Essex & Herts Leopards 68 (21,40,50)
City of Sheffield Arrows 99 (27,52,69)

Leopards statistics.pdf

Leopards injury problems finally caught up with them as their depleted line-up where comprehensively beaten by Sheffield Arrows at the Brentwood Centre. With only six fit senior players, the Big Cats faced a tough test against a side who had defeated early season pacesetters Worthing Thunder the previous night.

Scoop Wicker (pictured) and Hayden Herrin again led the Big Cats scoring with 26 and 19 respectively, but with a restricted roster, Jon Burnell’s options were limited, and his side were unable to control American pair Ryan Patten and Ryan Blankson who scored 54 points between them.

Mark Quashie opened the scoring for the Big Cats with a jump shot, but that proved to be the only lead the Big Cats enjoyed all evening. Wicker levelled the scores after Arrow player-coach Garnet Gayle and Blankson had replied, but six unanswered points from the visitors saw Burnell call at time-out with 6:25 of the first period remaining.

With former Sheffield Shark Mike Paine, who had haunted the old Leopards for many years, scoring seven straight points, it was left to Wicker with 12 points in the period to keep the hosts in the game at the first break as they trailed 27-21. The second period saw Arrows take control, with only Herrin who hit three treys in his 11 points, seeming able to score consistently, as Sheffield reached half-time 52-40 ahead, with Barry Gooch having picked up tree fouls.

Tiredness truly caught up with the Big Cats in the second half, as they managed only 10 third period points. Only Matt Eames, starting his first game of the season, managed more than one basket, and junior Frank Empson saw his first action of the night as Leopards reached the final break down by 19.

With the game effectively over, Burnell gave the juniors some court time, and Arrows slowly increased their lead, finishing the game with a 14-3 run to give them a flattering margin of victory, and leaving the home side knowing that they must add to their squad if they are to bounce back in Saturday’s return game.

Leopards would like to thank Match Sponsors - Marshall Motor Group and Matchball Sponsors - NASN. Marshall Motor Group awarded the Leopards MVP to Scoop Wicker

Scoop Wicker receives the Leopards MVP award from Marshall Motor Group's Ian Mitchell

Leopards: S Wicker 26, H Herrin 19, M Quashie 8, M Eames 8, R Lloyd 5, B Gooch 2, A Coates, F Empson, E Pellant (DNP)