Reading Rockets have begun preparations for the 2016/2017 season by re-signing three of their academy players in the form of 17 year old Fidel Gomez De Enterria Lopez and 18 year olds Ali Sbai and Ibu Jassey Demba. The three Under 18 players from last term all feature for the Division One team but their main successes came with the club’s top junior team as they were runners-up in both the Under 18s Premier South league and in the National play-off championship final.
Ali Sbai joined the Berkshire outfit in 2014 when he began his studies at the Henley College and played for the club’s Academy EABL team and Under 18s team. He broke into the Division One team last season and was voted the club’s Under 18 Most Valuable Player. The Moroccan native will look to secure his position for the coming year in the top tier of English basketball whilst completing his studies at the John Madejski Academy as well as leading the Under 19s academy league in his final year.
Fidel Gomez De Enterria Lopez joined the Reading team from Real Madrid in Spain last season and made a significant impact in the three teams he represented. He played a prominent part in the club’s Under 18s successes as well as being a leading player in the Elite Academies Basketball League (EABL) and featuring more and more in the Division One team as the season progressed. The 17 year old looks set to be the youngest player on the roster this year but this won’t be a problem for the Spaniard as his experiences over the years in Spain and England should hold him in good stead to compete for minutes in Coach Manuel Peña Garcés’ team this term.
And completing the youthful trio of signings is athletic guard/forward Ibu Jassey Demba. The 6’6 18 year old joined from Gran Canaria in September 2015 and is considered to be one of the club’s top potentials and similarly to Ali Sbai, will complete his studies at the John Madejski Academy whilst representing the club’s Under 19 EABL and Division One teams respectively.
All three players have also recently been chosen for the Luol Deng top 50 camp (http://dengcamp.com/top-50-list-2016/) which invites those thought to be the 50 best Under 19 players in the U.K. to compete against each other over a four day period. The trio are hungry for success next year after picking up four runners-up medals last season, two with their Under 18 Junior Men and two with the Division One men in the National Trophy and Play-Off Championship.
Rockets Head Coach Manuel Peña Garcés, who has been hard at work assembling his team in the off season, is excited to welcome the three young players back and feels that these re-signings will shape the way his team will look this season as the Rockets focus on the youth of their academy and promotion of young players through the Rockets system. The Spanish play-caller who will return for his fourth season at the helm said,
[su_quote]“I am really happy to have these three players with us full time next season. They have all worked really hard and already achieved some great things during their time here so they deserve the opportunity to compete at the highest level and be part of what we want to build this season. I think each of them brings something different to the team and I believe all three of them can make big contributions at this level. A lot of hard work and continued development is needed but from their post season work I am super confident they will be ready for this.”[/su_quote]
[su_quote]“We have been working very hard in the close season to put together a squad that is hungry and youthful as well as experienced and motivated to win and I think we have shown our intentions to this early by the re-signings of these three individuals. We have looked at a number of players and have already come up against some visa issues so it might take a bit longer than we hoped to have everyone in place but we are confident we can put together the core of last year’s team and make it even stronger this year whilst working on our philosophy of young, talented players. The future looks bright and we are excited for the 22nd August when we come together for pre-season!”[/su_quote]
Rockets will be announcing more signings shortly as they prepare for the 2016/2017 in what will be their 20th season in English Basketball having formed in 1997 with one senior team and one junior team. Now, with four senior teams and twelve junior teams, coupled with two academies and over 100 players at Under 10s and below, the Berkshire outfit are a well established organisation with the continued promotion of young, British and European talent, and a dedicated home venue next on the agenda in the years to come.