Cheshire Phoenix 59
Watts 21, Karp 21, Aliu 7, Murray 5, Bailey 3, Pauline 2, McGinn, Cuic, Pyke.
Leicester Riders 65
Bernardini 16, Watson 16, Losonsky 11, Anderson 6, Hassan 6, Washington 6, Roland 2, Lamble 2, Noel, Gamble, Rowe.
Leicester Riders survived a second half comeback by Cheshire Phoenix to post back-to-back victories on the opening weekend of the season.
Leicester led by as many as 18 before a resurgent Cheshire side rallied in the closing stages to make the game tight.
Riders got off to a fast start netting six of the opening seven points of the game, before a run of 13 points to two saw them into a commanding 25-13 lead by the end of the first period.
Leicester edged further clear thanks to Neil Watson early in the second quarter and another strong finish to the half had them 39-21 in front at the break.
Brad Karp though led the fight back by the home side in the second half, scoring the first nine of his side's points as they closed out the third quarter with a 14-3 spell, which had Riders' lead down to only 48-42.
Tyler Bernardini stretched the gap back to eight at the start of the final quarter, but the Nix, playing their first game of the season, continued to charge.
Three minutes into the fourth they had cut the lead to 50-49 before a triple from Conner Washington and a Pavol Losonsky score re-established a 55-49 cushion.
A three-pointer from David Aliu had Riders' lead down to three, but again the visitors replied with back-to-back scores to make it 61-54.
And when Watson hit from behind the arc with two minutes to go, Riders had all the cushion they needed to see the game out.
