Coupeville Sports

Makana Stone, Hype Queen. (Photo property Leicester Riders)

Now it’s a winning streak.

Surviving a rough fourth quarter Monday, the Leicester Riders held on to knock off the Newcastle Eagles 75-65 in Women’s British Basketball League action.

Sparked by the play of Coupeville grad Makana Stone, who banked in 12 points — including a pair of three-balls — the Riders improve to 13-7 in league play, 17-9 overall.

Leicester’s second win in a three-day span, it keeps the squad firmly in fourth place in the 13-team WBBL with the playoffs on the horizon.

Up next for the Riders is a back-to-back set of games April 15-16, with the first one against the high-flying Sevenoaks Suns, who sit at 18-1 in league play.

Monday’s game belonged to Leicester from opening tip through the end of the third quarter, before things got a little frantic at the end.

The Riders jumped out to a 20-9 lead after one quarter of play on their home court, then stretched the lead out to 46-21 by the half.

While the third quarter was much-more evenly played, Leicester was still up 67-43 heading into the game’s final 10 minutes.

Then things got a bit dicey, as Newcastle closed on a 22-8 tear, cutting its deficit all the way back to 10 points with a tick under two minutes to play.

From that point on, however, the two teams combined to go scoreless over the game’s final one minute and 59 seconds.

Stone added four rebounds, an assist, and a steal to go with her 12 points, while teammate Oceana Hamilton popped for 21 points as four Riders scored in double-digits.

Newcastle got most of its offensive punch from the duo of Marina Fernandez Pardo and Layne Murphy, who knocked down 21 and 20 points, respectively.

As she plays her first season of pro ball, Stone continues to acquit herself nicely.

The former Wolf has 220 points, 153 rebounds, 36 assists, 23 steals, and three blocked shots on the year.

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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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Coupeville’s Makana Stone had 15 points and eight rebounds in a pro hoops game Sunday in England. (Photo property Leicester Riders)

She gave them hope until the end.

Coupeville’s Makana Stone poured in 15 points Sunday, including hitting a three-ball with just six ticks to play, but it wasn’t quite enough to save the Leicester Riders.

Unable to hold on to an early lead, the Riders eventually fell 84-80 to the visiting Essex Rebels in Women’s British Basketball League action.

The loss drops Leicester to 11-7 in league play, 15-9 overall.

Stone and Co. put together their best offensive stretch of the game in the opening period, jumping out to a 30-25 lead by the first break.

Essex proved to be scrappy, however, retaking the lead at 49-46 heading to the halftime break, before clinging to a 63-62 advantage entering the fourth quarter.

The Rebels stretched the margin back out to as many as eight points in the final frame, before Leicester made a late run to keep things interesting.

Stone drilled the bottom out of the net to cut the deficit to 83-80, but Essex hit one final free throw and time ran out on the Riders.

Leicester spread its offense around, with Oceana Hamilton leading the way with a team-high 18 points.

Brooklyn Mcalear rattled the rims for 16, Stone added eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal to her 15 points, and Hannah Robb popped the nets for 13.

Essex was led by the one-two combo of Claire Paxton and Ashleigh Munns, who each finished with 20.

Stone, who is in her first season of pro hoops after stellar high school and college careers, has racked up 197 points, 143 rebounds, 33 assists, 22 steals, and two blocked shots on the season.

Leicester returns to action next Saturday, Apr. 9, when it faces off with the Nottingham Wildcats.

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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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