15 Apr 2017: Riders 93-67 Hatters

A big double-double from Alex Smith ended Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters’ WBBL Championship title hopes.

WBBL Championship
Leicester Riders 93 (22,36,63) (Smith 21, Hayward 19, Livermore 15)
Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters 67 (12,27,49) (Gandy 21, Gayle 13, Winborne 10)

Leicester Riders have beaten Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters for the first time in the WBBL Championship, at the eighth attempt over three years, after overcoming their top four rivals 93-67 on Saturday.

The teams came into the game joint-second in the table, although only Sheffield still had a chance to topple Nottingham Wildcats at the summit – that was ended by the in-form Riders, led by a double-double of 21 points and 13 assists for Alex Smith, and they have now won five of their last six games in the league to take great form into the Play-offs.

And the hosts started early in this encounter, as Erin McGarrachan sparked an early 9-2 run that included a Dee Hayward triple. The lead was double-digits soon after on Jamila Thompson’s score, for 22-10 and capping another eight straight points.

Hatters, who have now lost three of their last four on the road, came back to tie the game as Georgia Gayle scored the first five of the second stanza, and she hit another trey in what became a 12-2 push to level at 24.

But Holly Winterburn capped a response of six straight points to keep Riders in front, before Smith scored on the half-time buzzer to make it 36-27. Riders then added the first six points after the break, to make that spell 16-1 in total, for a double-digit lead at 42-27 on Erika Livermore’s ‘and-one’.

And then each time Hatters looked like getting back, Riders came up with decisive scores as Hayward and then Harriet Swindells found three-pointers. Riders settled the game when they opened the decisive period with a rapid 10-2 burst, Livermore scoring four before Hayward and Smith added further quick triples, 73-51.

Riders shot 63% from inside, against only 39% for their visitors, and posted their highest tally of the season, while also inflicting Sheffield’s heaviest defeat of the campaign.