Sunday 21^st February 2010 Tip off 4 pm

Wellsprings Leisure Centre

Reading Rockets 81 Taunton Tigers 67

Due to the non availability of Rivermead, Rockets played this 'home' fixture at Taunton but came away with a superb victory, Rockets' third consecutive one in the League.

Both teams had similar records before the weekend so this was a key game as the Play-off Championship looms in seven weeks' time. Taunton won the tip and from the resulting possession their main scorer Chris Page hit a three from the top of the arc. That however was the only time they led throughout the remainder of the game as Rockets' team play and depth of character shone through with eight players scoring in the first quarter. Louis Sayers, Robbie Parker and Ryan Lohfink hit three pointers as the diminutive Jon May drove through a melee of players to score - and with Rockets commanding the crucial boards they went into the first break 27 to 21 up.

Taunton hit four quick points at the start of the second period as Rockets had a couple of minutes of slack play but a Jason Sayers spin move and two out of two from the free throw line by Adam Thoseby saw Rockets maintain their advantage. Another five points by Taunton saw them get tantalisingly close but a jump shot by Kofi Josephs and a Jason three left the last couple of minutes for Kenny Saunders to score with a long two, then an outrageous slam dunk before he finished the quarter with a buzzer beating three to take Rockets to the interval seven points up at 43-36.

The third period saw Rockets further impose themselves, maintaining their effective defence causing Tigers to turn the ball over and also have twenty four second violations, whilst scoring from good plays Saunders scored twelve of Rockets twenty one points in these ten minutes and was the most influential player on the court - offensively and defensively - as he scored a further slam dunk, a tip in, a timely three pointer, took defensive boards and a charge before making a steal from which Rockets capitalised. Lukas Aleksandravicius drove determinedly to score and Jason Sayers hit three from four from the free throw line as Rockets took a 64-51 lead into the final quarter.

Rockets quickly extended their lead with Aleksandravicius instrumental in the first two plays with resultant three pointers from Parker and Louis Sayers as he stole the ball to release Parker and drove into the heart of Taunton's defence before throwing a peach of a pass to Louis Sayers who hit his three from wide out on the side line. When Louis hit another three from an assist by his older twenty one year old brother, Rockets lead was twenty two points. Though Taunton hit back with a five point run a final Parker three saw Rockets comfortably win this important encounter by 81-67 with five players having double digit scores.

Top scorers Kenny Saunders 23, Louis Sayers 13, Ryan Lohfink 12, Robbie Parker 11 and Jason Sayers 10.

Rockets next home game is again away from Rivermead - in Maidenhead at the Magnet Leisure Centre next Sunday 28th February with a 4 pm tip against London Leopards.