Five different teams are represented in the latest All-Star 5 after an intense weekend of BBL Championship action, led by a debut for big man Hasahn French after a huge win for Newcastle Eagles as they split a weekend double-header with Leicester Riders.
Hasahn French – Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle picked up a first win in six games by knocking off old rivals Leicester Riders at the Vertu Motors Arena on Friday night, leading to a first All-Star 5 appearance for big man Hasahn French. He stuffed the stat sheet with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, adding five assists, four blocks and three steals, and epitomised in the 23-13 fourth quarter that won the game as he had five points, four boards, two steals, an assist and a block in those ten minutes, including the dunk that sparked the decisive 10-0 burst late on.
Sam Dekker – London Lions
It’s 17 straight wins for the league-leading London Lions after they recorded their biggest victory of the season on the road at Plymouth City Patriots, with captain Sam Dekker moving into joint-second for overall All-Star 5 appearances as he makes his fifth following a sensational performance in limited court time. In just 16 minutes, he put up 18 points on 4-7 (57%) three-point shooting, with eight assists, two rebounds and two steals, including an ‘alley-oop’ dunk to open the game before 11 in the last five minutes of the half as Lions established a big lead.
Mike Miller – Bristol Flyers
Bristol scored a big road win at Cheshire Phoenix on Sunday to take the head-to-head between the teams, with captain Mike Miller making his third All-Star 5 showing of the campaign but first for a couple of months. The American guard was eyeing up a triple-double with a team-high 20 points on 6-10 (60%) shooting and 7-8 (87%) from the free-throw line, with eight assists and six rebounds, including two scores inside the final minute to separate the teams in a one-point game among nine points he scored in the fourth period.
Sa’eed Nelson – B. Braun Sheffield Sharks
It’s three straight BBL Championship wins for seventh-placed Sheffield as they beat fourth-placed Caledonia Gladiators at Ponds Forge on Friday night, with guard Sa’eed Nelson making a third All-Star 5 appearance and a second in three weeks. He finished with 19 points and was a handful for the visitors all night as he made all eight of his free-throws, along with eight rebounds and six assists, including six first quarter points as Sharks got off to a 25-12 start and were in front from tip to buzzer, before seven points in three third quarter minutes as the lead went through 20.
Patrick Tapé – Caledonia Gladiators
Gladiators bounced back from three straight defeats with a crucial home win over Manchester Giants – currently level with them for fourth place in the table – at Emirates Arena on Sunday, with a fourth All-Star 5 appearance for Patrick Tapé, all in the last eight weeks, sending him joint-fourth overall. In under 20 minutes of play he posted a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, missing just once in shooting 5-6 (83%) from the field, including four points and four boards in the first five minutes as part of a 10-3 run that established an early lead that they held throughout.
Off the bench: Amorie Archibald (Cheshire Phoenix), Anthony Roberson (Manchester Giants), Kyle Johnson (Newcastle Eagles), Dirk Williams (Manchester Giants), Jalon Pipkins (B. Braun Sheffield Sharks), Darien Nelson-Henry (Leicester Riders), Marcus Evans (Cheshire Phoenix).
