Report: Bristol Flyers Women 63-51 Leicester Riders II

The game itself saw a slow start, but with Flyers doing well to draw fouls, Becks Cantin picked up a lot of points in the low post and the team made their height advantage over the Riders count, they led at the end of the first quarter 14-3.

Leicester’s Ugne Prancuiyle and Molly James ended a long cold streak in the second, but in response Megan Stroud and Mai Zilbeti gave the Flyers their first double-digit lead of the game. Further baskets from Aayana Fedd and Cantin saw them finish the first half ahead by double digits, 28-16.

The third quarter opened with three pointers on both ends, and proved to be more bad tempered and fluid than the first half. Riders cut the deficit down to five on two occasions, but both times the Flyers reasserted their lead and led 42-33 ahead of the final quarter.

Hannah Wallace opened the scoring in the fourth, but Lauren Dabbs – a thorn in the Flyers’ side throughout the game – kept finding the basket. However, the Flyers stuck to their game plan and soon Stroud had given them back their double-digit lead. 

Zilbeti provided a spark for the Flyers off the bench, finishing as the top scorer with 16, and Michelle Tattersall picked up some late points to put the final result beyond doubt.

The Flyers will next be in action at WISE on Sunday, October 20th against the Reading Rockets – after being denied a playoff final place by Reading last season, they will be wanting payback this time out.

Written by Jack Ford. Jack has been volunteering with Bristol Flyers writing game reports on Flyers Women for the website and game day programme.