The visitors won the ball from the tip-off, however, as they attacked the basket, Rafi Saipe was able to pick up on a weak pass and raced the full length of the court to put the first points on the board. Bradford seized the early momentum in the game and after five minutes of play they were six points ahead, at 16-10. But, after such a great start to the game, the home side then failed to find the basket again for the next four and a half minutes, allowing the Trailblazers to close the gap, before Saipe broke the slump with a three-pointer. The opening period ended with the Dragons holding a slim three-point advantage (19-16).

​The Leicester side, which is coached by one of Cadle’s former players, former England and GB international, Karl Brown, included Carl Pearson at point guard. Pearson was a key member of the Dragons’ 2013-14 play-off winning squad, and has always enjoyed a warm welcome back in the Den. Also in the Leicester squad were summer recruit, ex-BBL star Martyn Gayle (Manchester Giants, Cheshire Phoenix) and lifelong Warrior, Elliot Sentance, who has spent the last four years playing in the UK and Canada.
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Historically, the two sides have always been reasonably well matched and games have always been closely competed, with both teams taking an equal share of wins. However, the Warriors have not had a good start to the new campaign having lost both of their opening league fixtures, as well as both pool fixtures in the National Trophy.

Bradford Dragons Basketball Club are pleased to announce that the winner of the official Taco Bell Player of the Game award, against Leicester Warriors, goes to Eisley Swaine.
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Congratulations Eisley, a well deserved winner!

Neither team managed to take any significant advantage in a low scoring opening quarter, in which the lead chopped and changed like a game of tennis. However, as the buzzer sounded, for the first of the scheduled breaks in play, it was Bradford that held the smallest of leads (15-16),

The tennis continued into the second period, however it was the visiting Dragons that managed to take the first real hold on the game, building up an eight-point margin (26-34), with only three and a half minutes of the first half remaining. 

​It was the visitors who set the early pace in the game, scoring from the first offensive play of the game, which they quickly extended into a seven-point advantage, before Bradford had hit the scoresheet. Jermaine Laing opened the Dragons account, with two and a half minutes of the game already played, however Loughborough then hit back through Hossanna Kitenga, who was rated number three at this Summer’s Deng top 50.