Storm in Trophy defeat

Hemel Storm 95 – 117 Reading Rockets (National Trophy pool game)

Hemel Storm couldn’t recover from a second quarter collapse away to Reading Rockets on Sunday afternoon and lost 117 – 95 in a National Trophy pool game. 

Vanarama-sponsored Storm went into the period just two points adrift at 24 – 22 but indifferent defending and a barrage of six three-pointers from the home team turned the next ten minutes into a rout as Hemel lost it 37 – 21 to trail 61 – 43 at half-time.

Despite an improved second half performance the visitors could not claw back the 18-point deficit as the teams’ traded baskets throughout the third and fourth periods.

Dave Titmuss, Storm’s Associate Head Coach said: “We played them evenly for three of the quarters but in the second period we just switched off defensively. 

“On the plus side, it’s still early in the season and I think we learned a lot from this game that we can improve on in training.”

Storm team and scorers: Bode Adeluola19, Leon Henry 17, Blayne Freckleton 14, Leome Francis 12, Will Ashby 12, Ian Berry 6, Levi Noel 4, Tom Martin 3, Jack Burnell 3, Jamie Hayes 3, Tom Adorian 2, Sam Dunscombe.

Storm are at Hemel Leisure Centre on Saturday against Leicester Warriors in a National League Division One game, tip-off 7pm. Tickets available from the drop-down menu above.

And the following day Storm continue their defence of the National Cup with a fourth-round trip to Barking Abbey Crusaders.

Photo caption:
Storm’s captain Bode Adeluola led his team in scoring against Reading with 19 points.
(Picture: Lin Titmuss)  

Hemel Storm II 69 – 82 Essex Blades

Hemel’s second team were knocked out of the National Shield on Sunday against Division 3 outfit Essex Blades at JFK School.  A third quarter onslaught from the visitors gave them an 18-point lead heading into the last period.

Frantic defence from Hemel helped cut the margin to 13 but they ran out of time.

Coach David Allin commented: “We felt we could have done better today despite Essex being from a higher division.  We were sluggish at both ends of the floor and didn’t reach the levels of recent performances”.

Hemel will look to make amends as they return to league action next week with a home game against Westminster.

Storm II team and scorers: Nick Allin 16, Mike Coumas 12, Ewan Kassir 9, Daryl Craine 8, Dominic Charles 7, Shaun Allin 6, Rafe Abrook 5, Ben Pearce 3, Matt Renshaw 3, Luke Bannister