Plymouth too strong for Tigers

Plymouth Raiders kept their grip on fourth position in the BBL Championship table as they came-from-behind to defeat the Mersey Tigers at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park on Friday evening. 

Both sides traded baskets for the majority of the opening period, but it was the visitors who made the first break of the game as they ended the quarter with a 9-2 burst to lead 15-23.

In the second period however the Tigers got themselves right back into the contest with a 13-2 tear to take the score out to 36-28 midway through the quarter.  The home side kept their noses in front for the remainder of the half as they headed into the locker rooms leading 40-32 at the half.

In the second half a Devan Bailey three-pointer sparked a 7-1 tear for the Tigers to take the score out to 59-48 with three minutes left in the third quarter, but the Raiders bagged the final five points of the quarter to trim the deficit to six points at 59-53 heading into the final stanza.

In the final stanza the Raiders came out strongly at the start and took the lead at 61-64 off the back of an 11-1 burst.  The Tigers got themselves back to within a point at 65-66 thanks to a three-pointer from Antonio Bustamante, but that was as close as the home side would get for the remainder of the contest as the visitors ran off a 10-0 burst to take the score out to 70-83 and they held on for the all-important victory.

Jeremy Bell led all scoring in the game with 24 points in the win for the Raiders, while Matthew Otten led the scoring for the Tigers with 21 points personal.