Rockets battle back

Manchester Magic 87 Reading Rockets 98

TRAE PEMBERTON was the star as Reading

Rockets battled back from 19 points behind to beat Manchester and move up to third in the table.

Rockets appeared to be suffering a post-Christmas hangover during the early stages and found themselves 38-19 behind against the league’s bottom club, but Pemberton’s 34-point show helped haul the visitors back into the contest and eventually to victory.

Magic flew out the traps and moved into a 33-19 lead by the first break after four trebles.

A good run at the start of the second extended the advantage to 38-19, but Rockets then began firing after head coach Alan Keane made some tactical and personnel changes.

The visitors took the second period 24-19 to stay in touch as AJ Carr hit 12 points while Pemberton and Sydney Donaldson began to show their quality.

It was the third period that swung the contest as Reading went from a 43-54 half-time deficit to lead 73-72 heading into the final stanza as Sam Grant stroked a pair of trebles while Arinze Emeka-Anyakwo impressed at both ends of the court.

Pemberton continued racking up the points with 13 in the third and he added 11 more during the fourth as Rockets pulled clear to win 98-87 with EmekaAnyakwo also hitting double figures.

Rockets top scorers: Pemberton 34pts, EmekaAnyakwo 15pts, Carr 14pts.

Reading (8-4) face two games this weekend as they look to continue their winning start to 2019.

Saturday sees Keane’s men head to the East Midlands to take on Derby Trailblazers (7-6) before welcoming in-form Worthing Thunder (10-3) to Berkshire on Sunday evening (5pm).

And Rockets will have to improve having lost to both those sides already earlier this season.

“Travelling to Derby is always tough,” said Keane. “They are a very talented team with a lot of scoring power.

“Double header weekends have been difficult for us as we are a very young team with many junior players. However, we are growing week to week. Therefore this double header weekend will be another great opportunity to continue the growing process.

“Worthing come to us Sunday in flying form and a lot of veteran players, with any one of them capable to score 30 points.

“We will have a great week of preparation and look forward to the challenge that lies ahead.”

Captain Danny Carter remains the only injury concern with an ongoing back complaint.