Reading Rockets (13-9) will be hoping to keep their top four hopes alive this weekend when they make the short journey to Hertfordshire to take on Hemel Storm (9-12) on Sunday afternoon, 5pm tip-off at Sportspace. The Reading outfit split last weekend\u2019s games as the form book was thrown out of the window as they lost to relegation threatened Barking Abbey Crusaders 95-84 in Kent before returning home to defeat top four contenders Thames Valley Cavaliers 70-67.<\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s meeting will be the third of the season between the two teams with Rockets currently leading the series 2-0. The Berkshire outfit picked up National Trophy success back in October with a 117-95 victory before repeating the feat in league play, winning 97-80 the following month. This will be the first game between the two sides in Hemel this weekend which hasn\u2019t been a happy stomping ground for the Rockets in recent years having not been victorious there since October 2016.<\/p>\n
In speaking ahead of Sunday\u2019s match-up with the Storm, Rockets Head Coach Alan Keane was pleased his team managed to pick up one valuable win last weekend after a tough couple of weeks but knows the upcoming test will be a tough one for the group. He said,<\/p>\n
“Coming off a very tough stretch schedule wise which had an impact on injuries and fatigue, it will feel refreshing to have only one game next weekend. Hemel have really rejuvenated themselves with new signings and a positive run of form this side of Christmas. Having played and beaten them twice this season we are very familiar with the threat they bring across multiple positions. We will approach the game like any other, fully prepared and ready to go with a full roster.”<\/p>\n
Rockets go into Sunday\u2019s game with the news Captain Danny Carter should be able to return to fold after sitting out of last Sunday\u2019s win over Thames Valley. The 30 year old forward continues to nurse his back complaint in his final competitive season but is most likely to return to action against Hemel Storm. A hip injury stunted American Trae Pemberton\u2019s weekend last time out but should be fit in time for the trip to Hertfordshire. Coach Keane may well have a full squad to select from as the Rockets look to push on for a top four finish with five regular season games remaining.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reading Rockets (13-9) will be hoping to keep their top four hopes alive this weekend when they make the short journey to Hertfordshire to take on Hemel Storm (9-12) on Sunday afternoon, 5pm tip-off at Sportspace. The Reading outfit split last weekend\u2019s games as the form book was thrown out of the window as they […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":[],"_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"spay_email":""},"categories":[3,2,4,6],"tags":[220,218,144,210,152,143,217,209,142],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/LRM_EXPORT_59966748906260_20190315_112839874.jpg?fit=4864%2C2394&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdDaI5-Xp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4701,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/top-of-the-table-clash-awaits-rockets-final-game-of-2019\/","url_meta":{"origin":3683,"position":0},"title":"Top of the table clash awaits Rockets\u2019 final game of 2019","date":"16\/12\/2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Reading Rockets (9-3) will make the short trip to Hertfordshire this Saturday evening (7pm tip-off) to take on rivals Hemel Storm (9-3) in their final game of 2019. The Reading outfit had a fantastic double success last weekend beating NBL Division One rivals Worthing Thunder (9-3) by 100 points to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Game Preview"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/news-16-12-2019.png?fit=700%2C298&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2623,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rockets-to-face-national-cup-finalists\/","url_meta":{"origin":3683,"position":1},"title":"Rockets to face National Cup finalists","date":"11\/01\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Reading Rockets (8-4) will make the short journey to Hemel this Saturday when they take on the Storm (7-5) in a fourth v fifth clash in NBL Division One. Rockets split their opening two games of 2018 as they comfortably defeated Lancashire Spinners (0-12) 107-67 before suffering a surprise loss\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Club Announcements"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Jan2018-news.png?fit=700%2C298&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":790,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rockets-head-into-final-weekend-of-the-regular-season-after-double-loss\/","url_meta":{"origin":3683,"position":2},"title":"Rockets head into final weekend of the regular season after double loss","date":"23\/03\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Reading Rockets (17-7) still have everything to play for this weekend despite two last second losses when they host second placed Derby Trailblazers (19-6) on Saturday evening at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre (6pm tip-off) before travelling to face the Champions of NBL Division One on Sunday, Manchester Magic, at 5pm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Main News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/latest-news-banner_zps8906efc5.jpg?fit=555%2C241&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1510,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rockets-looking-to-weather-early-storm-as-league-campaign-gets-underway\/","url_meta":{"origin":3683,"position":3},"title":"Rockets looking to weather early Storm as league campaign gets underway","date":"08\/10\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Reading Rockets will look to build on their first win of the season at the hands of Team Solent Kestrels last Sunday when they travel to Hertfordshire this Saturday to take on rivals Hemel Storm in their first NBL Division One game of the 2016-2017 campaign (7pm tip-off). Rockets split\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Main News"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Rockets-captain-Danny-Carter-in-action-e1481744454241.png?fit=705%2C352&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4753,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/match-report-hemel-storm-v-reading-rockets\/","url_meta":{"origin":3683,"position":4},"title":"Match Report – Hemel Storm v Reading Rockets","date":"23\/12\/2019","format":false,"excerpt":"[event_full id=\"3989\" align=\"none\"]","rel":"","context":"In "Match Report"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/basketball-court.png?fit=705%2C267&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2432,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rockets-face-league-and-cup-double-header\/","url_meta":{"origin":3683,"position":5},"title":"Rockets face league and cup double header","date":"09\/10\/2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Reading Rockets (1-0) will be looking to build on Sunday\u2019s narrow win against Team Newcastle University (0-1) when they take on Hemel Storm (0-0) in league play on Saturday afternoon (5pm tip-off at Bohunt School) before entering the National Cup for the first time this season at the third round\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mens Team"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kestrels-vs-reading-rockets-nat-cup-24sep17-36300-c2a9ngs-mbs.png?fit=700%2C296&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3683"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3683"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3684,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3683\/revisions\/3684"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}