BOTTOM club Manchester Giants pushed second-placed Leicester Riders all the way before succumbing 76-66 at home on Sunday.

Stefan Gill led the Giants’ fight against the high-flying Riders, but the home team could not close the gap sufficiently to get within a shot of winning.

The Manchester men held their own in the first first half, only going in at the break 38-34 down having led by five points at one stage.

The Riders went into a 16-point lead in the third period before the Giants hit back to within five in the fourth.

Gill hit 26 points and was backed up by Callum Jones, who had 13 points and nine rebounds.