Heat v Riders Sunday 31st January 2010

Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders will be desperate to avenge the 72-74 loss they experienced at home to the Heat a couple of weeks ago, which sent them crashing out of the BBL Trophy in the first round, when they visit Furnace on Sunday.

The Heat have the head-to-head across BBL history at 12-7, but the Riders seem to have had their number recently, as they won all three encounters last season, and beat them 95-77 at home earlier in the year. However, 26 points from Mike Martin and 17 points from former Rider Chad McKnight ensured that the Heat sneaked a two point win over the BBL's oldest franchise.

Heat player-coach McKnight, who starred for the Riders in 2007/08, said he sees the game as a chance to settle the score with Leicester, who his side have been 1-1 with so far this season: 'Every match for us is a big match and this season we have split one and one with Leicester so it will be a good game' he said. Under his stewardship this season, the Heat have a 9-12 win-loss record. The Ohio born forward added: 'I think the reason we have lost games is because we don't put four quarters together. I feel you have to play for forty minutes, not thirty or thirty five, but the full forty.'

The game is the second for the Riders this weekend, and their Head coach Rob Paternostro, is confident that despite a poor 66-87 loss against Glasgow Rocks last weekend the charismatic American-Italian commented 'Sunday versus Guildford is the second game of a back to back weekend which can always be difficult. Guildford have played very well on their home court and will make it difficult for us. We have played them twice already so we understand the problems that they can cause. Mike Martin and Chad McKnight played well the last time we played and we have to do a better job defending them if we want to get something from the game.'

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Watch a Heat TV video preview to get prepared for Sunday.