Coupeville Sports

Coupeville’s Makana Stone pulled in a game-high nine rebounds Sunday in Women’s British Basketball League action. (Photo property Leicester Riders)

The fourth quarter stung.

After controlling the game for the first 30 minutes Sunday, the Leicester Riders couldn’t get a shot to drop in the final frame and fell 83-67 to the visiting Sheffield Hatters.

The Women’s British Basketball League loss, which came despite a solid performance from Coupeville grad Makana Stone, knocks the Riders down to 11-6 in conference play, 15-8 overall.

Sunday’s tilt was a matchup between the #3 and #4 teams in the 13-team WBBL, with #4 jumping out to a 25-17 lead after one quarter of play.

Sheffield chipped away at the deficit, but Leicester still clung to a 41-35 lead at the half, then a 59-55 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately for the Riders, that was where their shooting touch abandoned them, allowing the Hatters to close on a 28-8 surge to claim the come-from-behind victory.

Stone, playing a hair under 33 minutes after starting, filled the stat sheet up with seven points, a game-high nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a blocked shot.

Brooklyn Mcalear paced the Riders with 14 points, while Sheffield offered up the wham-bam combo of Georgia Gayle and Ebony Horton, who went off for 21 and 20, respectively.

As her first season of pro basketball unwinds, Stone has racked up 182 points, 135 rebounds, 30 assists, 21 steals, and two blocks.

Leicester returns to action next Sunday, Apr. 3, when it squares off with the Essex Rebels.

The Riders have six regular season games remaining on the schedule, with the top eight WBBL teams advancing to the playoffs after that.

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Makana Stone banked home 11 points Saturday in England. (Photo property Leicester Riders)

Any given day, it seems.

Based on records alone, Saturday’s Women’s British Basketball League matchup between the Leicester Riders and Durham Palatinates should have been a blowout.

Just not in the way it ended up being.

Stung by being on the wrong side of a game-closing 18-3 run, Leicester — which entered the day in fourth place in the 13-team league — fell 85-70 to Durham, which started play mired in 10th place.

The loss, which came despite a strong game from Coupeville’s Makana Stone — who tossed in 11 points and snatched four rebounds — drops the Riders to 11-5 in league play, 15-7 overall.

Durham, fighting to make the final eight and earn a playoff berth, rises to 5-10.

The game started in favor of Leicester, which built a 21-14 lead by the first break, then things began to unravel a bit.

The Palatinates cut the margin to 39-34 by halftime, before using a 27-17 surge in the third quarter to claim the lead at 61-56.

Leicester fought back, with Stone twice scoring in the fourth quarter to pull her squad back within a point.

With the game knotted at 67-67 with just three and a half minutes to play, it was time for one team to step up and claim victory.

On this day, that was Durham, as Leicester bounced eight of its final nine shots off the rim.

Hannah Robb finally stopped the torment, knocking down a three-ball with 38 ticks on the clock, but, by that time, the Riders trailed 80-70 and time had run out on their victory bid.

Stone, who scored in all four quarters Saturday, added an assist and her first professional blocked shot to her 11 points and four rebounds, while Alison Lewis popped for 15 points to pace Leicester.

Durham ace Goretti Hurtado Barbeito topped all scorers, rattling the rims for 25.

In her first pro season Stone has racked up 175 points, 126 rebounds, 28 assists, and 19 steals.

Leicester returns to action Mar. 27 when it faces off with the Sheffield Hatters.

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Makana Stone and her British pro hoops team won Sunday, capping a 2-0 weekend. (Photo property Leicester Riders)

Call it a sweet sweep.

Polishing off a two-win weekend, Coupeville’s Makana Stone and her pro hoops team sailed to a second-straight victory over the same team.

Playing just as effectively Sunday as it did Saturday, the Leicester Riders topped the Oaklands Wolves 82-41 in Women’s British Basketball League action.

With the victory, which came on the heels of an 83-47 triumph over Oaklands a day earlier, the Riders rise to 11-4 in WBBL play, 15-6 overall.

Leicester sits comfortably in fourth place in the 13-team league.

Stone and Co. basically offered up a repeat beatdown, once again building a first half lead, then blitzing the Wolves after the halftime break.

A 17-12 advantage after one quarter turned into a 39-25 bulge by the half, then a towering 63-32 lead heading into the fourth.

Leicester had balanced scoring, led by 21 points from Hannah Robb, and was able to limit playing time for starters such as Stone.

The CHS grad finished with five points, nailing a rare three-ball, while snatching four rebounds and handing out three assists.

On the season Stone has racked up 164 points, 122 boards, 27 assists, and 19 steals.

Leicester returns to action Mar. 19, when it faces off with the Durham Palatinates, who sit at 4-10 in WBBL play.

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