7 Jan 2017: Riders 53-73 Team Northumbria

Team Northumbria make it a third straight road win after inflicting a first home defeat on Leicester Riders.

WBBL Championship
Leicester Riders 53 (9,24,37) (Hayward 11, Smith 10, Campbell 8)
Team Northumbria 73 (29,47,61) (Bully 20, Gorrell 19, Bonenberger 12)

Team Northumbria toppled third-placed Leicester Riders with a 73-53 road win on Saturday night, behind 20 points from Chloe Bully and 19 from Alison Gorrell. For Northumbria, it snapped a three-game losing streak; but it was their third consecutive road win in the WBBL Championship, and inflicted a first home defeat of the season on the Riders.

The visitors controlled this game from the early stages, finishing the first quarter with a 15-3 surge to lead by a massive 29-9 against the league’s best defence. Chloe Bully hit 20 first half points, and they stretched their lead to 47-24 by the break, an outstanding first half performance given that Riders only average 52 points against per game.

Northumbria were shooting 50% from three-point range at half time, including three for Bully; and they had also scored 18 points from turnovers, led by Gorrell who had four steals and 13 points.

And there was no relenting from the visitors in the second half, as Riders only temporarily got back to within twenty when Mollie Campbell scored to make it 63-45. Gorrell finished with the most impressive stats, with 10 rebounds and six steals to go with her 19 points.

But Northumbria remain seventh in the WBBL Championship as both Barking Abbey Crusaders and Sevenoaks Suns above them won, although they are up to fourth in the form table.