Saturday’s fixture saw Hemel Storm progress to the Playoff Semi Finals, after a comfortable 95-78 victory was secured over the Bristol Hurricanes.
Having ended the season on some shaky form, Storm silenced any doubters with a controlled and dominant performance throughout the game. The energy on both ends of the floor was key to their success, with the intensity remaining high during all four quarters of play.
Storm were able to shoot the ball with good accuracy, achieving a 48% Field Goal Percentage as opposed to the Hurricanes’ 38%. The shooting accuracy proved to be a notable difference between the two teams, with a key moment in the game coming at the opening minutes of the fourth quarter as Storm began to heat up from three point range, connecting on five occasions in the opening five minutes.
The hosts were also fuelled by the return of Brayden Inger, following his visa clearance. The dual-national forward slotted straight into the starting five, and impressed on both ends of the floor. Inger made himself a presence on the rebounds, whilst also connecting on two occasions from three point range.
Whilst the scoring was spread throughout numerous members of the roster, Tra’Michael Moton led all scorers with an outstanding performance, boasting 6 three pointers made and 23 points to his name. Despite getting into foul trouble during the second quarter, Moton was able to play intelligently, with a tireless display on defence alongside his excellence when in possession of the ball.
Throughout the regular season, many of Storm’s woes came from the number of turnovers, unforced errors and rebounds lost. Despite losing out on total rebounds with the Hurricanes achieving just one more rebound, Storm looked after the ball much better and reaped the rewards, as they created better shooting opportunities. As the stakes increase in the Semi Final, Storm will need to continue as they aim to progress to the final.
Following the expiration of the game clock, celebrations continued amongst the Storm faithful as the team were presented with the NBL Division One League Winners Trophy. It has been an exceptional effort from the team, who have overcame many challenges on their way to achieving the title.
Take a look at the photos from the evening shot by Matt Cook here.
However, Storm now set their sights on achieving a double, with the Milton Keynes Breakers heading to the StormDome in what looks to be an exciting Semi Final Matchup. Tickets are expected to sell out so make sure to secure your tickets using the Fanbase platform.
Written by Ollie Heathcote