Season over for Rockets
READING’S NBL Division One play-off challenge came to an end with a resounding semi-final defeat at surprise package Hemel Storm.
Despite entering the play-offs as seventh seed, Hemel have now seen off seeds two and three in Team Solent Kestrels and Reading in successive weeks to move into a final showdown with Worthing Thunder.
American shooting guard Scotty Hendricks defied the odds to line up for Reading, despite breaking his hand in the quarter-final win over Bradford Dragons.
And he battled through the pain barrier to try and help out the defence, playing mainly with just his left hand and helped Rockets stay in the contest at 32-27 behind at the end of the first quarter.
Sydney Donaldson led the charge at the other end with an 11-point haul but as the pace dropped, a brace of trebles from Declan Soukup were crucial to keep the game tight.
But Hemel stormed from 4241 to 51-41 ahead with the halftime buzzer a welcome relief, although Hendricks’ race was all but run as the pain proved too much.
And that 10-point cushion also proved too much for Manuel Pena Garces’ men to ever recover from.
Their cause was hampered further by the ejection of American Tim Gill, sent from the court after shoving former Reading man David Ajumobi in the face.
A 27-16 third period effectively ended the contest at 78-57 ahead going into the fourth, especially with Rockets unable to call on their two star imports.