Despite defeat, there were many positives to take from the game, with Storm showing some excellent character in the third quarter to reduce the deficit. The final result came down to the shooting percentages of both teams, with the Rockets shooting 50% from three pointers compared to Storm’s 33%.
The opening stages of this game saw both teams opt for a more methodical approach as neither team stretched out to a significant lead. Whilst Storm looked to work the ball into the inside presence of Matt Ellis and Darien-Nelson-Henry, Reading looked to play with a high tempo, moving the ball into good areas to create opportunities for themselves. However, the Rockets were able to adapt to Storm’s game plan quickly and forced turnovers, proving costly as the visitors stretched their lead to a 9 point advantage heading into the second quarter.
Storm needed a quick reaction to respond in front of a sold out StormDome. Within less than 3 minutes of the second period being played, a Sam Newman three forced Rockets’ Coach Samit Nuruzade into a timeout, following back-to-back three pointers. It was a genius move from Reading, as they refocused and began to stretch their lead out. Storm struggled to deal with the constant threat of Victor Olarerin and Justin Hopkins, who both combined for 62 points between them. It was an extremely disappointing first half for Storm as they trailed by 17 points heading into half time.
After what would have been an intense half time team talk, it was the visitors who continued to thrive off the momentum they carried into the half, as they extended their lead to a game high of 24 points. Suddenly, Storm began to kick back into life as they slowly began to come back. The game began to get fiery, to which Storm were able to thrive off the energy given from the Storm faithful. With two minutes left of the quarter, the deficit was down to just 10 points, with the momentum in favour of Storm. As the end of the third period approached, back-to-back three pointers from Tra’Michael Moton lifted the atmosphere even more, with the hosts heading into the final quarter, trailing by just 9 points.
The final quarter begin incredibly frantic, with Storm desperately looking to get back into the game, whereas Reading looked to pull away. This caused mistakes to begin to creep in as the Rockets mustered a 0-9 run to force a timeout from Storm Coach Mark Clark. Storm did look to respond instantly; however, Reading failed to budge and used their quality to prevent any late hopes of a comeback. The final buzzer eventually sounded, with Storm losing 93-105.
It was a disappointing loss against a team with high quality, and the second time Storm have lost against the Rockets this season. However, there were many positives moments and performances in the game. Matt Ellis led the scoring with 30 points and 9 rebounds, whilst Sam Newman and Darien Nelson-Henry both achieved a double-double. With Sylla getting back to full fitness, and several players having to play games for the University of Hertfordshire, it was always going to be a tough ask to go a whole regular season undefeated. However, Storm will look to bounce back next weekend in another thrilling encounter on the road against the MK Breakers.
Storm next face Loughborough Riders on Saturday 15th March at the StormDome, which will look to be another eagerly awaited encounter. It is a crucial game for Storm, who look to retain the league title they previously won in the 2022/23 season. Make sure to get your tickets using the Fanbase platform and support the Storm in this matchup.