Top spot on the line as Storm host local rivals Breakers
Hemel Storm welcome Milton Keynes Breakers on Saturday, in a shootout for top spot in the BCB Trophy’s Midlands group.
Both teams have started their seasons with a perfect three-from-three record, meaning both have secured their quarter-final places already.
However, the winner of Saturday’s meeting will earn the added bonus of a home draw, with the quarter-finals to be played on Sunday 15 November.
Tom Baker’s Storm overcame a tricky-looking tie against NBL Division One Oaklands Wolves on Sunday on their return to the StormDome, securing an important 90-74 win.
There were strong contributions from Jabari Nurse, Ty Nsangu and Victor Olarerin, among others, as the strength in depth of their roster again came to the fore.
They pushed the pace and earned their rewards through a series of points from turnovers and on the fast break, their opponents struggling to deal with the relentless pressure they applied.
There remains room for improvement in some areas, including the accuracy of their long-range shooting, but the signs all suggest an exciting season at the StormDome is on the horizon.
This weekend, though, will provide them with their toughest test yet.
The Breakers maintained their own unblemished record with a hard-fought, overtime victory over Birmingham Rockets on Saturday.
It followed wins over Oaklands Wolves and Loughborough Riders, and American forward Nick Woodard again starred.
A 35-point pre-season haul against Team USA Select set the tone, and since then he has averaged 22 points across his three Trophy outings, including 28 against the Rockets.
There were also 10 rebounds for the 6’7” forward, who has started the season in dominant fashion.
Their other import is 6’9” American forward Darius Duffy, and he’s joined by another 6’9” forward in Sam Grant.
Returning for the Breakers, who have a new head coach in experienced operator Nigel Lloyd, are captain Jordan Spencer, Jonas Dieterich and Mike New Jr., while Australian-born guard George Pearl has joined after impressing with Australian NBL Division One side Warwick Senators.
There have been some memorable meetings between these two sides in recent years, and this one is expected to be no different.
Tickets for this high-quality matchup, with both sides vying for top spot in the group, are expected to sell quickly and are available now on the Fanbase app.
Alternatively, you can follow along on our socials, or through the livestream or livestats.
Written by Callum Humphrey