Leeds, Sheffield Saints to Meet in Div 3 Playoff Final
The top two sides in Division Three North will meet in the
Playoff final at Moorways on Saturday with Yorkshire pride
at stake.
Leeds Carnegie made it two league titles in as many seasons
as they won the northern section with a 17-3 record, while
City of Sheffield Saints finished second with 16 wins from
20 games.
Sheffield defeated London Towers 100-92 at home in the quarter-finals
before winning 77-53 at neighbours Sheffield Sabres.
Meanwhile, Leeds hammered West Herts Warriors 75-56 in a repeat
of last season’s National Shield final before a thrilling
63-61 victory against London Met University.
Having faced the Saints five times already in the past two
years, the head coach of Carnegie Matt Newby, is looking to
push his team’s record to 4-2 over the Saints.
"Having played the Saints five times previously, we know
that they will be coming at us with everything they have.
With their wealth of experience and a deep bench, the Saints
will present us with a great challenge."
The sentiment is shared by his team captain Ben Lesenski,
who has played in each of the five previous match ups, "Each
time we have stepped on court with them it has been a battle.
I know that if we don’t come out ready to play hard
they will take advantage of it. I am confident that if we
play our game and match their intensity we will give ourselves
every opportunity to win the game," he said.
This has been a very exciting year for the Leeds Carnegie
Basketball Men’s programme. The Carnegie Men are coming
into their Division 3 finals with an outstanding record of
17-3 in Division 3, while maintaining a 10 – 0 BUSA
regular season and finishing 3rd in the BUSA championship.
The sides met twice in league games during the regular season,
with the away team winning tight encounters on each occasion.
Thirty points from Dan McSweeney proved to be the difference
between the teams when they met at All Saints School in November
as Carnegie won 81-76. Leeds led 19-11 at the first break
and were still seven ahead at half-time. Saints narrowed the
gap to 58-56 at the final break before the visitors pulled
away again in the fourth period.
Led by 29 points from Kingsley Ellmer, Saints gained revenge
with a 77-76 victory in February. Two contrasting periods
in the first half saw Leeds 27-18 ahead at the first break
before being outscored 21-10 in the second quarter to send
Saints into the locker room with a two point advantage. Leeds,
who were led by 15 Harris points, were 57-56 ahead at the
final break before being outscored 21-19 in the fourth to
give Saints the victory.
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