Hemel Storm will round off a series of three challenge matches by taking on the current British Basketball League Champions Leicester Riders at Sportspace on Saturday October 7th. The tip-off will be an hour earlier than normal at 6pm.
“It’s obviously a real test for us and a great opportunity for our fans to see the best of British basketball,” said Dave Titmuss Hemel’s Basketball Programme Director.
“We have aspirations at Storm to be the top team in the country and I think we’re headed in the right direction so this game will highlight the task we face!”
While Vanarama-sponsored Storm will field an all-British team Riders’ line up will include a number of foreign players along with some top British talent.
“We are already selling tickets for the game so as usual we expect to have a big crowd and the fantastic support that we enjoy week in, week out,” added Titmuss.
Hemel Storm 81 – 63 London Greenhouse Pioneers (Challenge match)
Storm won their challenge matches against the American touring team, USA-Select, 91 – 88 and on Saturday they defeated a plucky London Greenhouse Pioneers squad from National League Division Two, 81 – 63. The Pioneers are expected to challenge for promotion this season.
Hemel were without injured starter Michael Darlow and also guard Nick Allin both players were side-lined with short term injuries and are expected to return to the line-up before next Saturday’s National Trophy pool game away against Loughborough. Both Loughborough and Storm beat Leicester Warriors in the three team pool so the winner of Saturday’s game will qualify for the competition’s semi-final stage.
On Saturday Hemel used a 24 – 17 first period and 22 – 14 second quarter to take a lead into the locker room at half time. In a free-flowing clash the visitor’s struggled to cope with Hemel’s leading scorer David Ajumobi (23 points) who found the basket from both long and short range, or captain Bode Adeluola (14 points) who’s lightening quick drives to basket mostly resulted in a basket or a foul.
After three quarters and the score 65 – 46 in Hemel’s favour the visitors turned up the defensive pressure in the final stanza and shot extremely well to get themselves back into contention at 67 – 59, but a Hemel time-out called by Coach Robert Youngblood stopped any momentum that the visitors had and his team went on to outscore Pioneers 15 – 4 in the last five minutes.
“It was a valuable exercise for us,” said Coach Youngblood, “and showed up some details that we need to focus on and improve.”
Storm team and scorers: David Ajumobi 23, Bode Adeluola 14, Lee Greenan 10, Wayne Yeboah 10, Courtney Van-Beest 7, Tom Adorian 6, Chuck Duru 6, Jack Burnell 5, Walid Mumuni, Rhyce Donegal.
Storm’s next home game against Leicester Riders BBL, tip-off 6pm. Tickets available under 'tickets & shop' drop-down menu
Picture: Storm’s captain Bode Adeluola drives to basketball.
(Photo: Lin Titmuss)
