Taunton Tigers 69 Reading Rockets 86
Wellsprings Leisure Centre
Saturday 28th November 2009 6.30 pm
Rockets' double header weekend began with a trip to the South West where they demonstrated very clearly the quick and effective development they are making now Coach Punosevac has a full squad.
After Taunton won the tip and hit a three pointer, Rockets took charge of the game, never being headed for the reminder of the game. Louis Sayers scored 11 personal points in the opening period with Robbie Parker and Adam Thoseby prominent as Rockets powered their way to a 23 – 13 first interval lead.
A huge three from truly downtown by Parker off Rockets' first possession of the second quarter heralded 10 personal points for him but also saw Rockets' latest recruit Kenny Saunders show more of his versatility with a block, a huge dunk off an offensive rebound and then finishing a quality Rockets' move. Ryan Lohfink and Louis Sayers had taken Rockets' points from beyond the arc to 18 as Rockets led 42 – 26 at the break.
Saunders scored well inside before giving two great assists, one to 6'9" 17 year old Steve Vaughan to open his account and a second, moments later, to Louis Sayers to score from the wing. Rockets' lead was now 50 – 29, but the enthusiastic refereeing meant Lohfink and Vaughan were fouled out, and Taunton finished the quarter with regular trips to the free throw line, leaving Rockets with a 17 point lead at 60 points to 43.
Fenny Falmagne finished a fast break in Rockets' opening flurry of the last quarter, before Saunders repeated his dunk following up on the offensive boards before Louis Sayers hit his fifth 3 – pointer of the game. Dan McKay troubled the scorers for the first time in the game finishing a clinical Rockets' fast break before scoring 3 from 4 from the free throw line. A glorious fourth 3 pointer for Parker, a first from Simon Kearney, plus excellent offensive boards by Thoseby saw Rockets continue their domination, despite sporadic periods of pressure from Taunton, and Rockets won convincingly in the League for the second consecutive week.
Final score was 86 – 69 and though Louis Sayers 24, Robbie Parker 20 and Kenny Saunders 12 were Rockets' top scorers, this was a very good team performance giving much encouragement to the travelling supporters.
