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BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Paternostro hails 'true champions' Riders
Head coach Rob Paternostro says his Leicester Riders players proved themselves "true champions" by winning the Super League Basketball (SLB) play-off title after a season of near eased to a 105-74 victory against Newcastle Eagles in Sunday's SLB showpiece event at London's O2 Arena to end a three-year trophy was Leicester's last chance this term to end that barren run, having finished runners-up in the league table after crashing out of the SLB Cup and Trophy at the semi-final stages earlier this season."We played some great basketball this season but we weren't able to get over the hump in the other competitions," Paternostro told BBC East Midlands Today."So when we beat Sheffield in the second-leg classic play-off game, I felt like it was our time."I was so proud of the guys and happy for the guys because they deserved it, worked so hard this season and didn't let the losses in the semi-finals affect them."They always bounced back and that is what true champions do." Three years without silverware is the longest the club had gone without getting their hands on a trophy since Paternostro won his first with the club in SLB Championship trophy was the 18th major honour he has won in his 17 years as Riders Hunter, voted most valuable player in the play-offs, and Zach Johnson finished up as joint top-scorers with 23 points each in a final that Leicester dominated from the East Midlands club were 11 points up at half-time and by the time that was blown out to 20 in the third quarter, Paternostro saw his side "locked in" and in a "good position" to get the job done. "As we left Leicester, we felt the guys were really prepared and knew everything about the opponent," Paternostro added."When I look back at all these trophies, it's not just about the ball going in the basket, or the great assist or the slam dunk, it's about the people that we had that were hard workers and good team-mates who were able to shine on the big day."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rival league forges ahead in fresh twist to British basketball's civil war
Leicester Riders celebrate winning the Super League Basketball final last weekend. But will they be part of the league next year? Leicester Riders celebrate winning the Super League Basketball final last weekend. But will they be part of the league next year? Photograph: Leicester Riders The machinations over football's European Super League feel like a distant threat compared with the civil war in British basketball between the top-flight clubs and the sport's governing body. Leicester Riders claimed a record-equalling seventh Super League Basketball title in the final on Sunday against Newcastle Eagles at a packed O2 Arena, but it is unclear whether the league will even take place next season. Advertisement Related: Tyrese Haliburton's moment of reflection sheds light on stars' secret struggles | Sean Ingle The Championship game was overshadowed by the announcement last week of more detail surrounding the British Basketball Federation's awarding of a 15-year licence to operate a new Great Britain Basketball League to an American consortium led by the former NBA executive Marshall Glickman. Glickman's group, which is backed by the Seattle-based private equity company West River Group and several unknown athlete investors, has committed to a £15m upfront payment to cover operating costs for the first two years of the new league, which will launch for the 2026-27 season. As a former president of Portland Trailblazers and acting chief executive of EuroLeague Basketball, Glickman has considerable pedigree but also a significant problem: the existing clubs are refusing to join. Advertisement As reported previously by the Guardian the nine existing SLB clubs are threatening legal action against the BBF over allegations that the tender process was unlawful and have asked the sports minister, Stephanie Peacock, to investigate, while the governing body denies any wrongdoing. In footballing terms, the situation is akin to the Football Association setting up a new domestic league without the Premier League clubs. The BBF has triggered a 12-month break clause in the three-year licence it awarded the SLB clubs to run the league last summer; with the GBBL not due to start until 2026‑27, arrangements for next season are unclear, not helped by growing acrimony on both sides. In his first interview since signing the licence, Glickman, who will be aided in an advisory capacity by the London 2012 Games bid chief Sir Keith Mills, says he would like the SLB clubs to join, but is bullish about the league's prospects if they do not. 'We have reached out to the SLB clubs multiple times going back months,' he says. 'They have not been willing to engage. We would really like them to engage, but I don't know if and when they will. There have been written responses that basically said: 'We're not interested in talking to you.' Advertisement 'I don't understand what the clubs are complaining about. They signed the licence. They knew what they were signing. Everybody understood that the federation was going to put a tender out for a long-term licensee. 'We looked at the tender and, frankly, we thought that they were also going to bid. We were quite surprised when they did not. What motivated them to not bid for the tender and then complain about the process is hard to understand.' Glickman's group is planning a major expansion with or without the existing clubs, with an immediate increase from the nine clubs to a 10-team competition in 2026 followed by further growth to 12 and then 14 clubs. Talks are under way with potential operators of new clubs in Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Southampton, Cardiff and Edinburgh, while there will also be a strong presence in London and Manchester. 'I don't think players will be a problem,' Glickman says. Advertisement 'I mean, there's a lot of players, so I'm not concerned about players. And there are a lot of venues. There's a lot of markets that do not have teams today, and there are certain markets that may have teams but there could be other teams. There are multiple open venues that we're in touch with. I would anticipate that ultimately, we will have a mix of SLB clubs and expansion clubs.' A major part of Glickman's strategy is to secure a terrestrial broadcast partner, and there are hopes the BBC will be interested in taking at least one game a week given the data which shows basketball's growing popularity among younger, diverse audiences. 'We want a certain number of games on free-to-air television,' Glickman says. 'We think that's really important, to make it as accessible as possible to the most number of people. 'We all know what's happening right now in sports – it's paywall, paywall, paywall. I think I have 12 different apps on my television. And at the end of the month I go: 'Boy, I just spent $500 in order to watch live sports!' Advertisement 'So live sports is something that's really compelling. And I think over time, we can really begin to build an audience and increase the relevance and popularity of basketball in Great Britain.' The format of the competition will also change, with the number of regular season matches reduced and the playoffs slimmed down, but several extra tournaments added to the league campaign. 'They just did the playoffs – there are nine teams and eight teams made the playoffs,' Glickman says. 'We don't agree with that. In the new league, one and two will reach the playoffs, then three to six play a tournament in one weekend to decide who joins them. 'And we will stage a series of mini-tournaments throughout the season in big arenas, with points available for the league standings. So one weekend it's Birmingham, the next one it's Manchester, the next time it's Liverpool. In that weekend, they play a tournament over two days and those points roll over into the table. 'We'll turn those big weekends into a communal gathering. I'm not British so you'll have to tell me if I'm full of crap here, but Brits like big events and like to hang out. That's what the whole pub thing is all about, right? It's about hanging out. And it's about gathering. So we intend to create the best hangout in Great Britain on those weekends.'
