Saturday 20th February 2021
Loughborough Riders 76 – 79 Hemel Storm
NBL Division One
19 points up with 14 minutes to go, a comfortable victory looked likely for Vanarama-sponsored Hemel Storm at Loughborough Riders on Saturday - but that’s not how it turned out!
7 first quarter points for Mike Williams and Tayo Oyefusi set Storm on their way to an 8 point first quarter lead at 20-8. Riders, without their leading scorer and rebounder Harrison Gamble, must have feared a long night but hit back to win the second period 20-17 and trail by just 5 at the half.
Storm came back in the third stanza as Bode Adeluola hit 12 points in a 24 point effort as they went into the last period up by 11.
Loughborough were far from finished though and employed a press defence that Storm consistently failed to break and gave up scoring opportunities, whilst Riders also punished Storm from 3 point range as the lead was wiped out. Storm led by 5 with 27 seconds on the clock but turned the ball over and Riders hit a 3 to make it a two point game. Bode then ran 21 seconds off the clock and made a lay up under huge pressure to take the lead back to 4 and Riders went straight down the court and hit another 3! With just 1.9 seconds on the clock Riders fouled on the inbound possession to stop the clock. Greg Poleon was sent to the foul line and made both shots with 0.4 seconds on the clock and secure the win for Storm 79-76.
Storm were led by Greg Poleon with 22 points, Bode Adeluola with 20, Mike Williams hit 18 and Tayo Oyefusi had a double double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
A huge double header weekend lies ahead for Storm when they travel to Derby on Saturday and host league leaders Team Solent Kestrels on Sunday, tip off 5pm live on Hemel Storm TV YouTube page.
Photos courtesy of Loughborough Riders.
