Riders crush Eagles to win SLB Championship game

Leicester Riders beat Newcastle Eagles to win their seventh play-off final

Leicester Riders dominated Newcastle Eagles to win the Super League Basketball Championship final by 31 points at the O2 Arena in London.

The Riders side eased to a 105-74 victory and drew level with their opponents as the league's two most successful ever teams.

Zach Johnson and Jaylin Hunter scored 23 points each as the Riders completely took the game away from the Eagles in the second half.

Hunter, named the final's Most Valuable Player, scored the free throw that broke through the 100-point mark with over three minutes left to play.

Leicester have now won seven play-off finals, all under head coach Rob Paternostro, having finished this season second in the league.

Zach Johnson was Leicester Riders joint-top scorer with 23 points

Newcastle came into the game hunting their second trophy of the season, having won their eighth SLB Trophy in January.

Last month, they were runners-up in the European North Basketball League but fell just short in their attempt to add a first European title to their domestic successes.

Marc Steutel's side finished the league season fifth in the table, 18 points behind the Riders, and beat last season's champions London Lions in the semi-finals.

The Riders overturned a 10-point semi-final, first-leg deficit to beat Sheffield Sharks by 20 points in the return to book their spot in London.

The final would prove much smoother for Paternostro's side.

With the Eagles briefly leading in the opening minute, the Riders took control and built a commanding 12-point lead in the opening quarter.

By the end of the third quarter that lead had been extended to 20 as the Riders took full control, and they scored 30 points in a clinical 10-minute period as they cruised to victory in the packed O2 for their first championship win for three years.