TOP FOUR HOPES TAKE A HIT AS ROCKETS BEATEN BY RIDERS

IN a back and forth game throughout, the Rockets’ push for fourth place took a hit as they fell 86-80 to the Loughborough Riders.

The Rockets would go ice cold late in the fourth quarter to allow the Riders to claim, what could be, a key victory in the standings.

Jeremiah Jenkins led the Rockets in scoring with 22 points on eight-for-14 shooting. Troy Cracknell had 14 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

Lewis Champion also had 14 points, adding seven assists.

Jenkins got into the game early, scoring the Rockets opening eight points but it was slow going for the rest of the players.

With three minutes left in the first quarter, the game was tied at 10 which Jenkins broke with a nice mid-range effort. *

The Rockets managed to bring their lead to five with less than a minute to go but the Riders ended the quarter the strongest, cutting it back to a one point game.

After three Cracknell free throws to retake the lead, the Rockets would keep Loughborough at arms length throughout the quarter, the lead reaching as high as nine.

Four straight points by the Riders at the end of the quarter brought the half to a close with the Rockets up five.

In the opening four-anda-half minutes, a Joe Bielak three would be their only points in this span.

This was taken advantage of by the Rockets, with Jenkins hitting a three to bring the Reading lead to eight.

However, it was now the Rockets turn to go cold with the Riders turning the eight point deficit to a one-point lead in just two minutes.

The two teams would trade buckets back and forth in crazy fashion, getting the crowd going, especially when, late in the fourth, the two teams would combine for 10 points in less than a minute.

Going into the final quarter up three, the Rockets continued their scoring, this time Zack Powell and Ben DIxon getting involved in the scoring.

The two teams would continue the war of attrition throughout most of the fourth, trading buckets back and forth until there was just three minutes left.

A Fin Porter dunk would get Loddon Valley rocking and bring the Rockets within two. However, the well would completely run dry for the Rockets, allowing Loughborough to pull a gap and win an incredible game 86-80.

The Rockets continue their March homestand on Sunday as they look to bounce back against the Westminster Warriors.