Reading Rockets (4-3) will be looking to make it four wins in a row this weekend when they travel to the south coast to take on Worthing Thunder (2-7) on Saturday evening at Worthing Leisure Centre (7.30pm tip-off). Rockets claimed another 20+ point victory last weekend as they defeated Lancashire Spinners (3-6) 96-73 to keep in touch with the pace setters in NBL Division One going into their final three games before the Christmas break.
Rockets Head Coach Manuel Peña Garcès was happy to see his team build on last week’s performance against Leicester Warriors and keep the winning streak going but understands the process he spoke about last week of consistency and discipline is a long one and something he and his team are continually analysing and building upon. The Spaniard said,
“I am really pleased that we managed to record our third win a row against a team that recently beat the champions (Manchester Magic) and is a talented side. We had another good first half performance but we are finding the third quarter challenging at the moment as we had another dip and let the Spinners back into the game. Having the help of Mark (Bennett, performance coach), Alan (Keane, assistant coach), and Pedro (Garcia Rosado, assistant coach) has been really valuable in this period and together we are analysing ways to help the team become consistent, disciplined, and playing an acceptable level of basketball and although it is tough sometimes, I believe the journey for us all will be so beneficial in the future.”
Coach Peña Garces went on to say about this week’s opponents Worthing Thunder,
“Worthing is a very difficult place to go and a very difficult team to face despite their record. When we played them earlier in the season we found their speed and physicality difficult to match up against and they have arguably one of the best players in the league in Lyonell Gaines so we expect another tough test but one that has come at the right time for us and one that we will be preparing for throughly to keep our winning run going.”
It was in fact Worthing Thunder that inflicted the Rockets’ first defeat of the season, as the home team ran out winners by 78 points to 71 on the opening day of the season in the National Trophy. The Berkshire outfit have found the ‘Thunderdome’ a tough place to visit in recent years only recording one win in five outings and with a slight injury concern to Captain Danny Carter with a knee complaint, it will need to be a great week of preparation for the Reading team as they look to make it four wins in a row with a trip to Loughborough Student Riders on Sunday 11th December before rounding off 2016 on Sunday 18th December when they host Team Solent Kestrels as they look to continue their climb up the NBL Division One table.
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