Storm face tough trip to Reading
Hemel Storm’s British Championship Basketball League season continues with a difficult trip to Reading on Saturday. Read on for all you need to know ahead of the weekend…
Head-to-Head Record:
Games played: 15
Storm wins: 10
Rockets: wins: 5
*All competitions, since start of 2021/22 season.
British Championship Basketball League Positions:
Storm: 11th
Rockets: 2nd
Opposition Scout Report:
Last season’s NBL Division One Playoff and National Cup winners are gunning for further success this time out, and they’re on the right path so far.
Head Coach Samit Nuruzade is into the fourth year of his second spell at the club, and he has a strong roster to work with.
British guard Victor Olarerin brings great speed and athleticism, and leads their scoring with 23.0 points per game.
American duo Malik Bryant and Jax Bouknight have both made strong impressions in their debut years in England, averaging 16.3 and 15.0 respectively, and Australian Cooper Creek has chipped in with 10.4.
Big man Ty Nsangu is averaging close to a double-double, with 9.6 points and 8.7 rebounds, and they’re captained by former Essex Rebel Zain Poorman.
They’ve also dipped into the market recently, signing Florida-born combo guard Yusef Salih.
The sides have already met in the reverse fixture on the very first day of the BCB League season, with the Rockets snatching a thriller at the StormDome 93-91.
Memorable Meeting:
Sunday 28th April, 2024
NBL Division One Playoff Final
Hemel Storm 87-84 Reading Rockets
Storm sealed their second playoff title on the bounce with an 87-84 victory over Reading Rockets in the 2023/24 season finale.
It was third versus fourth from the regular league standings, with Storm one spot ahead of the Rockets, and if it looked tight on paper, it was just that in reality.
The scoreline remained close throughout, and Reading’s Elijah Maynard missed a shot on the buzzer to force overtime.
Sam Newman capped off a fine season with an MVP-winning performance of 18 points, eight assists, five rebounds and five steals, and Darien Nelson-Henry grabbed a double-double.
Brayden Inger risked an ankle injury to selflessly suit up for Mark Clark’s side, and his added threat was pivotal in ensuring Storm ended a campaign that threw up its challenges on a positive note.
Last Time Out:
Taylor Johnson’s farewell ended in defeat, as London Cavaliers clinched a 105-88 victory at the StormDome on Saturday evening.
A third-quarter comeback from the hosts was rendered meaningless by a composed closing period from the Cavaliers, whose dominance on the rebounds proved the difference.
They pulled down 50 boards, compared to Storm’s 25, and consequently put up 11 more shots - registering 23 second-chance points against Storm’s zero.
Johnson bowed out with 18 points, while Inger and Matt Norman had 16.
The Rockets, meanwhile, picked up their 10th BCB League win of the season with a 10-point victory in Loughborough.
Reading grabbed hold of the advantage with an impressive second period, but the margin was pulled back to four early in the final quarter.
With the help of Olarerin, who finished with 21 points, they were able to hold on to seal an 83-73 triumph.
All of the starting five reached double digits for the Rockets, as well as Salih off the bench.
From The Locker Room:
Kai Walker: “It’s another big game for us this weekend against a good Rockets side.
“It has been a tough few weeks for us but we are sticking together as a group, making sure we are working hard and doing whatever we can to keep getting better as a team and individually.
“We’re looking forward to this weekend to try and get back on track.”
When, Where and How to Follow:
Loddon Valley Leisure Centre, RG6 4GD, is the venue for Saturday’s matchup, with tip-off at 7.30pm.
Tickets are available on Reading’s Fanbase site, or you can watch along from home via either the livestream or livestats.
Written by Callum Humphrey
