Leicester Riders enjoyed success on the road with victory over Essex Rebels.
WBBL Championship
Essex Rebels 75-98 Leicester Riders (26-24, 44-52, 55-74)
Leicester Riders recorded their third Championship win on the bounce with a 75-98 victory on the road against Essex Rebels – further extending the hosts wait for a first win of the season.
The visitors close the gap between themselves and table-topping Sevenoaks Suns to just four points, with the Riders having played one game fewer than their title rivals. Meanwhile, Essex slip to a record of 0-4 to open their maiden WBBL league campaign.
Leading scorers – DeAngelique Waithe 30, Jessy Ward 14, Jessica Hunt 10 (Rebels); Brea Elmore 21, Dee Hayward/Holly Winterburn 19 (Riders)
Turning point – The home team led by as many as nine points during the opening exchanges, but a 17-4 run mid-way through the second quarter swung the game in the visitors’ favour. Leicester never looked back and continued to exert their dominance throughout the remainder of the contest.
Key stat – In what was a balanced offensive display, eight of Leicester’s nine players got themselves on the scoresheet, with four scoring in double digits.
Game hero(es) – Brea Elmore netted a team-high 21 points for the Riders, while both Dee Hayward and Holly Winterburn added 19 points each – the latter in just 19 minutes off the bench.