Leopards moved into the play-off zone on Sunday afternoon as a strong third period helped them to a 91-79 victory against Bradford Dragons at the Brentwood Centre. After the comeback heroics of the previous day, it was saw a more controlled performance from Leopards as another good night from outside the three-point line – hitting 16 of their 44 efforts – saw them collect their seventh win of the campaign..
Asante Sandiford led the way with 20 points, ten assists and seven rebounds, while Luke Mascall-Wright also added 20 points, adding four assists and three boards. Captain Sam Newman finished with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals while Lee Hodges had 16 points and six boards.
After a slow start from both teams that saw only eight points in the first five minutes – Leopards only troubling the scorer through Newman’s triple to open the game, it was nip and tuck throughout the opening period as Dragons led 14-13 at the first break..
Four Hodges points opened the second period for Leopards before Andre Lavinier hit his customary trey before Rory Winter also drained from downtown to put the hosts 29-25 ahead with three minutes remaining in the half. Six unanswered points late in the second quarter helped give the Big Cats a 36-29 lead before three-from-four foul shooting by the visitors made it a four point game going into the locker room. .
Dragons came out of the break firing with Ricky Fetske hitting five points in a 7-0 run before Sandiford broke the tear with a pair from the foul line.
The key spell came as Mascal-Wright, Newman and Sandiford all drained a pair of treys the Big Cats took a lead e they would never lose and Sandiford’s put-back sent them into the final break 63-56 ahead.
Hodges and Chuck Duru kept the home side ahead at the start of the fourth period and Findley Wood also got into the action from downtown.
Newman sunk his fifth and final trey of the night and closest the visitors came was seven points on the back of another 7-0 Fetske run, but Mascall-Wright replied with ten straight Leopards’ points to wrap up the win.
Rihard Sulcs led the Dragons with 24 points, ten rebounds and seven assists, while Fetske also had a double-double with 19 points and a massive 20 rebounds as the visitors won the battle of the boards 47-37 Ali Fullah finished with points.

2013 – Leopards lose in Reading