BCB league campaign begins with visit of Reading Rockets

The inaugural British Championship Basketball league season kicks off this Saturday, with last season’s playoff champions Reading Rockets visiting the StormDome. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the blockbuster clash. 

Head-to-Head Record:

Games played: 14

Storm wins: 10

Rockets wins: 4

*All competitions, since start of 2021/22 season. 

Opposition Scout Report: 

Reading will be determined to get one over Storm, who prevented them from winning the lot last season by topping the Division One charts, with the Rockets lifting the National Cup, KitKing Trophy and playoff titles. 

Two stalwarts of that campaign, Justin Hopkins and Mitch Clark, have both moved on, with the former, last season’s National Cup and playoff final MVP, heading to Worthing, and Clark landing an SLB gig with Newcastle Eagles. 

Still present, however, is Victor Olarerin - the lightning fast guard who has seriously grown in recognition over the last couple of years. He has already produced a 33-point display against Worthing Thunder and will certainly be the man to stop. 

He’s not the only threat Storm have to manage, though, and they don’t come much bigger than 6’8” Australian Cooper Creek. He signed in the summer, alongside American pair Malik Bryant and Jax Bouknight - three overseas rookies ready to prove a point.

Other notable faces include Lewis Champion, Matt Allman and Zain Poorman - a trio of returnees. 

Memorable Meeting: 

Saturday 8th October, 2022

KitKing Trophy Semi-Final

Reading Rockets 69-100 Hemel Storm

We were spoilt for choice with this one - the two sides having contested many noteworthy clashes in recent years, including a playoff and National Cup final.  

The game we’ve gone for may be less well known, but it was one of great significance for Storm. Coming from the early stages of the unbeaten 2022/23 campaign, a 31-point KitKing Trophy semi-final victory over the Rockets was perhaps the moment when the potential of Dru Spinks’s side first became apparent. 

An electric display of basketball saw them leading 33-51 at the half-time break. Hakeem Sylla was at his superb best, registering 26 points, and Taylor Johnson had 22. It was still early days for Aaryn Rai but he hinted at the MVP-winning season to come and it was a team performance that sent shivers down the spines of opponents throughout NBL Division One, also building belief within the club that something special could be on the horizon. 

And so it proved, with Storm eventually claiming all four trophies that season and failing to lose a game. 

Last Time Out:

Storm were out of action last weekend having been agonisingly knocked out of the BCB Trophy on points difference, meaning their last outing was the thrilling group-stage victory over Milton Keynes Breakers. That came as a result of a sparkling second-half display which Jake Rothauge will hope his team can build on ahead of Saturday. 

As for the Rockets, they fell at the quarter-final hurdle of the trophy on Sunday - losing 79-90 at home to the Breakers. 

From The Locker Room: 

Darien Nelson-Henry, speaking at Tuesday’s training session: “It’s been a great day of prep here, with another coming on Thursday. 

“I’m sure this is a matchup a lot of you guys have been waiting for, with a couple of good outcomes and a couple of bad outcomes against Reading last year, especially in games that mattered. 

“We’re hoping to turn that around this year, we’ve got a good group of guys, we’re well rested after a long weekend, so we’re ready to get after it and show you what we’ve got on Saturday night!”

When, Where and How to Follow: 

The StormDome will hope to play host to another memorable evening, with tip-off at 7pm on Saturday. 

Tickets are available to buy on the Fanbase app and you can follow along with our livestream or livestats if you can’t make it in person!  

Note, we will be holding a minute’s applause before the game to celebrate the life of the late Lee Linton-Hodges. Lee signed for Storm at the beginning of the 2017/18 season, going on to win the National Cup later that season, and was a funny, friendly presence in everything he did. Everyone at the club will miss Lee dearly and all our thoughts go out to his family at this difficult time. Further, a GoFundMe page has been set up to support them, and donations can be made here. 

Written by Callum Humphrey

Photos by TGD Visuals