Manchester Basketball take a three-point advantage into the Second Leg of their Play-off fixture against the Bristol Flyers.

They won the home leg 98-95, led by Jordan Johnson’s 22 points and 5 rebounds off the bench. Johnson has stepped up in Manchester’s biggest moments of the season, so it was no surprise that he led the team in this one.

DJ Mitchell also had 20, logging 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals in one of his most impressive games since returning to Manchester. Pjay Smith scored 18 from the point. Meanwhile, Max Jones nearly put up a double-double with 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Through the first 40 minutes of this two-legged affair, there was little to separate Manchester and Bristol at the National Basketball Performance Centre. Neither team led by double figures throughout, and the biggest lead of the game was Manchester’s, which was eight points.

Amazingly, after a 7-0 Manchester run to start the game, once Bristol battled back three minutes in, neither team was able to build a multiple-score advantage for the remainder of the first half. There were nine lead changes in the first two quarters of the game, and Bristol led by three at halftime.

The second half was more of the same, with neither team able to build a significant advantage. Manchester threatened to pull away in the final quarter, hitting a three to make it 85-77 with 6:43 on the clock, but the Flyers reeled them back in to make it close come the final buzzer.

The teams now head to the South West with everything still to play for. The Second Leg, played at the SGS College Arena, will take place on Sunday, May 3, at 3pm.

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