Hemel Storm will look to advance their record to 4-0 as they face Loughborough Riders on the road on Saturday evening.
The Riders have had a mixed start to their own campaign, defeating Newcastle Knights impressively in their first encounter before losing out to Bristol Hurricanes. They had a gameless weekend most recently and should be fresh and ready to give Storm a strong challenge.
It’s a Storm side who have started their own season well, 100% in the league and advancing to the semi-finals of the Trophy.
They got the job done on Saturday evening, defeating a determined Bristol outfit, and that followed their own statement win in Newcastle.
Co-incidentally, the Riders two opponents so far have also come up against Storm and it will provide Mark Clark a level of comfort that his side have fared better respectively.
Loughborough’s four-point home victory over Newcastle was usurped by Storm, who claimed a 28-point win on their trip up north.
The Riders, coached by Will Maynard again, then lost to Bristol, 79-66, while Storm were able to take down the Hurricanes by a comfortable ten point margin.
They will know this far from guarantees success this weekend, however, and will be well aware of the threat a competitive Loughborough side can cause them in their own arena.
Playing on their University floor no doubt serves as an advantage, and Storm have often struggled to adapt to the notoriously tricky rims, notably losing their unbeaten record there at the start of last season.
The sides have met already this year, Storm running out winners at the StormDome in the KitKing Trophy quarter-final, but it certainly offered a glimpse at the problems the Riders will look to cause them when they face each other again this week.
Victor Nkoudou’s 30-point display came in a losing cause but will surely remain the focus of the scout this time. He offered a solid shooting effort from behind the arc, to go alongside his dominant presence under the basket.
To minimise his effect on the game, Storm may turn to their own Matt Ellis, who delivered a Team of the Week worthy outing on Saturday evening.
Ellis’ steady showing saw him post an efficiency rating of 24, with 18 points and six rebounds, and they will require all his feisty competitive edge to shut down Nkoudou.
Darien Nelson-Henry has become a consistent performer - the ex-Leicester Riders captain taking up an important leadership role at his new club - and it looks to be an intriguing, and perhaps decisive, battle of the big men under the basket.
Also occupying the space beneath the rim will be 7’ 1 Bryan Penn-Johnson, who headed over from America at the start of the year after rising to fame on Netflix’s ‘Last Chance U’ documentary. Storm will look to control the pair and outcompete them on the rebounds, preventing second chance points and ensuring their defensive efforts don’t go to waste.
Other key men for the Riders include Justin Hedley, who qualifies as a Brit despite his German roots and he secured a place in the British Team of the Year last season.
Storm’s Sam Newman will hope to prove himself as the superior homegrown guard and continue his fine form, while American Tra’Michael Moton will look to take another positive step as he settles into his first professional assignment out of college.
They will hope to have Veron Eze back, after a niggle kept him out against Bristol, and they know a win will see them keep their place at the top of the table.
Tip-off is at 6pm at Loughborough University, LE11 3TS. Make the short trip to support the boys as they bid to add another win to the tally!
Tickets can be bought online or on the door for £5 an adult and entry is free for children. Parking is available on site but must be purchased prior to entry at a £1 cost.
Storm’s next home game sees Milton Keynes Breakers visit the StormDome for the first time this season, in what is sure to be a thriller on Saturday 9th November, tip off 7pm. Tickets will be in demand so to avoid disappointment, get your tickets via the Fanbase platform.
Written by Callum Humphrey