{"id":5740,"date":"2021-03-05T18:00:12","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T18:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rr2021\/?p=5740"},"modified":"2021-03-05T14:45:54","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T14:45:54","slug":"rockets-v-kestrels-game-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rockets-v-kestrels-game-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockets V Kestrels | Game Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reading Rockets V Team Solent Kestrels<\/p>\n

Saturday 6th<\/sup> March 2021<\/p>\n

6:00pm Tip-off<\/p>\n

National Basketball League Division 1<\/p>\n

Rockets are looking to bounce back from our loss to the Leicester Warriors, with a strong performance against league-leaders and undefeated Team Solent Kestrels. The game will be livestreamed on YouTube, where you will be joined by our charismatic commentary duo, Matt Johnson and Mark Halewood.<\/p>\n

This is the opening game of the Rocket\u2019s first double-header of the season, going up against Team Newcastle on Sunday at 3:00pm.<\/p>\n

Rockets are scoring tremendous amounts of points in our last 5 games, averaging an incredible 95.6 points. This has been the result of terrific scoring performances from O\u2019Showen Williams (21.8 PPG in the last 5 games), Leome Francis (17.4 PPG in the last 5 games) and new recruit Jaz Bains, who in his first 2 games for the club is averaging 17.0 points off the bench, shooting 9-16 from 3-point range. Alongside this, Coach Keane has adopted to take a fast-tempo offence, playing at lightning speed to get easy points before the defence is set, as we average 27.2 Fastbreak points over the last 5 games.<\/p>\n

Team Solent Kestrels continue to dominate the NBL Division 1. They are still yet to be defeated in the league and are leading the division in points (99.5 PPG), rebounds (44.6 RPG), assists (25.8 APG), and steals (10.1 SPG). A key player for the Kestrels in recent games has been 6\u20196\u201d forward Travis Charles. Charles has been a force to be reckoned with in recent games.\u00a0 He averages 18.8 points as well as retrieving 7.6 rebounds in his last 5 games for the Kestrels. He will be looking to improve on his 9 points and 10 rebounds he achieved last time out versus the Rockets earlier in the season.<\/p>\n

Last time we faced Solent; we were second best falling to a 101-73 defeat<\/a> at the Solent Sports Complex. After a fairly even first half, with the Rockets playing some incredible and high-intensity basketball, the Kestrels showed their class to edge themselves to a 28-point victory. Orlan Jackman was Solent\u2019s star man scoring 28 points and grabbing 12 rebounds as well as Ian Smith playing a supporting role with 19 points and supplying 9 assists.<\/p>\n

Head coach Alan Keane is very familiar with this Solent side and is looking forward to the challenge:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first time in a strange but privileged season that we not only face a team for the second time in under a month but also a double header weekend. We are very familiar with Solent, who isn’t, they are a joy to watch each week. We know what we have to prepare for, we know their strengths and style of game well. Slowing them down and us being at our best is another thing. We feel we have grown in many areas; we know where our vulnerabilities are and anything other than our very best just won’t do against a team of Solent’s calibre. We are excited to go again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key Match-Up | Williams V Smith <\/strong><\/p>\n

This game will see two of the best guards in the NBL face off again \u2013 Reading\u2019s O\u2019Showen Williams and Solent\u2019s Ian Smith. Both fast guards are having terrific seasons, filling the stat sheet every week and are pivotal to their team\u2019s success. It will certainly be entertaining to watch.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading Rockets V Team Solent Kestrels Saturday 6th March 2021 6:00pm Tip-off National Basketball League Division 1 Rockets are looking to bounce back from our loss to the Leicester Warriors, with a strong performance against league-leaders and undefeated Team Solent Kestrels. The game will be livestreamed on YouTube, where you will be joined by our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":5744,"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":[244,4],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/i-WSQt8q2-X3.jpg?fit=1600%2C1066&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdDaI5-1uA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5595,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/kestrels-v-rockets-game-preview\/","url_meta":{"origin":5740,"position":0},"title":"Kestrels V Rockets: Game Preview","date":"11\/02\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This Saturday, Rockets travel to reigning NBL division 1 champions Team Solent Kestrels. The game will take place at 16:45 and will be livestreamed Team Solent Kestrels YouTube channel. Reading Rockets are currently unbeaten in 2021, coming off the victories over the Nottingham McDonald\u2019s Hoods and Bradford Dragons. What has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Game Preview"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Dragons-A-170.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4911,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/rockets-to-face-unbeaten-kestrels\/","url_meta":{"origin":5740,"position":1},"title":"Rockets to face unbeaten Kestrels","date":"18\/02\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Reading Rockets (13-6) will be looking to bounce back from their surprise defeat to Leicester Warriors (8-10) when they take on unbeaten league leaders Team Solent Kestrels (16-0) on Sunday afternoon, 5pm tip-off at Rivermead Leisure Complex. Rockets suffered their sixth defeat in NBL Division One sending them right back\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Game Preview"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/news-feb18-2020.png?fit=700%2C298&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5664,"url":"https:\/\/readingrockets.co.uk\/rr2021\/wolves-v-rockets-game-preview\/","url_meta":{"origin":5740,"position":2},"title":"Wolves V Rockets | Game Preview","date":"20\/02\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Oaklands Wolves V Reading Rockets | Tip-off: 3:30pm | Sunday 21st February 2021 \u00a0 Reading Rockets look to bounce back from our defeat at the hand of league-leaders Team Solent Kestrels, on Sunday when we face Oaklands Wolves. The match will take place at Oaklands College at 3:30pm. 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