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Riders crush Eagles to win SLB Championship game
Leicester Riders dominated Newcastle Eagles to win the Super League Basketball Championship final by 31 points at the O2 Arena in Riders side eased to a 105-74 victory and drew level with their opponents as the league's two most successful ever Johnson and Jaylin Hunter scored 23 points each as the Riders completely took the game away from the Eagles in the second named the final's Most Valuable Player, scored the free throw that broke through the 100-point mark with over three minutes left to have now won seven play-off finals, all under head coach Rob Paternostro, having finished this season second in the league. Newcastle came into the game hunting their second trophy of the season, having won their eighth SLB Trophy in month, they were runners-up in the European North Basketball League but fell just short in their attempt to add a first European title to their domestic Steutel's side finished the league season fifth in the table, 18 points behind the Riders, and beat last season's champions London Lions in the Riders overturned a 10-point semi-final, first-leg deficit to beat Sheffield Sharks by 20 points in the return to book their spot in final would prove much smoother for Paternostro's the Eagles briefly leading in the opening minute, the Riders took control and built a commanding 12-point lead in the opening the end of the third quarter that lead had been extended to 20 as the Riders took full control, and they scored 30 points in a clinical 10-minute period as they cruised to victory in the packed O2 for their first championship win for three years.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Riders and Eagles aim to be basketball kings again
The two most successful clubs in British basketball meet in the Championship game on Sunday aiming to reassert their status of the top of the Eagles have won seven titles and an overall haul of 28 trophies is the most of any club, but it is now a decade since they were last national champions. Leicester Riders, meanwhile, sit one behind with six national titles, but the last of those was in they face off for the Super League Basketball title at London's O2 Arena (16:30 BST) with season's glory at stake. Newcastle are aiming for their second trophy of the season, having won the SLB Trophy in month, they were runners-up in the European North Basketball League as they fell just short in their attempt to add a first European title to their domestic finishing fifth in the regular-season table, they have found form in the play-offs as they edged past Manchester in the they impressively beat London Lions, champions last season, home and away to qualify for the coach Marc Steutel knows all about the Eagles' historic successes, and wants to write a new chapter."We're a club that is built on a lot of history and a lot of legacy," he told BBC Look North."It's important our players understand that, but the challenge every year is you're trying to build your own legacy."This group has done that in abundance. It's played some basketball our fans will remember for a lifetime."The basketball we've played epitomises our city - tough, hard-working, gritty." For Leicester, one man has been synonymous with their basketball glories - head coach Rob American has led the Riders since 2008 and all bar two of the club's 19 trophies have come on his 2013 and 2022, Paternostro picked up six British titles in 10 Riders come into this match on the back of a huge high in the semi-finals as they overturned a 10-point first leg deficit to beat Sheffield Sharks by 20 points in the return to book their spot in Paternostro is desperate to get that winning feeling once again."Whenever you get the opportunity to win one of those finals, you're on a cloud for a while," he told BBC East Midlands Today."It's a feeling that all of us that have had it before, want it again."You get to this point of the season and you've won as many games as we've won, you've got to believe in yourselves and go for it."
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Newcastle Eagles fall short in European quest
Newcastle Eagles came up short in their quest for European glory as they were beaten in the final of the European North Basketball League in Bratislava. The Eagles lost 95-82 to Romanian side CSO Voluntari in the match in the Slovakian capital. The north-east club wanted to add a first European trophy to go with their British record of 28 domestic honours and beat Dziki Warsaw in the semi-final on Tuesday. The final was level at half-time at 46-46 and Newcastle pulled it back to 58-58 halfway through the third period before the Romanians pulled away in the final quarter to go one better than last year. Mike Okauru top-scored for the Eagles with 20 points, while Trey Pulliam contributed 14 and Seneca Knight 12, but it was not enough to bring the trophy home.
