28/11/2002
Leopards sign new duo for Riders trip

Billy Mims will have some last minute planning to do ahead of Saturday's crucial BBL Championship clash with the Leopards after the Brentwood-based side announced two new signings Friday. The Leopards put out this press release:

DG Essex Leopards Kool Kats have made two changes to their roster ahead of a crucial double header this weekend, it was announced today.

Marshall Sanders and Randy Webster have been added to the Leopards' line-up in place of Trevor Diggs and Taron Trahan, who have been released by the club.

Sanders is a 23-year-old, 6'6" power forward from Kentucky Wesleyan College in the NCAA Division 2. He was a Division 2 Championship winner in 2001 and a finalists again a year later. He was also part of the NCAA Division 2 All-Tournament team in 2001.

In his senior year at Kentucky Wesleyan, Sanders averaged 10.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and since graduating from college, he has been playing in the CBA with Gary Steelheads. Prior to his time at Kentucky Wesleyan, Sanders was at Brevard Community College.

"Marshall is an athletic post player," said Leopards' Head Coach Mike Taylor. "He is an outstanding rebounder, a physical defender and he's the kind of athlete who improves our team immediately because he has the tools to become a big time player."

Randy Webster is a 6'5" perimeter player from Anguilla in the Caribbean, who holds British citizenship. He joins the Leopards from Long Island University.

"Randy is a nice addition to our team," said Coach Taylor. "I think he will help us a lot with his versatility and physical play."

Diggs and Trahan leave the Leopards with the best wishes of everyone at the club for the future.

"I was really pleased with what Trevor Diggs was able to bring to the table," explained Taylor. "But we needed to address our rebounding and our ability to defend. We were a very good perimeter shooting team and yet were unable to establish a post presence, aside from Dave Fisher, but we think that making these moves helps us in those areas."

Leopards' Co-owner Annie-T Simons added, "It's sad to see Trevor and Taron go. Trevor did a particularly good job for us, but we needed to release one of our Americans to bring Marshall in and we need a player with his skills."

Sanders and Webster are expected to make their Leopards' debuts on Saturday, at Leicester Riders (tip-off 7.30pm), although Leopards' home crowd will catch their first glimpse on Sunday, when Birmingham Bullets visit the Brentwood Centre (tip-off 5.00pm).

22/11/2002
Leak set for Bullets return

Leicester Riders will be close to full strength against Birmingham Bullets on Saturday, barring any last minute setbacks to Malcolm Leak.

Leak has already missed three games because of an elbow injury, but has come through two practice sessions and looks set to return to the Riders line-up this weekend.

"Assuming nothing happens in our last practice session on Friday, Malcolm will play tomorrow," said Coach Billy Mims. "He's only at about 75% at the moment, so how much of an impact he'll have I can't say, but he's come through the last two practice sessions and says he's feeling better.

"Whether he can play two games in two days is another question - I don't know if he'll be OK for Chester on Sunday."

19/11/2002
Riders snap up Johnson

Billy Mims has made a change to his Leicester Riders squad with the addition of forward Donnie Johnson. The 6'7" American almost joined the squad last summer, but now will make his debut this weekend. In a related move Riders released Jamal Faulkner from their roster.

Johnson made his name in the BBL with spells at London Towers and Newcastle Eagles after leaving the Utah State University in 1999.

"There are three reasons behind the change," explained Mims. "Firstly, our chemistry has not been right since the pre-season trip to Sweden, I hoped it would get better but it hasn't. Secondly we've not been athletic enough this season, we've got some big guys, but our athleticism inside has not been good enough. And finally our transition, both offence and defence, has been poor - in the game against Brighton they just ran right past us.

"Donnie fits the bill in all three categories. Bryan Balser and Malcolm Leak played with him at Towers and both speak highly of him on and off the court, plus he's got the foot speed and athleticism to help us get down the floor and hopefully finish some fast breaks with a bit of flair."

The 27-year-old joined the Towers in 1999 and helped them to the Southern Conference and BBL Trophy double. The following season he moved north to Newcastle, where he again helped his team to the Trophy Final.

During the 2000/01 season Johnson was the only player in the BBL to average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, whilst ranking amongst the league's best in rebounding, scoring, steals and three point shooting.

"The other thing I like about Donnie is he is exciting to watch," continued Mims. "I want to entertain the fans when we play and Donnie's dunking ability is certainly entertaining. I don't think we've dunked the ball this season, but Donnie is a high-flyer and I'm expecting plenty from him.

"He's the sort of guy that can spark things with a big dunk or a big block and we've definitely been lacking that for the past couple of seasons since the departure of Purnell Perry."

Johnson will debut for the Riders this Saturday when they play host to local rivals Birmingham Bullets at Loughborough University (7.30) in a critical BBL Championship clash. That's the start of a double-header weekend as Riders go to Chester Jets on Sunday (5.30).

The Donnie Johnson File
Born: 3 August 1975 in Alabama
Uni: Utah State
Honours: Southern Conference Winner - 1999-2000; BBL Trophy Winner - 1999-2000; Runner-up - 2000-01; All Star Game - 2000-01; 1999-2000
Clubs: Newcastle Eagles (00-01); London Towers (99-00)
Debut: 18 September 1999 for London Towers v Milton Keynes
BBL Career PPG: 17.87
2000-01 Stats: 2nd in BBL in rebounding (11.00); 3rd in defensive rebounds (7.31); 7th in offensive rebounds (3.69); 12th in steals (1.97); 13th in scoring (20.00); 17th in 3-point shooting (39.32%)

17/11/2002
BBL back on Sky Sports

The British Basketball League (BBL) and Sky Sports announced today that British basketball will be returning to Sky.

