18/12/2002
BBC Radio Leicester to broadcast Leopards game

BBC Radio Leicester are to broadcast full commentary live from the Brentwood Centre over the internet as Riders face DG Essex Leopards in a vital BBL Championship match.

Radio Leicester will be taking live inserts into their Sportstime Special show which will feature commentary from Leicester City's trip to Brighton and Hove Albion, whilst full commentary of the Leopards-Riders game will come via their website.

13/12/2002
Sims could miss Jets clash

Antoine Sims, who missed Wednesday's trip to Milton Keynes Lions, is also a real doubt for Leicester Riders trip to Chester Jets on Sunday.

Sims picked up a thigh injury during the Thames Valley game last weekend and is still stuggling with the knock.

"He's practised the last two days, but only shooting," said Coach Billy Mims. "He's not been able to do any running at all and he still has swelling just above the knee. It's touch and go right now for Chester, we'll see how it looks on Sunday."

12/12/2002
Christmas Basketball Bonanza

The BBL clubs have banded together to offer their fans a Christmas bonus of 50% off entry to games over the festive period.

The 'Christmas Basketball Bonanza' will see half price entry to away games for all season ticket holders.

For Riders fans that means that the trips to the Brentwood Centre on Friday 20th December to face DG Essex Leopards Kool Kats, plus the games at Crystal Palace NSC on Saturday 21st December against Kinder London Towers and at Aston Events Centre on Saturday 28th December against Birmingham Bullets will be available to season ticket holders at a bargain 50% off.

Running from Friday 13th December to Friday 10th January (inclusive) season ticket holders around the country will be able to benefit from this discount to games at participating venues.

Riders' season ticket holders are urged to mark the 20th, 21st and 28th December in their diaries.

"We hope that all our season ticket holders will take advantage of this great offer," commented Riders' Head Coach Billy Mims.

"We have the greatest fans in British basketball and we always appreciate the great support they give us in Loughborough, but to hear their cheers on the road too could be just the boost this team needs!"

To take part of this promotion, fans need only turn up on the day armed with their club season tickets and get in for half-price.

11/12/2002
Burks in to boost backcourt

Former BBL Player of the Year Eric Burks has been drafted in by the Leicester Riders on a short-term contract to provide extra strength in the backcourt.

Burks, who won the top individual honour in British basketball in 1999, will be renewing his relationship with Billy Mims who first brought him to the BBL in 1996. Whilst together at the Leopards, the pair won back-to-back league titles and the National Cup during two highly successful seasons.

The 30-year-old guard is likely to be drafted straight into the starting line-up against one of his former teams, Milton Keynes Lions, tonight (7.30pm at Bletchley Leisure Centre) because of an injury to Antoine Sims.

"Antoine got a knee in the thigh on Sunday and is suffering from deep bruising to the thigh and some swelling just above the knee," said Mims. "The physio said he probably shouldn't play, but he's going to see how it feels come game time. Given the concern over Antoine, though, Eric may have to be thrown in at the deep end somewhat and start the game.

"But Eric knows my system well, so I think he should be OK. He's a great player and a superb person and we're just very lucky that he is available at such a critical time for us. I'm sure he'll have no problems fitting into the team."

Born in Atlanta, but now a British citizen, Burks has played for Thames Valley Tigers and London Towers as well as the Lions and Leopards in the BBL. He's averaged almost 18 points per game during his British career, before moving to Edimes Pavia, Italy in the summer.

Burks has received international clearance just in time to make his Riders' debut tonight.

10/12/2002
Rob Howard-Perkins remembered

Rob Howard-Perkins, the inimitable London Towers commentator, has died it was announced Tuesday. It was a second sad loss for basketball in only a couple of days following the equally untimely death of Joe White on Sunday.

Howard-Perkins association with the Towers began when they were based at London Docklands in 1989 and he became their matchnight commentator four years later. As well as Towers games, Rob has called games at BBL central events including the Championships at Wembley and Cup Finals at Sheffield.

Towers' Managing Director Rick Taylor commented, "Rob will be sadly missed, because he brought so much enthusiasm to his commentating and was such a superb supporter of British basketball.

"We were lucky enough to have Rob at our games for many years and we will particularly never forget his diligence on European game nights, when he would learn the language of the visiting team so as to welcome them in their own language. He would even phone the relevant embassy to make sure he pronounced every players name correctly - he was that kind of guy."

Rob began his association with the Towers in 1989, when current BBL Chairman Vince Macaulay introduced him to the Supporters' Club.

BBL Chairman Vince Macaulay said, "This is a very sad day to lose someone so in love with basketball. I was proud to bring Rob to the Towers in 1989 and I know it brought him so much joy. He will be sadly missed.

