Leiden claimed a 76-71 victory over Rotterdam in the BNXT League on Friday evening. The away side held their nerve in a game that went down to the final minutes. Rotterdam had looked competitive for long stretches but could not find the breakthrough when it mattered most.
by then the visitors had established a rhythm that the home side struggled to disrupt. Leiden's defence tightened in the closing quarter, forcing Rotterdam into difficult shots. The visitors won the key rebounding battle and converted those opportunities into points.
and here's the thing — we had backed the away side before kickoff at 56 per cent confidence. The analysis pointed to Leiden's deeper squad and their ability to manage tight games. Rotterdam's recent form suggested vulnerability, and that showed through when the pressure mounted.
Rotterdam's last five results paint a worrying picture. They lost four of those matches, including heavy defeats to Mechelen and Limburg. The home side averaged over 100 points conceded per game during that run, and Leiden exploited that weakness.
Leiden's recent record was mixed but showed resilience. They suffered losses to Zwolle but secured a crucial 61-59 win in that series. The victory over Donar Groningen on 31 May also demonstrated their capacity to grind out results on the road.
Leiden sit 10th in the table with 18 wins and 16 losses from 34 games. The margin of victory keeps them within striking distance of the teams above. Rotterdam remain in the lower half, and this result will not have lifted spirits in the home city.
