Aldermore Reading Rockets began their BCB League campaign with an impressive 91–82 victory over Bristol Hurricanes in front of a sell-out crowd of 450 at Loddon Valley.
Both teams entered the league opener unbeaten following perfect BCB Trophy group campaigns, setting up an eagerly anticipated contest between two in-form sides. British Championship Basketball preview
Reading played a composed game despite Jax Bouknight being limited by injury. Jaxon Nap stepped forward with another outstanding all-round display, finishing just short of a triple-double with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to earn MVP honours.
Rockets establish an early advantage
Reading started confidently and edged the opening quarter 22–19.
The second period finished level at 19–19, giving the Rockets a narrow 41–38 lead at half-time. Bristol kept applying pressure, but Reading’s ball movement and defensive activity kept the visitors from taking control.
The Rockets scored 27 points in the third quarter, compared with Bristol’s 26, to carry a 68–64 lead into the final period.
With the result still in the balance, Reading delivered when it mattered. The hosts won the fourth quarter 23–18 to complete a hard-fought nine-point victory.
Nap comes close to a triple-double
Nap led the Rockets with an influential performance across the court:
- 23 points
- 9 rebounds
- 9 assists
- Performance index of 34
Yusef Salih added 18 points, while Mo Walker contributed 17 points and six rebounds. Jaylen Curry also reached double figures with 10 points, and Toby Holmes supplied seven points and five assists.
Bristol’s Pasquale Landolfi led all scorers with 34 points, with Dennis Flowers at 19 and David Forsyth at 10.
Team effort makes the difference
Reading shot 55% from the field and converted 10 of their 22 three-point attempts.
The Rockets recorded 21 assists, compared with Bristol’s 16, while their defensive pressure produced 11 steals and helped force 17 Hurricanes turnovers. Reading committed only 10 turnovers themselves and scored 18 points from Bristol’s mistakes.
Bristol held a narrow 30–29 rebounding advantage, but Reading’s movement, decision-making and defensive activity proved decisive.
A memorable afternoon at The Valley
The victory was made even more special by a sell-out crowd of 450. The energy inside Loddon Valley helped carry the Rockets through a competitive league opener and continued the strong connection between the team and its supporters.
Thank you to everyone who filled The Valley, brought the noise and helped create another memorable afternoon of Rockets basketball.
Reading now begins a run of four consecutive away fixtures, starting against City of Birmingham Rockets on Sunday 18 October. The BCB Men return to Loddon Valley against Hemel Storm on Saturday 7 November. View the full fixture list
