Manchester Basketball beat Keila Basket 84-80 in a thrilling ENBL opener at the National Basketball Performance Centre, the franchise's first-ever competitive European game.

Patrick Smith won the CultureBox Player of the Game after scoring 21 points. Max Jones also starred with 17pts, captain Zak Irvin recorded a double-double.

Across the court, Keila’s Patrik Saal, KD Johnson and Isaiah Thompson impressed. Both Saal and Thompson scored double-doubles, alongside Johnson’s 17 points, six assists and four rebounds.

Keila took the early lead in the game, Saal and Johnson were at the forefront of this, scoring eight and five points respectively. The hosts narrowed Keila’s lead to just six points as the quarter ended 18-24 in favour of the visitors.

By the interval, Manchester had racked up 28 points to lead Keila 46-38 at the break. Irvin and Smith Jr led the way for MCR, the Manchester PG wowing the crowd with a behind-the-back assist for Jones.

The third saw the visitors claw their way back into the tie. Keila closed Manchester’s lead to just three after scoring 21 points in the penultimate period. KD Johnson’s six points and Mario Spaleta’s nine, the crucial scores to boost Estonian hope heading into the final quarter.

The fourth saw both sides trade the lead, with Manchester edging the game in the final moments in a well-earned historic first European victory over a gutsy Estonian team.

Manchester host Leicester Riders this Sunday at Belle Vue - tickets are available here.

‍