Storm heartbroken by Hoods
Hemel Storm suffered a devastating home defeat against Nottingham Hoods on Saturday evening, courtesy of a spirited comeback from the guests.
Tom Baker’s side were superb in the first half, scoring 58 points and building up a 16-point lead, but they couldn’t hold off the Hoods down the stretch.
The league’s seventh-placed side turned up the tempo in the third quarter and a shell-shocked Storm struggled to cope. They took that period by 11 and completed the turnaround in the fourth to seal a two-point, 92-90 victory.
Storm were bidding for their third consecutive win and competed valiantly against strong opposition. They played with pace, early on particularly, and the evidence of their recent progress was clear for all to see.
But it was a game that rather summed up their season. So many promising moments and plenty of positives, just lacking the ruthlessness to come through the big moments victorious.
It’s the fifth game in all competitions they’ve lost by two points or less, showing the fine margins at play. Had they found a way to win the three of those that were in the league, they’d be just two points off the playoff positions, rather than the 10 they are today.
Darien Nelson-Henry has been at his bullish best since returning from injury a couple of games ago, and he battled hard for 26 points here.
The athletic Kai Walker gave everything as always and hustled his way to a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Brayden Inger’s hot form continued with 17 points. The Kiwi shot with accuracy from all over, and combined poise with aggression in attacking the hoop.
Nelson-Henry kicked things off with an ‘and-one’ play and his side had amassed a nine-point lead just six minutes in.
Veron Eze, cheered on by students of The Grange Academy, where he coaches in Storm’s community programme, and Mergim Sokoli helped maintain their advantage, the first quarter ending 28-20.
It was free-flowing stuff from the hosts, aided by the vision of 18-assist Sam Newman. The lead reached a game-high 16, seconds from half time, but a Donell Nixon II three-pointer reduced the gap and perhaps instigated the momentum flip. Nonetheless, Storm were the happier of the sides at the break, 58-45 to the good.
Hoods coach Vladan Dragosavac clearly demanded an increase in intensity in the locker room, and his troops delivered. They panicked the hosts with their high-court pressure, forcing 24 Storm turnovers and reducing the arrears to two come the final break - 75-73 Storm’s lead.
American pair Tyrone Williams and Bryce Johnson were key to the Hoods’ upturn, Williams using pace and Johnson power to combine to the tune of 54 points.
Storm, though, refused to lie down. Backed by a vociferous home support, they rallied, showing immense character to retake a seven-point lead.
But an eight-point Hoods run soon wiped that out. The StormDome was treated to a back-and-forth thriller, and it was tied as Baker called a timeout with 35 seconds left, his side in possession. Walker and Newman traded passes after the inbound before Inger drove to the basket. But his lay-up wouldn’t go and Johnson collected the rebound with 10 seconds remaining for the Hoods.
Williams barraged his way to the bucket at the other end, winning a foul to send him to the line for two shots, the game still even.
He made both, leaving Storm four seconds to find a basket with no timeouts in hand. Newman’s full-court heave didn’t connect and his side were left to mourn what could have been.
They return to action next week with a trip to Essex Rebels. Tickets for that game are available here.
They return to action next week with a trip to Essex Rebels. Tickets for that game are available here. They are back in home action on Saturday 14th March when Worthing Thunder make the trip to the StormDome, tickets available here.
Written by Callum Humphrey
