Essex Leopards edged out by Americans
5 September 2016
Jamie Hayes attacks the basket for Leopards
Pre-season friendly ends in narrow loss
Shaq Lewis attacks the basket for Essex Leopards against Team USA Select (pic: Paul Phillips)
Levett Essex Leopards were edged out by Team USA Select in a thriller at a packed-out Brentwood Centre last night.
Fiedling a mixture of bench players from last season and trialists, the Big Cats put up a brave fight before going down 81-77 against the touring side.
Veteran big man Errol Seaman returned after 10 years away, having helped the Big Cats win the National Cup in 2005-6, and there was a familiar face in guard Josh Johnson among the six trialists.
But it was youngster Shaq Lewis who stole the show on his Leopards’ debut with 25 points, nine rebounds and a couple of assists.
The visitors’ lack of size saw them outrebounded 49-39 by the Big Cats, but they used their quickness to cause 24 turnovers which proved crucial down the stretch.
There was little to choose between the teams in the early stages as they shared 20 points in the first five minutes, before Leopards looked set to take a lead into the first break only to see the visitors hit a late three-point play to tie the game at 21-21.
It was a two-point game in favour of the Americans heading into the final five minutes of the first half, before a crucial stage of the game saw Leopards outscored 15-7 to trail 45-35 at the interval.
Although Lewis made it a single-digit game with the opening score of the second half, it appeared to have got away from the hosts as Team USA opened up a 52-40 lead at the midway stage of the third period.
But free-throws from Brian Nguru and Lewis, together with a fast-break from Jamie Hayes, saw the hosts claw their way back into the game and Nguru cut the defict to 60-55 at the final break.
Scores from Fraser Glass and Dougie Bennett made it a three-point game early in the fourth period and Johnson set up a grandstand finish with a jump shot six seconds from time to make it a four-point deficit.
But with Leopards forced to foul to stop the clock, the visitors wrapped things up at the charity stripe.
Leopards will make their debut at Oaklands Academy on Friday when they continue their pre-season campaign with a second game against American opposition.
Steve Ogunjimi’s team will host touring side Ballers Heaven Beyond Select at 7.30pm at their new training venue and are working more closely with Oaklands this season, with the college’s elite players expected to be on the bench in Leopards’ Division One fixtures.
The American side are coached by former Coventry Crusaders play-caller Roger Payne and are a mixture of players who have just finished their college career, professionals who have experience in Europe and a couple of former NBA Development League players.
They are playing two other games, both against BBL teams, and are all hoping to gain pro contracts in the UK. Tickets are available on the door, priced £3.
Ogunjimi expects to be able to field a stronger side than the team which narrowly went down against Team USA Select on Sunday, with Tosin Oyelese and Justin Hitchman among those expected to return.
The Big Cats return to Brentwood in a fortnight, facing Hemel Storm in the National Trophy on Friday, September 16 (8pm), before London Lions are the visitors the following day, tip-off 7pm.
