Rockets welcome return

Reading Rockets 92 Worthing Thunder 83

READING ROCKETS enjoyed a successful return to Bohunt with two victories over the weekend.

Rockets split their home games between the Wokingham school and the Rivermead and both Worthing Thunder and Cardiff City left the borough empty-handed.

Manuel Pena Garces’ men took on Worthing in the league on Saturday and survived a second half fightback to win 9283 and preserve their winning start to the campaign.

And Rockets turned on the style in the National Cup on Sunday, thumping lower league Cardiff 124-44 to move into the quarter-finals.

Diminutive guard Scotty Hendricks got Reading off to the perfect start on Saturday, firing in three trebles in the opening quarter to help open up a 17-8 lead.

Joel Keeble got in on the act shortly into the second before Ali Sbai hit back-to-back trebles as Rockets threatened to run riot, pulling clear at 53-25 going into half-time.

And the dominance continued as Hendricks hit three from three from the free throw line while Declan Soukup sunk a treble to extend the advantage to 34 points at 63-29.

But back came Thunder with a storming 8-0 run, only for Rockets to steady the ship and go into the fourth at 71-43 ahead.

The visitors found their form in the final stanza, led by star man Zaire Taylor, powering to a 10-0 sequence before slashing the gap eventually to 84-74 with over two minutes to play.

Rockets had to shore up their defence and clever play from captain Danny Carter helped wind down the clock to see out the 92-83 success.

Hendricks was Reading’s top scorer with 25 points, followed by Tim Gill (17), Sbai (16) and Soukup (12).

Attention then turned to Sunday and avoiding a potential banana skin against a Cardiff side who had dispatched of Reading’s league rivals Worthing in the previous round.

But there would be no such shock as Reading dominated from start to finish at Bohunt, netting at least 30 points in each quarter.

Sydney Donaldson got the ball rolling while Gill bagged a personal haul of 10 points as the first quarter ended 30-7.

Donaldson himself ended the half with 15 points as Rockets raced into a 61-17 advantage heading into the break with

Sbai also in fine form.

And there was no let up from Pena Garces’ men, scoring a team best 32 points in the third quarter before bursting into three figures during the fourth to round off the resounding 124-44 domination.

Donaldson top scored on 26 points, closely followed by Gill (24), Jonny Foulds (19) and Sbai (17).

Reading (3-0) are back in league action on Sunday, travelling to face Manchester Magic (2-1).

“We must transfer the good things we are doing into Saturday’s game against Manchester and prepare thoroughly for a tough game,” said Pena Garces.

“Manchester has done a great job over the past few years.

“They remain the team to beat in my opinion because of their history in this league and also the talented roster and coaching staff they have.

“They possess talent at each spot and coach Paul (Middleton) has done a great job with his teams in getting them to maximise this.

“We expect a very tough game but it’s one we feel that has come at a good time as it will be a test for both organisations to see where they are at this point in the season and hopefully another great advert for the NBL Division One basketball.”