Washington helps Riders to BBL Trophy win

The former MK College student finished with a 13 point, 4 assists, 4 rebound and zero turnovers performance on route to the fifth major trophy in his time with the Riders.

Washington stepped into the starting guard position due to illness sidelining Neil Watson for the BBL Trophy Final and once the ball went up he went to work.

Washington shared his thoughts after the game in Glasgow on the victory.

“It’s the first time Leicester have won the Trophy so to be a part of history is a great feeling. You could see after we won the game everyone was going nuts.

“I think it is just such a great time, Coach Rob [Paternostro] having his baby this week and us coming through the illness we faced as a team to finish on top today is awesome. I am really happy for us as a team and for Leicester.”

The Riders led most of the game but the Newcastle Eagles did not go down without a fight, coming back to tie the game in the fourth quarter before clutch plays from Washington and Great Britain’s Drew Sullivan settle the game back in the favour of the Riders.

“We got off to a good start but we knew they would come back. There was a point in the fourth quarter where you could just see three after three going in but Drew and I were able to hit one each to counter that which was great.

“It must have been a great game of basketball to watch in that stretch and it is a great moment for us all now.”

Washington has shared the court with former Loughborough Student and Scholar Jamell Anderson throughout the last few season with the Riders but also in BUCS with Loughborough University. The pair would start together in the latest major final for the duo and Washington was pleased to take the court with his fellow Brit and former University team mate.

“Jamell and I have a thing where we can get each other fired up. He knew that I was starting this game so before the game was a little bit different. He had every belief in me and he was telling me that, and then we always talk through the defences and different scouting reports on certain players to really get locked in for the game.

“He was just getting me fired up but at the same time we were keeping each other calm. We know we can get each other going throughout the game and have played together a while now so we have little reminders to keep pushing one another.

“We are the younger guys on the roster so we feel like we can keep going forever on the court and we love being out there together.”