EBL Division 1 Reading Rockets 75 Leicester Warriors 76
Rivermead Leisure Complex Saturday 7th January 2012 Tip off 6.30 pm
In a truly titanic affair to start off 2012, where neither team could sustain any meaningful lead, a shot that rimmed out as the buzzer went for the end of the game determined that Leicester returned to the East Midlands with the narrowest of victories...a single point win.
Steve Vaughan had returned from the Lund tournament with his ankle heavily strapped whilst the Masters student Michael Matzeder won't be returning to the UK till Mon 16th Jan so Head Coach Samit Nuruzade had a small squad at his disposal.
Warriors opened the scoring but five quick points from Robbie Parker and a super assist by him to Ryan Lohfink to score saw Rockets have and maintain a single point lead throughout most of this quarter. Rockets new signing, Kastytis Normantas made his debut with less than two minutes remaining and scored his first Rockets points with a determined drive and finish, much to the delight of the home supporters. A Lohfink assist to Sam Simon saw the teams level on 19 points each at the break.
Lohfink took down a key rebound whilst Gamble took a charge as Rockets upped their defence. A returning, though not fully fit, Jon May gave Normantas an easy score and Lohfink worked tirelessly around the bucket scoring a couple of times but with one outstanding spin move and finish. Leicester were adding bonus points as Rockets fouled twice as Warriors scored giving them an eight point lead with three minutes to go before halftime. Gamble hit a long two and then finished an excellent Rockets move with a glorious three pointer from wide on the wing. Nelson scored his first points of the evening from the free-throw line as Rockets went to the changing room 31 - 35 down.
Leicester hit an early three to extend their lead but Lohfink then scored four more quick points, took an offensive rebound and then a charge getting the crowd on their feet. The problems of turnovers in the first half came back again for Rockets as Leicester punished their mistakes. Gamble hit another of his trademark threes and Normantas stripped the ball from Leicester to give May a lay-up and reduce the deficit to just one point at 40- 41 midway through the third quarter. A Simon block and tight defence by Normantas showed the intensity of the game but a banked three from Leicester gave them the edge again. Normantas showed something of his potential as he amassed nine points by hitting four from four from the line as he was fouled twice as he drove to the basket before he hit his first three in a Rockets vest and then finished the period with taking an inbound ball and striding coast to coast before scoring on the buzzer leaving Rockets 51 - 52 behind at the end of the third period.
All was set for an enthralling end game scenario and we were not disappointed. Parker opened the quarter for Rockets with a superb three off a super assist from May but Leicester hit back with six points, 50% from the free throw line as Rockets got in early team foul trouble, something that was to hinder them in the final minutes. Gamble hit a pair of magnificent threes to give Rockets a two point advantage at 60 - 58 but Leicester hit a three pointer to recover the lead by a single point. Normantas scored two more points from the charity stripe moments before Coach Samit rested him before the end game. Luke Nelson hit a great three pointer from wide on the wing which Gamble quickly followed with one of his own from a Lohfink assist giving Rockets a six point lead at 71 - 65 with three minutes to go. Leicester hit one from two from the line before Parker extended Rockets’ lead with a base line drive two causing Warriors Head Coach to take a time-out. They immediately hit a three pointer and three more points to bring the teams mighty close again....as they had been for 95% of the game.
A missed shot by Rockets was punished as Warriors scored to level the game on 74 points each with 34 seconds left. Rockets drove to the basket through Lohfink who was fouled but hit one from two from the line with 10.6 seconds left. Leicester drove to the basket and scored giving them the narrowest of leads with just 4.8 seconds left. Rockets’ Head Coach called a time-out and set up the play, which he hoped, would win the game. Rockets executed the first part well but the shot rimmed out leaving the supporters and team feeling victory had been snatched away.
Top scorers were Normantas with 18 points, Lohfink with 17, Gamble with 15 and Parker with 12.
