No win in Newcastle for Storm
It was another frustrating evening for Storm as they came away from a long trip north empty handed for the second weekend in a row.
Last Saturday it was Yorkshire and this one Newcastle, with the Knights claiming a 96-87 victory on Tyneside.
The margins remain slim for Jake Rothauge’s men, agonisingly close at various points throughout the game, but they are currently lacking the conviction that comes with the winning habit.
When on runs such as these, they’ve lost three in a row and six of their last eight despite being more than competitive, it can feel like everything is against you. Whether it’s opponents hitting tough shots while your own somehow fail to drop, referees calls going the other way or injuries disrupting rotations, the rub of the green just doesn’t seem on your side.
Such misfortune can’t last forever, however. After a brutal run of four consecutive away fixtures, Storm are back at home next weekend and they’ll hope that acts as the catalyst for their season to spring into life.
Darien Nelson-Henry had 27 points in a dominant display under the basket, but it was further afield where Storm found their troubles. They connected with just one of 12 attempts from three-point range, 8%, while Newcastle hit 10 of 27, 37%, equating to a staggering 27 more points than Storm. The margin of defeat was nine - one-third of that figure.
They also turned the ball over 23 times, 10 more than the Knights, as they continue to search for complete cohesion. These are all issues that can be fixed, however, and the ingredients are all there. They simply have to train hard and trust their quality to shine through.
One area they must address is a tendency to start slow. Again they were beaten out of the blocks by their opponents, a well-drilled Newcastle team with unerring shooting accuracy, losing the first quarter by 10 and it proved significant.
Jaron Thames, the league’s leading scorer, was in ruthless form for the Knights, scoring his team’s first five points and ending with a game-winning 29. Sam Trunley and Bradley Dean weren’t far behind, grabbing 22 and 20 respectively, and they all contributed as their side took the opening period 30-20.
Storm worked hard to cut the lead to three near the end of the second, the game within their reach, but it slipped away from them and the deficit was extended to seven at half time - 48-41.
They laboured somewhat out of the locker room, or should I say courtside cupboard, as the hosts stretched the lead to 13, but six straight Brayden Inger points cut it to five once more. Try as they might, though, they couldn’t quite grab hold of the Knights and they pulled away to lead by 14 at the final break, the score 78-64.
The Knights’ advantage reached a game-high 17 early in the fourth period, but Storm chipped away and hoped for a game-changing run. It didn't come, though, and the final buzzer confirmed a 96-87 defeat.
Alongside Nelson-Henry’s 27, Taylor Johnson had 16 points and Matt Norman 15.
Next up is Bristol Hurricanes at the StormDome next Saturday and Storm’ll desperately hope home comforts can provide the turn in fortunes they desire. Tickets available now via our Fanbase app.
Written by Callum Humphrey
Graphics by TGD Visuals / Sam O'Rourke
