The Rockets started the doubleheader weekend with a tight 91-85 win over Newcastle University.
Coming off a tough loss to the high flying Hemel Storm, the Rockets were slow to get into the swing of things, but brought it together in the clutch to win their ninth game of the season.
Troy Cracknell led the Rockets with 24 points on six for 11 shooting in a return to form for him. Reis Pinnock was incredible on both ends of the ball, finishing with 22 points on six for eight shooting and six assists. Jawad Adekoya had another good game off the bench, notching 16 points and six rebounds.
The Rockets started as they always do, looking for Jordan Jackson inside. Jackson couldn’t get the space he wanted so he dumped it off to Pinnock with the shot clock running out, Pinnock pulled and nailed the three to get the crowd going early.
It looked like it was gonna be the typically fast paced Loddon game early after two Newcastle threes made it 7-6 just three minutes in but both teams immediately went cold. Jackson ended the cold streak three minutes later with a two handed dunk but it didn’t get either team going.
Josh Moore, who ended up playing every minute for Newcastle, would score 12 first quarter points for the away side, leading them to a 22-17 lead at the end of the first.
The Rockets would stay slow to start the second, their first points coming from the foul line three minutes in.
A quick flurry of points by Jackson, Pinnock and a big Jermiah Jenkins three would see the deficit suddenly brought down to five. Two Cracknell free throw line trips later and the game was tied.
Both teams would pick up the scoring in the final two and half minutes, but it was Reading who had the upper hand. A 26 point quarter by the home team meant the game was all tied at the half time break.
The Rockets launched out the gates fast in the second half with Pinnock finding himself open in the corner for three and hitting it. But with Pinnock being a defensive maestro, he clamped down the opposing three point attempt and leaked out to get the ball off Ben Dixon and drive into the lane and lay it in. A wide open Jenkins three meant the Rockets started the quarter on an eight point run.
Reading’s lead would reach as high as nine during the quarter but a three minute cold streak allowed Newcastle to get right back in it. Jenkins would steal a inbound of the visitors and layed it in to end the quarter with the score 62-60
The two teams combined for only 36 points in the third, but the scoring would come back alive in the fourth. Jordan May’s running floater got Newcastle going in the fourth but Cracknell would respond with a corner three after a nice feed by Jenkins. Then Jackson would find the space to get the crowd going again with a two handed dunk.
And the crowd were in for a tense final quarter as there would be six lead changes in the final six minutes.
The new guy on the block, Adekoya would play a massive role in the final couple of minutes. He first hit a big layup with just under three minutes to go to give the Rockets a two point lead.
Dixon would then force a turnover and find Adekoya at the three point line. This shot was off but Jackson grabbed a massive offensive rebound and kicked it back out to Adekoya who would nail the second attempt, bringing the lead to five.
With one minute left to go up just one, Cracknell pulled up for three which agonizingly bounced out but Adekoya hustled to get the offensive rebound.
Adekoya would be fouled a couple of times as Newcastle looked to stop the clock but the experienced wing hit the free throws and the Rockets walked away as winners.
The Rockets travel to Southampton tomorrow to take on the Kestrels in the second part of the men’s double header. However the team will return to Loddon Valley next Sunday as they take on the Bradford Dragons.