ROCKETS PIPPED BY LEAGUE LEADERS
Reading Rockets 86 Thames Valley Cavaliers 89
IN a pulsating game on Tuesday evening last week, Rockets came from 21 points down to take the lead with just over a one minute to go – but a late treble saw the visitors take the spoils.
Cavaliers shot out of the blocks in the opening quarter as they drained four trebles and had a treble from the freethrow line despite Leome Francis dominating the rebounds from the outset.
Ben Dixon scored with a lay-up as Reis Pinnock went coast to coast to finish but Rockets found themselves 815 adrift mid-way through the first quarter. A Williams drive and dish to Jaz Bains to hit his first treble kept Rockets close but Cavaliers looked comfortable with a 27-19 lead.
Rockets scored off their first possession in the second period as a Sam Grant dish to Bains saw him stroke a treble but a buzzer beating treble response from Cavaliers suggested that whatever Rockets threw at them, Cavaliers had the armoury to respond immediately.
Head coach Alan Keane had his work cut out to turn things around, and did so, only for Rockets to fall at the final hurdle. It was a much improved second half performance which Rockets took 50-34.
Two drives by Pinnock and Williams got Rockets off to a great start to quarter three which improved as Dixon dished a pass to Pinnock to hit a treble whilst stopping Cavaliers advances.
A Toluwase offensive rebound and score fired up Rockets again before he hit a long two and Pinnock hit his third treble of the game but still the hosts were down 50-64 midway through the third period. An eight personal points run by Williams including a brace of trebles, one a buzzer beater, saw Rockets cut the deficit to single figures but again Cavaliers stroked a treble to lead 74-62 as the final quarter beckoned.
A 24-15 quarter got Rockets mightily close to upsetting the apple cart as
Cavaliers have lost only one game this season,
Rockets defence was almost a lock out compared to the opening quarter as every player stepped up to the mark, and exceeded it.
Within three minutes of the start of this period Rockets were just 69-76 down and had phenomenal team energy as they stayed in contention with four minutes to go as Toluwase was fouled three consecutive times by Cavaliers which Toluwase accepted by scoring six points from the free-throw line to see the score at 78-80 with 3.41 to go.
Bains took a key charge to stop a Cavaliers score and Williams drove to bring the scores level on 80 apiece.
Both teams scored to tie the game for only the second time throughout this encounter before Cavaliers converted one from two free throws to have the advantage again but a Toluwase spin move gave Rockets the lead 84-83 with 1.17 left.
The single treble of the quarter for Cavaliers was scored by their American Taylor Johnson to hurt Rockets before a tough call gave Cavaliers two free throws which they hit to lead 89-86 as Rockets had the last possession.
A treble to draw the game and take it into overtime came back off the rim and Cavaliers took the win by a whisker.
Hemel Storm 82 Reading Rockets 80
Rockets travelled to joint third side Hemel Storm on Saturday and came tantalisingly close to an upset as they led for over 38 of the 40 minutes but lost to a treble shot in the final minute.
Fast-moving Rockets were quick out of the blocks as Leome Francis did his work inside to open Rockets and scored off their first possession.
Toluwase was most prominent as he received assists from Williams and Reis Pinnock to take his personal tally into double figures early in the period.
A Storm treble was immediately responded to by a Jaz Bains one but Storm hit three more as they stayed in touch, finishing the quarter with another treble to see the period tied on 16 points each and the score 42-36 to Rockets at the interval.
Francis and Pinnock got Rockets off to a great start in quarter three again giving them a 10 point lead but Storm hit four more trebles as they fought back tying the game on 52 and 54 before briefly taking the lead momentarily on 57-56.
A Francis turn and score followed by a Duru block and a Williams drive in the final seconds of the third period saw Rockets still ahead but with a reduced lead of just one at 62-61.
A Storm treble was equalled by Dixon one but another Storm treble and free throw saw them just a single point adrift at 72-71 midway through the last quarter.
The game was tied on 75 before Francis kept Rockets noses ahead with an inside score.
A Pinnock defensive rebound stopped a Storm score though a tough referee call disallowed a Pinnock score for travel but Rockets were still two up with 1.14 seconds left.
Rockets called a time out and Williams hit a free throw to go just a single point down but a Storm freethrow saw the hosts take the win and leave Rockets thoroughly down after suffering two consecutive defeats to two of the top three teams in the league.