ESSEX Leopards continued their push for the runners-up spot in EBL Division One with a victory against Leeds Carnegie on Sunday.
Robert Youngblood's team produced an excellent performance in the battle between the national trophy and cup holders.
A stunning third period, during which Ish Fontaine poured in three, three-pointers proved the difference between Leopards and second-placed Carnegie as they outscored the visitors 23-11.
Simon Cummings led the Leopards' scoring for a fourth straight game with 25 points, seven assists and five rebounds, while Greg Hernandez had a massive 21-point, 17 rebound double-double.
On his first start for the Big Cats, Fontaine finished with five three-pointers on the way to 19 points, while Carl Josey added nine points and four assists.
It was a depleted Leopards team, with captain Taner Adu seemingly out for the rest of the season with injury, as well as Rowell Graham and Dan Dunscombe ill. But the Big Cats dug deep for their seventh win in nine games.
Hernandez opened the scoring, but Robert Marsden replied to set the tone for the first half.
Fontaine gave Leopards their biggest lead of the first period with a three to put them 12-7 up after three minutes.
Leeds replied with an 11-4 tear capped by Bryan Modeski's shot before Cummings provided the assist for Hernandez to tie the score at 16 going into the first break.
Dave Ajumobi opened the second period with a three-point play for the visitors, and Leopards trailed by as many as four in the opening three minutes of the quarter before Josey tied things after grabbing an Hernandez miss. Cummings sent the Big Cats into half-time on a high as he beat the buzzer with a three-pointer to give them a 40-38 lead.
Youngblood opened the scoring with a pair at the free-throw line, and the Leopards player-coach made it a six point lead with 7:21 on the clock with a rare three-pointer.
But it was Fontaine who blew the game open, hitting three of four three-pointers in a two-minute spell to give Leopards a double-digit lead. The lead peaked at 15 when Josey hit a trey as Leopards went into the final break with a 63-49 lead.
Marsden, who led Leeds with 19 points, opened the final period scoring, but the Leopards' lead never dipped into single figures. When Hernandez made it 73-57 with five minutes remaining, it became clear that Leeds' only hope was to lose by less than six and clinch the head-to-head decider.
