A LONG regular season came to an end for the Newcastle Eagles with an 87-81 defeat at Leicester Riders on Saturday night.
With nothing to play for and facing their fifth game in only eight days, it was perhaps not surprising Fab Flournoy’s men slipped to a defeat against a side always red-hot at home and in need of a win to make the play-offs.
Newcastle’s place in the end-of- season play-offs had long been confirmed.
Their 92-83 win over Glasgow Rocks 24 hours earlier at Sport Central had secured their second-place finish in the BBL table – and set up a quarter-final clash on Friday wth Guildford Heat.
Flournoy took the opportunity to try a few new combinations at Leicester – while at the same time ensuring senior players such as Reggie Jackson, Charles Smith and Andrew Bridge were not extended fully.
It gave Drew Lasker, Andre Lockhart and youngster Jamie Glen the chance to play significant minutes from early in the game, both Glen and Lasker winning their first starts of the season.
Smith, Bridge and Jackson played less than half the game, as did Darius Defoe and Flournoy himself.
A defeat ensued, but Flournoy was not overly concerned about the result and reasonably pleased with the performance.
Newcastle did start the brighter in the game and, with Smith starting and scoring well, they established an early lead at 16 – 7.
However, as Flournoy began to ring the changes, the flow of his side’s game became more staccato and the Riders hit back to level the first period at 20- 20.
The second was one in which energy was conserved, although The Eagles were giving as good as they got – and it was only a late burst by the home side which gave them a 45-40 lead going in to the locker rooms at half-time.
With Smith managing to notch up 19 points in only 18 minutes, Newcastle were still in the game with ten minutes to go at 65 – 61 down.
With the decision made not to play Smith and Jackson as well as skipper Bridge in the final period, Lockhart and Lasker stepped up.
With a cameo by Aaron Neilson, the Eagles managed to push their noses in front 73 -70.
Flournoy could have brought bring back his seniors, but decided against it and those on court were unable to stem a late charge which took Leicester level and then past the Eagles.
Newcastle did get back within two points, but the Riders held on for the win.
NEWCASTLE : Charles Smith 19, Andre Lockhart 11, Drew Lasker 10.
LEICESTER : JR Blount 20, Jo Harris 14, Tom Sherlock 14, Ryan Zamorz 14.