"I am sure I speak for everyone in the British basketball community in offering our sincere condolences to Rob's family and friends."

BBL Chief Executive Mike Smith added, "Rob was a very valued member of the British basketball community, who will be remembered with great fondness by everyone who knew him and even those who never met him but heard his commentaries.

"Despite his association with the Towers, Rob was also a stalwart supporter of all things involved with British basketball and the BBL was lucky enough to have his services at our central events. Even if he wasn't working, Rob was an ever present figure at the big games, showing his support."

Rob was always entertaining and professional on the mic and loved basketball. He followed the Towers with passion, but loved the game as a whole and will be sadly missed by all those who knew him. The Leicester Basketball Club would like to join the rest of the basketball community in offering our condolences to his family and friends.

The BBL will be observing a minute's silence at all this week's games as a mark of respect for Joe and Rob.

09/12/2002
In memory of Joe White

The Leicester Basketball Club would like to extend its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Joe White, who died after a long battle with cancer on Sunday.

White played and coached in the top flight, but it is for his junior development that he will be long remembered.

With Tony Garbelotto at London Towers, he oversaw a junior development programme which won 18 national titles in six years at all age groups from U13 to U23.

He also made Hackney's Hommerton House a powerhouse in schools basketball, winning 11 national titles in the last eight years at U14, U15 and U16 levels.

Prior to that he coached and played for London Towers as well as playing for Crystal Palace and Portsmouth after making his debut in 1977 for Embassy MK at the tender age of 14. He also represented England on four occasions and claimed the league title twice.

Ronnie and Stedroy Baker and Andrew Bailey are just a couple of the thousands of players who came through Joe's development programmes, which made him a leading light in the London basketball scene.

Joe was a giant of a man in every sense of the word and the basketball world is poorer for his loss.

04/12/2002
Winning is only cure says Mims

Leicester Riders' Head Coach Billy Mims has issued a rallying cry to his team, following a run of six straight defeats, urging his players to lift themselves and resurrect their season.

"We are in the middle of a losing streak and nobody would predict for us to win a game," said Mims. "We have an uphill battle in every game that we face until we can turn this thing around.

"I have told my guys that the only medicine for losing is winning! Right now, the bookmakers don't believe in us, the opposing coaches don't believe in us, the opposing players aren't scared of us, no one respects us and we are on a six-game losing streak. The only medicine for all those ills is to win.

"We can't worry about our opponents right now, we have to get our own house in order. It's not our opponents that are beating us right now, no offence to the two teams we face this week because they are both great, but we are beating ourselves."

"If I start thinking about them, then I'm going to get really scared, because at the end of the day, we have got really good opponents coming up."

Riders travel to Ponds Forge in Sheffield on Thursday to face Westfield Sharks Sheffield (tip-off 7.30pm), before welcoming Thames Valley Tigers to Loughborough on Sunday (tip-off 6.00pm).

Following a run of injuries, Riders hope to be at full strength for both games, but as Sharks and Tigers are both form teams (first and third in the BBL Championship table respectively), it will be a tough test for Mims and company.

04/12/2002
Marshall the driving force behind Riders

The Leicester Riders are excited to announce a tie-up with Leicester's top car dealership Marshall Vauxhall. The Riders players are delighted that company's sponsorship of the club includes supplying vehicles to the team.

"We're extremely happy to be joining the winning team at Marshall Vauxhall," said Coach Billy Mims. "Throughout my time in Leicester they have been backers of the city's most successful sporting side Leicester Tigers. We're delighted they value our team and the work we do throughout this community in the same light as that done by our professional sporting neighbours.

"Marshall will provide our team with transportation which is a key issue for us given the extensive community and school work across the county.

"At the moment we are involved in two extensive community projects. Several of our players are in Primary Schools across Leicestershire weekly for our Countywide Basketball Development campaign. Almost all of our first team players are involved in our highly successful Slam Dunk Smoking programme that takes place in every secondary school across the city, and five county schools as well. Without the dependable transportation afforded to our players by Marshall Vauxhall, these valuable community programmes would not be possible."

Marshall Vauxhall's logo appears on the Riders shorts and they also have advertising in the Riders matchday programme and courtside at all home games at Loughborough University.

"We feel their invaluable support of our team warrants a very visable sponsorship backing," said Mims."

Richard Lauriston, Dealer Principal of Marshall Vauxhall said, "We're really pleased to be supporting a local sports team with such an active role in the community. Riders do some excellent work in and around Leicestershire and we are delighted to be able to help them."