The latest All-Star 5 is led by Patrick Whelan’s sublime performance in front of the Sky Sports cameras at Morningside Arena on Friday night, joined by two Plymouth City Patriots and the new overall appearances leader for the season.
Patrick Whelan – Leicester Riders
Riders made it three straight wins by comprehensively avenging two previous defeats to Caledonia Gladiators live on Sky Sports, as Great Britain international guard Patrick Whelan produced a sensational double-double to make his second All-Star 5 appearance of the season. He poured in 25 points on just 8-10 (80%) shooting, knocking down all five of his three-point attempts, with 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals, including 11 points and a trio of threes inside the last four minutes of the third quarter as the hosts sent the lead through 20 and were comfortable to the end.
Isa Brandon – Plymouth City Patriots
Patriots are another form team, with four wins in the last five and a winning double-header over the weekend, as British guard Isa Brandon is the only debutant in this week’s team after his perfect shooting display in Sunday’s win over Surrey Scorchers. He went 6-6 from the field and 2-2 at the free-throw line for his 16 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists in what was a close game throughout. He did most of his scoring in the first half but crucially, after Scorchers had got back to within two inside the last three minutes, he grabbed an offensive rebound and a score to keep it a two-possession game down the stretch.
Jeremiah Bailey – Caledonia Gladiators
Gladiators also have four wins in their last five games after a huge fourth quarter comeback saw them past Newcastle Eagles at the Emirates Arena, with American forward Jeremiah Bailey proving to be the difference as he becomes the first player to make a fourth All-Star 5 showing of the season. He finished with 28 points on 9-14 (64%) interior shooting, with nine rebounds and two assists, including nine points to keep Gladiators in touch in the third quarter, and while he didn’t score in the decisive 15-0 fourth quarter run he did lots of other work in that spell including grabbing an offensive board that led to a momentum-swinging ‘and-one’ play for Jordan Burns.
Antonio Williams – Plymouth City Patriots
Another big performance from Plymouth’s win over Surrey came from American guard Antonio Williams, as his double-double results in a second All-Star 5 showing of the campaign as Patriots improved to 7-6 and climbed to fourth in the BBL Championship. He scored 11 points and handed out a season-high 12 assists, with four rebounds, three blocks and two steals as he did his work at both ends of the floor. That included seven points, two assists and two steals in the fourth quarter, and 4-4 from the free-throw line inside the final minute, as the teams traded blows in a close exchange.
Malcolm Delpeche – Bristol Flyers
Bristol remain second in the table at 9-4 after beating Surrey on Friday, leading to Malcolm Delpeche gaining weekly honours for the second time this season as he put up a big double-double. The league’s leading offensive rebounder had 15 points and 12 boards, 10 of which were at the offensive end, along with two assists and two blocks. Separated by one shot at the half, Flyers got up double-figures in the third as he scored seven points in that spell, with four rebounds and two blocks, as four of those points came off his own offensive boards during the key run that pushed it beyond a one possession game.
Off the bench: Darius Defoe (Newcastle Eagles), Thomas Bell (Bristol Flyers), Shakem Johnson (Surrey Scorchers), Fraser Malcolm (Caledonia Gladiators), Kosta Koufos (London Lions), Ryan Martin (Surrey Scorchers), Marcus Delpeche (B. Braun Sheffield Sharks).
