PRESS PACK BBL TROPHY FINAL 2018 www.bbl.org.uk #BRITISHBASKETBALL Contents SCHEDULE ………………………… PAGE 3 THE COMPETITION ………………………… PAGE 4, 5 HISTORY OF THE FINAL ………………………… PAGE 6 THE ROAD TO THE FINAL ………………………… PAGE 7 GAME RECORDS ………………………… PAGE 8 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS ………………………… PAGE 9 LEICESTER ROSTER ………………………… PAGE 10 SHEFFIELD ROSTER ………………………… PAGE 11 TEAM STATISTICS ………………………… PAGE 12, 13 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS ………………………… PAGE 14 CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS ………………………… PAGE 15 CLUB HISTORY: LEICESTER ………………………… PAGE 16 CLUB HISTORY: SHEFFIELD ………………………… PAGE 17 LEICESTER FIXTURES ………………………… PAGE 18 SHEFFIELD FIXTURES ………………………… PAGE 19 HEAD TO HEAD RECORDS ………………………… PAGE 20 PAST MEETINGS ………………………… PAGE 21, 22, 23 2 SCHEDULE 10:45AM: DOORS OPEN 12:45PM: EXHIBITION GAME: Scotland National Team V Glasgow Rocks Select 3:40PM BBL TROPHY FINAL Leicester Riders V DBL Sharks Sheffield 5:30PM (approx.): POST-GAME PRESENTATIONS 5:45PM (approx.): POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE 3 The competition The BBL Trophy has been contested every year since the inception of the British Basketball League in 1987. Today’s game is the 31st BBL Trophy Final. The BBL Trophy is a 16-team knockout tournament, made up of the 12 British Basketball League teams and 4 non-BBL teams. The four non-BBL teams invited into the tournament this year were Loughborough Student Riders, Team Northumbria, Manchester Magic, and Sony Centre Fury. The BBL Trophy has been won by 13 different clubs over its 31-year history. Esh Group Eagles Newcastle currently lead with the most victories with 6 whilst Cheshire Phoenix and Thames Valley Tigers tie each other with 4 victories apiece. London Towers and Guildford Heat also tie, with 3 victories each, and today’s finalists Leicester Riders and DBL Sharks Sheffield tie with 2 wins. Guildford Heat, Livingston, Manchester Giants, Mersey Tigers, Plymouth Raiders and Worcester Wolves all share one victory each. Today’s game is taking place at the near 7,000 seat Emirates Arena, Glasgow, which also serves as the home venue for Glasgow Rocks. Today’s final is the sixth time the BBL Trophy Final has been held at this arena. Leicester Riders have won the last two Trophy Finals, defeating Plymouth Raiders in 2017 and Esh Group Eagles Newcastle in 2016. Up until 2016’s victory, the BBL Trophy was the only piece of silverware Leicester had not yet won. This is the fourth straight BBL Trophy Final that Leicester have made, winning two of them (2017 and 2016). This is the first final in 22 months that Sheffield have made. The last final they made was the 2016 Molten Play-Off Finals in which they beat today’s opponents Leicester Riders. In the last two major finals that Leicester Riders and DBL Sharks Sheffield have met, Sheffield have emerged victorious. They met in the 2013 BBL Trophy Final where Sheffield ended Leicester’s chances of a clean sweep of domestic honours with a 71-69 victory. It was three years later when they would then meet again in a final, this time at the Molten Play-Off Finals 2016, with Sheffield defeating Leicester 84-77. Last year Leicester set the record for the biggest win margin in BBL Trophy Final history when they defeated Plymouth by a whopping 33 points (91-58). DBL Sharks Sheffield began their journey to today’s final by defeating non-BBL side Manchester Magic 89-62. In the Quarter-Finals they met Esh Group Eagles Newcastle and earned a comfortable 81-76 victory advancing them to the Semi-Finals where they met 2018 Cup Finalists Worcester Wolves. The first leg ended in a thrilling 86-86 draw before Sheffield booked their Final with a second leg 75-66 win (161-152 on aggregate). 4 Leicester Riders began their journey to today’s final with an emphatic 104-59 win over Leeds Force. They met Plymouth Raiders in the Quarter-Finals and emerged with an 83-90 victory, moving on to face London Lions in the Semi-Finals. In the first leg, Leicester secured a comfortable 9-point lead heading into the second leg with a 90-81 victory. With the advantage of a home crowd, Leicester secured their fourth consecutive Trophy Final with a 92-65 win (182- 146 on aggregate). 