Makana Stone scored her 200th point as a professional basketball player Saturday in England. (Photo property Leicester Riders)
It’s the taste of victory once again.
Sparked by their American assassin, the Leicester Riders snapped a three-game losing streak Saturday, shredding the Nottingham Wildcats 91-78.
With Coupeville grad Makana Stone knocking down 11 points and snagging six rebounds, the Riders solidified their hold on fourth place in the 13-team Women’s British Basketball League.
Leicester is 12-7 in league play, 16-9 overall, with another game coming up fast, as the Riders play Tuesday against the Newcastle Eagles.
The Riders entered play Saturday needing a bounce-back after a string of close losses, and they got it.
Stone and Co. zipped out to a 19-16 lead after one quarter of play, then stretched their advantage to 45-35 heading into the halftime break.
Nottingham proved pesky, however, slicing the lead back down to 64-61 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Riders responded in style, never relinquishing the lead and stretching it back out to double-digits by game’s end.
Stone added two assists and a blocked shot to the stat sheet, while teammates Oceana Hamilton and Hannah Robb led the scoring attack with 22 and 21 points, respectively.
Nottingham gunner Brooklyn Pannell topped all players with a game-high 33, but it wasn’t enough to save the Wildcats.
Stone, who is in her first season of pro ball after stellar collegiate runs at Whitman College and Loughborough University, passed a personal milestone Saturday.
Her third point of the game was her 200th as a professional, as she now sits with 208 points, 149 rebounds, 35 assists, 22 steals, and three blocks for her rookie campaign.
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