Coventry Crusaders 54 Reading Rockets 78
Saturday night saw Rockets gain their first league victory of the season, away in Coventry and they did this in convincing style. Jon May, coming back from his fractured cheekbone was able to be part of the starting five for the first time in the competitive season, where he was joined by the Sayers brothers, Simon Kearney and captain Ryan Lohfink. Rockets won the tip but Kearney’s shot rimmed out and it was Coventry that scored the first basket. However it was not long before Lohfink was fouled and went to the penalty stripe to level the score. Coventry never again had the lead. Defence was tight by both sides but Lohfink began to rebound well and tip in balls – so great was his success that 12 of Rockets points in the first quarter were scored by him. Louis Sayers scored off a fast break and while one of Jason Sayers’ shots rimmed out, Dan McKay rebounded and then after passing the ball around, scored. The last score of the quarter was from McKay who attempted a jump shot off a fast break but was fouled – and made both baskets. A great steal from McKay from a Coventry in pass finished the quarter but could not be converted into a score.
Rockets went into the second quarter 14 points ahead at 22 – 8. Adam Thoseby, Robbie Parker, Jamie Ashwin, Jason Sayers and Dan McKay started the quarter and Thoseby got the first points. Early in the quarter, Kenny Saunders, Rockets’ new American signing was introduced on court and started his Rockets career – however Rockets were still not troubling the scorers. Having failed to score for three minutes, Coach Sasa made a total change of personnel on court but even that did not immediately stop Coventry in their tracks – Rockets had allowed Coventry to go on a 9 point run and reduce Rockets lead to 10. Robbie Parker however broke the drought with a three, and when later another three rimmed out, Jason Sayers scored from the rebound, following this with a dunk. Rockets were using the clock well and as the 24-second clock was about to expire, Lohfink was fouled and scored both from the penalty stripe. However Coventry had won the quarter 23 – 17 and so Rockets went to the locker room only 8 point ahead – 39 – 31
Louis Sayers inbounded the ball at the start of the third and Jon May was fouled shooting and went to the line and scored the first. The second rimmed out but Lohfink got hold of the ball and was himself fouled shooting. With less than two minutes on the clock, Crusaders were already on team fouls. The Sayers brothers were working well together and a Louis pass led to a Jason dunk. However, Coventry were defending well and Rockets had a 24 second violation called against them, but got back on track with two three pointers, the first being from Louis Sayers who scored just as another 24 second period was about to expire. When Kenny Saunders returned to the court, he showed his skill at rebounding. He got on the score sheet for the first time in a Rockets vest when after a great steal and fast break, he was fouled and made both baskets. A pass from Kearney to Saunders led to another two points for Rockets who finished the quarter with an 18-point lead.
A three pointer by Louis Sayers started the quarter, but for the first couple of minutes of the quarter both teams were trading baskets. Coventry’s Taylor fouled out of the game early in the quarter and Kearney made two from the charity stripe. Highlights of the quarter were the tight defending of Fenny Falmagne, who was playing in spite of carrying an injury, and the good rebounding of Kenny Saunders, whilst Thoseby made his mark with a great steal. Coventry’s Samuel fouled off with just under 3 minutes to go, and whilst the resultant free throws were missed, Falmagne rebounded and scored. The last basket of the quarter was a dunk by Kenny Saunders, who had made a significant contribution on his first outing as a Rocket, and this gave Rockets a final score of 78 to Coventry’s 54.
Rockets’ top scorers were Ryan Lohfink on 21 with Louis Sayers and Kenny Saunders on 10, but it had truly been a team effort, with each one of the twelve players getting on the score sheet.
Next weekend Rockets face a double header, with an away game on Saturday at 6.30 against Taunton, who have had a good start to the season, although losing this Saturday, whilst on Sunday Rockets are at home at Rivermead with a 6 pm tip, facing Bristol Academy Flyers in the quarter final of the National Cup.
