2017 – LEOPARDS MAKE IT FIVE IN A ROW

Essex Leopards’ scoring spree continued as they hammered London Westside 104-64 at the Brentwood Centre, on Sunday .
It was the third straight home game the Big Cats had reached double figures, and they have poured in a massive 350 points during those three games .Since their defeat against Nottingham Hoods in the opening Patrons Cup game, Thomas Baker’s side have chalked up five straight victories and are now one of only two undefeated sides in Division Two .
Recent signing John Shodipo led the way for the Big Cats with 16 points, seven assists, six steals and three minutes in just 17 minutes of action . Captain Dougie Bennett also finished with 16 points, while Will Ashby added 15 points. Jamie Hayes had seven rebounds to go with his 13 points while youngster Wes Moore had 11 points in under 14 minutes, converting all four of his field goal attempts .
Danail Hristov scored the visitors’ first four points, split by a Shodipo basket before Hayes launched – and scored six points in – a 14-0 run which gave the Leopards a lead they never came close to losing .
A trey from Phillip Lartey cut the hosts’ lead to 16-9 but the Big Cats closed out the period on a 15-5 run, with Moore beating the buzzer to add to an earlier three as his side went into the first break 31-14 ahead .
Shodipo opened the second period, and with Hayes and Ashby draining from downtown as Leopards outscored the London 18-5 during the first six minutes to effectively end the game as a contest at 49-19 , and they closed out the half on a 7-0 run to lead 58-27 at half-time .
Coach Baker used the second half to give his bench players plenty of court time, with all 11 used players playing at least 11 minutes playing time and scoring at least four points .
It was a slow start from the hosts, with only a solitary Shodipo basket troubling the scorers during the first four minutes but back-to-back Ashby baskets followed by a Bennett trey got things moving again .
Moore hit second five point burst of the game to help Leopards going into the final break 80-43 ahead on the back of a 9-0 run.
Treys from Korry Callum, Jordan George and Bennett kept the Brentwood crowd entertained, and it was a Shodipo free-throw which brought up the century before Bennett wrapped things up from the Land of Plenty.