5 HISTORY OF THE FINAL SEASON WINNERS RUNNERS-UP RESULT 2016-17 Leicester Plymouth 91-58 2015-16 Leicester Newcastle 85-77 2014-15 Newcastle Leicester 96-90 2013-14 Worcester Glasgow 83-76 2012-13 Sheffield Leicester 71-69 2011-12 Newcastle Plymouth 184-177* 2010-11 Mersey Guildford 84-66 2009-10 Newcastle Cheshire 111-95 2008-09 Newcastle Guildford 83-71 2007-08 Guildford Newcastle 86-79 2006-07 Plymouth Newcastle 74-65 2005-06 Newcastle Leicester 71-50 2004-05 Newcastle Brighton 85-60 2003-04 Cheshire Brighton 68-66 2002-03 Cheshire London Towers 84-82 2001-02 Cheshire Milton Keynes 90-89 2000-01 Cheshire Newcastle 92-81 1999-00 London Towers Manchester 74-73 1998-99 Manchester Derby 90-69 1997-98 Sheffield London Towers 82-79 1996-97 London Towers Cheshire 67-59 1995-96 London Towers Worthing 90-84 1994-95 Thames Valley Sheffield 74-69 1993-94 Thames Valley Manchester 79-73 1992-93 Thames Valley Guildford Kings 91-84 1991-92 Kingston Leicester 71-68 1990-91 Kingston Manchester 69-59 1989-90 Kingston Manchester 86-77 1988-89 Bracknell Livingston 89-81 1987-88 Livingston Portsmouth 96-91 *Aggregate result; final player over 2 legs 6 ROAD TO THE FINAL FIRST ROUND Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 87 – 76 Surrey Scorchers Plymouth Raiders 84 – 80 Bristol Flyers Team Northumbria 63 – 93 Worcester Wolves DBL Sharks Sheffield 89 – 62 Manchester Magic Leeds Force 59 – 104 Leicester Riders Manchester Giants 73 – 105 London Lions Cheshire Phoenix 79 – 75 Glasgow Rocks Sony Centre Fury 54 – 83 Loughborough Student Riders QUARTER-FINALS Plymouth Raiders 83 – 90 Leicester Riders Cheshire Phoenix 90 – 97 Worcester Wolves Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 76 – 81 DBL Sharks Sheffield London Lions 81 – 73 Loughborough Student Riders SEMI-FINALS Worcester Wolves 86 – 86 DBL Sharks Sheffield DBL Sharks Sheffield 75 – 66 Worcester Wolves (DBL Sharks Sheffield 161 – 152 on aggregate) London Lions 81 – 90 Leicester Riders Leicester Riders 92 – 65 London Lions (Leicester Riders win 182 – 146 on aggregate) FINAL Leicester Riders v DBL Sharks Sheffield 7 GAME RECORDS The most points scored in a BBL Trophy Final is as follows: By a winning side 111 Newcastle vs. Cheshire 2010 By a losing side 95 Cheshire v Newcastle 2010 The least points scored in a BBL Trophy Final is as follows: By a winning side 67 London v Cheshire 1997 By a losing side 50 Leicester v Newcastle 2006 The most/least points scored in a Final (combined) is as follows: Most - 206 Newcastle v Cheshire 2010 Least - 121 Newcastle v Leicester 2006 The most/least points scored in a half is as follows: Most points in a 1st half 64 Newcastle v Cheshire 2010 Least points in a 1st half 27 Chester v London 1997 Most points in a 2nd half 53 Cheshire v Newcastle 2010 Least points in a 2nd half 20 Leicester v Newcastle 2006 The largest/smallest winning margin in a Final is as follows: Largest 33pt Leicester 91-58 Plymouth 2017 25pt Newcastle 85-60 Brighton 2005 Smallest 1pt Chester 90-89 Milton Keynes 2002 1pt London 74-73 Manchester 2000 The 2012 final is not included in these statistics as it was played over two legs. 8 individual RECORDS Most Appearances in a Final Fabulous Flournoy 9 Newcastle (9) Andrew Bridge 8 Newcastle (7) / Sheffield (1) Most Appearances in a Final (Coach) Fabulous Flournoy 9 Newcastle (9) Most Wins Andrew Bridge 8 Newcastle (7) / Sheffield (1) Fabulous Flournoy 6 Newcastle (6) Most Wins (Coach) Fabulous Flournoy 6 Newcastle (6) Kevin Cadle 5 Newcastle (5) Most Points in a Game John Amaechi 40 Sheffield v London 1998 Most F/G in a Game Alan Cunningham 14 (23) Portsmouth v Livingston 1988 John Thomas 14 (24) Chester v Milton Keynes 2002 Most F/G – No misses Danny Craven 3/3 Manchester v Thames Valley 1994 Kabir Abu 3/3 Guildford v Newcastle 2009 Reggie Jackson 3/3 Newcastle v Cheshire 2010 Most F/T in a Game John Amaechi 14 (14) Sheffield v London 1998 Most F/T – No misses John Amaechi 14 (14) Sheffield v London 1998 Most 3pt F/G in a Game Lewis Young 5 Livingston v Portsmouth 1988 Ronnie Baker 5 Manchester v Derby 1999 BJ Holmes 5 Sheffield v Leicester 2013 Charles Smith 5 Newcastle v Leicester 2015 Most Rebounds Tony Holley 19 (7/12) Leicester v Newcastle 2006 Most Assists Neil Watson 13 Newcastle v Leicester 2015 Alton Byrd 11 Kingston v Leicester 1992 Vic Flemming 11 Livingston v Portsmouth 1988 * Kevin Cadle coached Guildford in 1992-93 but did not coach the final and this is not included in his six appearances. 2012 final not included in individual game/total points statistics as it was played over 2 legs. For these purposes 1 win and/or appearance is credited to any player who appeared in either leg. 9 Leicester roster 10 Sheffield roster 11 TEAM statistics The following is a statistical comparison between the Finalists (highlighted in blue), based on their performances in the BBL Championship this season: Scoring Avg Bench Scoring Avg Conceded Avg Newcastle Eagles 93.65 Leicester Riders 31.09 Leeds Force 103.50 Glasgow Rocks 90.30 Worcester Wolves 25.81 Manchester Giants 96.10 Worcester Wolves 88.24 Glasgow Rocks 24.52 Plymouth Raiders 86.05 Leicester Riders 86.77 Surrey Scorchers 23.67 Surrey Scorchers 85.33 Surrey Scorchers 86.71 Newcastle Eagles 23.30 Cheshire Phoenix 83.79 Sheffield Sharks 85.15 Plymouth Raiders 22.91 Worcester Wolves 82.29 Cheshire Phoenix 84.89 Bristol Flyers 22.71 Glasgow Rocks 81.52 London Lions 82.26 Leeds Force 22.68 Sheffield Sharks 80.75 Plymouth Raiders 80.18 Sheffield Sharks 22.45