The Kent Crusaders are looking for their three game winning streak to continue at home against the Leicester Warriors this Saturday in their last home game before Christmas. After beating then-undefeated NEWI and bottom teams University of Birmingham and Team Northumbria Crusaders are hoping to advance in the table with a win against fourth place Leicester.
GAME INFORMATION

Sat. Dec. 6 v. Leicester Warriors (Body & Mind, Canterbury High School) – 7.30pm

BROADCAST INFO
Live web gamecast: http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches/1228/00/23/99/30bjnyJdbWhg2/

SCOUTING LEICESTER

Leicester have won five and lost only two games this season, good enough for fourth place in the league. They started out with a loss to NEWI before winning four straight until the long trip to Plymouth Raiders undid them at the end of November. Last weekend they took a one point win at home against Northampton.

The 2008-09 season saw a whole new team for the Warriors. They have signed a young new line up with up and coming players from Leicester, including top scorer Ramiah O’Neal and other young players like Munroe, Salisbury and Weaver. Warriors are coached by ex-England team player and Georgia Tech (NCAA Division 1) player Karl Brown.

The Warriors are an explosive scoring unit, led by O’Neal who has logged three games with more than 28 points over the season. O’Neal is capable of doing his damage in the key as well as from the three point line, and he will surely be the focus of the Crusaders defence.

In the key they are anchored by big man Steve McGlothin, who has given Crusaders fits with his size on several occasions.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Crusaders have played Leicester five times, with Crusaders winning two. Last season the first meeting was in the Patrons Cup where Leicester came out two points winners in a closely fought contest. In the first game of Crusaders’ Division 2 campaign Leicester again spoiled the party, as they came away 11 point winners in Canterbury behind big man Steve McGlothin.

In the reverse contest Crusaders got their revenge, though. Crusaders took a 73-70 lead into the final minute. Leicester’s Thomas again took it inside, got fouled, but only made one of two, and Crusader’s James Harris could sink two foul shots to bring Crusaders to 75-71. Leicester came right back, as Fowler hit a tough three pointer with 20 seconds to go, getting the home crowd on it’s feet.

Crusaders’ Steve Findley now threw a long pass to Crusaders captain Pete Ayling, who completely lost his defender and was able to run the length of the court before being taken down by a hard unsportsmanlike foul as he shot the ball. The captain missed two free throws, but because of the unsportsmanlike foul the Crusaders got the ball back, and set up a play to inbound the ball with six seconds to go. The ball was inbounded to Sam Betts, who got fouled with 1.3 seconds to go. Betts missed the first shot, but made the second, and Leicester’s last second heave was nowhere near the basket, and Crusaders escaped with a narrow two point win, 74-72.