Essex & Herts Leopards 79 (25,39,57)
Reading Rockets 75 (9,31,53)

Game Stats courtesy of Statsman - www.statsman.co.uk

Game Photos courtesy of TGS Photos www.tgsphotos.co.uk

Game Photos courtesy of Image excellence - www.imageexcellence.co.uk

Troy Selvey collected the MVP award as Leopards produced a stunning performance to win the National Cup at the NIA on Sunday. Selvey scored 22 points and took eight rebounds as the Big Cats overcame foul trouble to win basketball’s equivalent of the FA Cup after being formed just 16 months ago.

Leopards had four players foul out, including all three of their big men, but Sam Salter coolly drained four free-throws in the dying minutes to send the large travelling support into raptures.

Rockets took an early lead after baskets from EJ Harrison and Paul Tonkovich, but a Salter three with seven minutes on the clock gave Leopards a lead they were to never lose. An early indication of the foul trouble Leopards were to suffer came with 4:22 of the first period remaining when Salter collected his second foul, but two treys from Steve Ogunjimi saw the Big Cats build a 21-9 lead, and Roger Lloyd tipped the ball in on the buzzer to give his side a 14 point lead at the first break.

Rockets opened the second period with a 7-2 run, and fouls continued to mount with Salter collecting his third, and Selvey, Demetrice Williams, Roger Lloyd, Ogunjimi and Errol Seaman all reaching half-time with two. Back-to-back threes from Dave Jones and Brian Moore saw Leopards extend their lead to 15 at the midway point of the second period, but a three pointer from Richard Wellings helped Rockets reduce the Big Cats’ advantage to eight at half time.

A steal and basket from Salter saw Leopards start the second half well, and an Ogunjimi three saw them take their lead into double figures, before Seaman was forced to sit down on four fouls with 7:19 of the third period remaining. Selvey and Tonkovich continued to be the side’s main threats as Leopards held a ten point lead, but a laughable foul call on Brian Moore on the buzzer saw Lloyd Gardener sink three free-throws to cut the Big Cats’ lead to four as they went into the final break.

A Tonkovich lay-up halved that lead but a Moore trey and two Williams free-throws kept the Big Cats in front as Rockets continued to struggle from the line.

Seaman became the first Leopard to foul out, with 6:21 remaining, but threes from Salter and Ogunjimi saw the Big Cats maintain their lead before Selvey joined Seaman on the bench with 4:16 left in the game. Tonkovich also fouled out, leaving Jones to sink both free-throws, but Williams and Lloyd also left the game as the foul-fest continued.

With 18 seconds remaining, the Big Cats led by four after former Leopard Gardner had cut through the defence, and Rockets were forced to foul to stop the clock. They picked the wrong man in Salter to foul, as he coolly sunk his first two from the charity stripe, and despite Harrison also scoring twice from the foul line, Reading ignored their coach’s instructions to foul anyone except Salter, the 29-year-old drained both of his shots from the foul line to spark wild celebrations both on the court and in the stands.

Leopards: T Selvey 22, S Salter 15, S Ogunjimi 12. B Moore 11, E Seaman 6, D Jones 6, D Williams 4, R Lloyd 2, M Eames, E Gregory (DNP), J Warwick (DNP)