A new weekly magazine programme, featuring all the best action from the BBL Championship and BBL Trophy, will start in the New Year.

The show, entitled "Hoops", will be scheduled every Tuesday evening at 6.30pm on Sky Sports 2, starting 7th January 2003, and will focus on one main game each week, providing extended highlights from that fixture.

There will also be brief highlights from other games taking place in the week leading up to the show, plus lifestyle features on the players and coaches from around the BBL, looking ahead to the main game in the next week's show.

BBL Chairman, Vince Macaulay, enthused: "As Chairman, I am sure I speak for all clubs and lovers of basketball in that I am delighted we can see the Premier League of Basketball on Sky Sports, it will really spread the word up and down the country about the growth of the game, the blend of foreign stars and up and coming young Brits too - I can't wait."

The renewal of the relationship between the BBL and Sky means that Sky Sports will be the place for sports fans to catch up on the exciting world of British hoops, as the 2002/03 season hots up. Sky Sports also screens weekly matches from the NBA - on Saturday mornings on Sky Sports Extra - and will screen selected live NBA matches on Sunday evenings from the New Year.

Kevin Cadle, Sky Sports presenter and the most successful coach in the history of the English game, said: "If you want to see basketball, domestic or NBA, you now know exactly where to watch it. I'm glad the domestic game will have a presence on Sky Sports and we can help to showcase a growing game in prime-time to millions of homes."

A schedule of the featured British Basketball League games will be released nearer the launch date.

15/11/2002
More injury woe - one out, one doubtful

Leicester Riders miserable run of injury woe shows no sign of stopping as Malcolm Leak is ruled out of Saturday's game after a reoccurrence of his elbow problem. Jamal Faulkner is rated only "50-50" for the Sheffield clash with a similar problem.

Leak damaged ligaments in his shooting elbow which caused him to miss two games before returning to the side against Milton Keynes last week, but he has re-aggravated the injury in practice this week.

"Our physio, Jonathan Lloyd-Paine of Leicester Sports Medicine Clinic, took a look at Malcolm's elbow and he's not happy with the progress," said Coach Billy Mims. "The swelling has come back up and Jonathan said he must rest for 7 to 14 days - no practice, no games, nothing. That rules him out for the Sheffield game and to be honest he looks doubtful for Birmingham and Chester next weekend.

"He's going to have complete rest and physio and we'll see how things are going next week. To use Jonathan's words were taking one step forward and three back at the moment."

Faulkner was ruled out of the Milton Keynes games last weekend with an injury to the ligament which connects the tricep to the elbow in his shooting arm.

"Jamal has tried to practice, but when he shoots or does anything with that arm, he clutches his elbow in pain right afterwards," Mims continued. "With Malcolm out, Jamal will probably try and play but I don't think he'll be able to give us much. One knock and that could be him out for the game.

"It's tough right now for us. We've had three starters miss games already in this young season, plus Bryan Balser and Karl Brown have been out at times as well."

Riders have been shorthanded in five of their eight outings so far this season, with the Sheffield game set to make it twice as many games without players than with.

"I'm looking at starting Bryan alongside Antoine Sims and Kenya Capers in the backcourt and he's been doing a great job for us covering for the injuries so hopefully he'll continue to do so. Inside I'll go with either Guy Renton or Dave Passmore alongside Mo.

"On a positive note, this serious spate of injuries is a great opportunity for guys like that to get big minutes and that might help us later in the season. Guy will be hungry against his old team, he knows Sheffield and has a bit more experience than Dave so I'll probably start him, but both will get minutes.

"It's tough to play Sheffield at full strength, but with one and probably two starters missing it's a mammoth task for us. We'll just go out there and give it all we have. We played them hard up in Sheffield without Mo and pushed them close until the last couple of minutes and we'll play them hard down at our place without Malcolm and possibly Jamal."

06/11/2002
Leak on the mend and could play Lions

Malcolm Leak could be back in a Riders shirt by the weekend, after fears he might have been sidelined for up to six weeks have been quashed.

The slow reduction in the swelling on his injured elbow, led the Riders' Doctor to fear the forward could well have suffered a hairline fraction as well as the ligament damage suffered.

But X-rays have shown this not to be the case, giving Riders inspirational capatin a reasonable chance of being fit for the visit of Milton Keynes to Loughborough on Saturday.

"Thankfully the X-rays showed up nothing," said Coach Billy Mims. "Malcolm says it is starting to feel better, but there is still some swelling and we're not sure if he will be fit for the weekend. His chances are better now though, than they were yesterday."

Leak missed both games last weekend and his abcence would again hinder the Riders against a Lions side bouyed by their recent win at Chester Jets.

04/11/2002
Mo shortlisted for October prize

Maurice Robinson is one of five players shortlisted for the BBL Player of the Month award for October. The Riders forward has had a great first month for the club. Five players have been listed based on their statistical performances in all competitions over the month.

Mo averaged 23.50 points, 7.75 rebounds, whilst having the best shooting statistics in the BBL. He netted 42-for-58 from the floor - a staggering 72.41% which is 15% better than his four Player of the Month rivals.

Niki Arinze of Newcastle topped the stats rating with an average 25.60 points and 12.20 rebounds per game with Towers' Kendrick Warren (21.86, 8.57) second. Robinson was listed third ahead of Ted Berry of Scottish Rocks and Jerry Williams of Sheffield.

In the coach's category Nick Nurse had the only undefeated record in October and is shortlisted alongside Newcastle's Fab Flournoy (4-1) and Sheffield's Chris Finch (5-2).