Moore. The Leopards player-assistant coach recovered his composure to drain a three, but a pair of treys from Jagodka and Callender put United 12 up with three minutes of the period remaining. Selvey took the lead back down to 10, but missed the bonus, before an Ogunjimi trey and a Roger Lloyd put-back sent Leopards into the final break trailing by eight.

Irish opened the fourth period scoring with a pair of baskets, and although Jack Majewski called a time-out, Leopards continued to pile on the points.
A Selvey put-back and an Ogunjimi trey saw Leopards regain the lead, and they never trailed again. United did not help themselves by conceding a technical foul for having six players on the court, and they also lost power-forward Damien Reid after he fouled out when for the third time he was called for an offensive charge on Selvey. Grapci also fouled out before a Moore trey and scores from Lloyd and Ogunjimi wrapped up the 19-0 run, leaving Leopards 69-58 ahead with 3:24 on the clock.

Steve Vear cut the lead to seven with a four-point play, before Lloyd continued his fine fourth quarter with a basket off Irish’s assist. Callender drained his fourth trey of the game to take the lead down to five, but that was as close as United came, and Leopards sealed a superb victory from the free-throw line.

Leopards: S Ogunjimi (18), T Selvey (18), B Moore (18), L Irish (8), R Lloyd (7), M Quashie (6), R Alexander (3), M Eames, B Stacey (DNP)

Juniors
The U16 boys destroyed London Capitals 104-33 but the U16 girls were well beaten by the league leaders Haringey Angels 29-66.