Leopards go into game buoyed by huge victory (From Echo)

Leopards go into game buoyed by huge victory

12:28pm Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Basketball By Chris Phillips

LEOPARDS go into Sunday’s National Cup final on the back of a highly successful weekend which saw them extend their winning run to six games.

The Big Cats hammered second placed Worthing Thunder 89-52 on their own court on Saturday before strolling to a 103-70 home win against Tees Valley Mohawks the following day.

Vernon Teel put the Leopards 4-3 ahead with just over three minutes gone at Worthing, and they never trailed again, but it was a 12-2 run at the start of the second half which did most of the damage for Leopards as they recorded their first ever away win against the Thunder.

Dave Buchberger had his best game as a Leopard, scoring four three-pointers on the way to a 19 point, eight rebound double-double.

Teel led the Big Cats’ scoring with 21 points and nine board, with Ousman Krubally adding a 15 point, 10 rebound double-double.

The following day saw Leopards chalk up their eighth win in nine games as Mohawks were hammered in front of another large crowd.

The game was effectively over by the end of the first period as Leopards closed it out on a 15-4 run to lead 29-11.

Coach Dejan Mihevc was able to run his bench from the start of the second quarter, giving 11 of his 12 players double-digit court time.

Shooting guard John Lister was in scintillating form, hitting seven three points and finishing with 12/14 shooting as he poured in a season-high 31 points in just 18 minutes.

Zak Wells added a 14 point and 11 rebound double-double, with Buchberger finishing with 13 points.

Krubally and Teel each finished with 10 points in under 17 minutes, with the former adding nine rebounds and the latter an incredible 11 assists.

Leopards clash with division one leaders Bristol Academy Flyers in Sunday’s cup final will be their second appearance in the showpiece event in eight years and they will look to repeat their success of 2005/6 when they defeated Reading rockets 75-71.

Flyers pipped Leopards to the league title last year, although the Big Cats did have the consolation of hammering them on their own court in the National Trophy quarter-final.

The sides met at Brentwood in late November and the Big Cats ended Flyers’ unbeaten start to the league season with a 91-87 victory.