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In a display that frustrated head coach Sterling Davis described as ‘rusty’ the Glasgow Rocks slumped to a surprising 89-75 defeat to a Mersey Tigers side that came up to Glasgow having failed to win on the road this season.

In their first home game of 2012, and their first competitive game for over a fortnight, coach Davis admitted that he somewhat expected his troops to be rusty during the games opening minutes. Indeed, both teams were rusty, as six minutes into the game the Tigers were leading 9-4, with both sides missing more than their fair share of simple shots.

Unfortunately for the Rocks faithful, the team were rusty for the entire first three quarters, shooting under 30% and allowing too many open shots on the defensive side of the ball. Despite a much better final ten minutes that brought a slimmer of respectability to the score line, Davis could not hide his disappointment in the performance of the team, saying, in a downbeat tone, that ‘from the rust it seemed like we just weren’t focussed, there was almost a lack of interest in the game’ before stating his disappointment in the inability of his team to respond positively from their early troubles.

Credit must go to Mersey, however, as they were able to shake off some early jitters themselves and their slick passing game, coupled with their defensive pressure, resulted in an admirable performance that belied their lowly record. David Aliu, as is so often the case against Glasgow, was the fulcrum for the Tigers and recorded an impressive 15 points and 5 assists while the ever dangerous Myles Hesson added to his growing reputation with a big double-double.

The Tigers passing ability notwithstanding, it was a scrappy and often poor game, not that Tony Garbelotto and his players will mind too much about that. Mersey raced out to an early 17-8 lead inside the opening eight minutes and never looked back. Glasgow, in truth, never looked capable of mounting a comeback, even at that early stage and produced a frustrating and disappointing three quarters that included Gareth Murray being fouled out following three early fouls in the third quarter after not realising how many fouls he was on. You could say that that summed up the Rocks night. A lack of concentration and interest hurt Glasgow dearly.

With many of his stars carrying injuries, coach Davis admitted it was a struggle and commented that the fortnight his team waited in between games in many ways didn’t help as he tried to strike a balance between resting the walking wounded and running his training sessions. Davis said that ‘we’ve still got guys with nagging injuries that they’re looking like they’ve just got to play with for the rest of the season.’ Bad news indeed.

Next up for the Rocks is a very tricky double-header next week away to Leicester and a Plymouth side that will no doubt still be licking their wounds after suffering a blowout defeat in the BBL Cup Final against the Eagles last weekend. Davis stated that he will be looking to work on the mental aspects of the game in training this week in an attempt to boost the intensity and effort levels in his team following such a disappointingly lacklustre display.

Next up at the Kelvin Hall are the Guildford Heat who will be keen to avenge their 99-94 defeat suffered in early December. The Heat have rebounded admirably following that defeat, which was their 12^th consecutive loss. They will prove to be difficult opposition and the boys in blue will be sure to need as much support as possible, so make sure to book your tickets!

Let’s Rocks

The Glasgow Rocks finished 2011 with a much needed 72-64 bounce-back victory over the One Health Sheffield Sharks following their horror show of a double-header before Christmas. Coming off two poor losses against Worcester and Plymouth, and with an injury ravaged squad, both Coach Davis and rising star Jonny Bunyan insisted finishing the year on a high was the only option. Bunyan, who scored all of his nine points in under two minutes during a crucial period at the start of the fourth quarter that edged the Rocks in front, stated that ‘we had to get the win’ while Coach commented that the team had responded terrifically in training and was proud of his troops performance.

With guard E.J. Harrison still out, and Coach looking suave in his suit while he sits out with a torn MCL, the Rocks were going to be up against it, but backed by a large and vocal Kelvin Hall crowd, the navy blue were able to pull off yet another stirring display against the Sharks, having previously beat them 82-64 in mid-November in front of the SKY cameras. While the Rocks were short-handed due to injuries, the Sharks were dealt a blow of an entirely different kind when leading scorer Jimmy Langhurst was unable to renew his visa and remained in the United States. Meanwhile, Justin Dobbins was suffering from the flu and captain Adrian Anderson remained sidelined due to a broken wrist.

It wasn’t a pretty game by any means, but the Rocks will not be too bothered by that as they look to stake claim to a top four slot in the table. The opening exchanges suggested that it was to be a scrappy affair as neither side was able to build momentum as missed shot followed missed shot and the Sharks passing left a lot to be desired. The Rocks built up a 24-16 lead early in the second quarter, but, as is so frustratingly often the case, Glasgow went missing for a large chunk of the game. With the defence being characteristically erratic in both its marking and pressure, Sheffield were able to capitalise on their rebounding advantage, and poor Rocks shooting, to go on a 12-0 run.

A key block from DeAundrae, and the hustle and determination of the Ginger One appeared to relight the fire in the team again as they closed out the half scoring more points in the final two minutes than they had managed in the previous eight.

Speaking after the game, Coach Davis was quick to heap praise on the young Scot saying that Jonny was ‘playing with more confidence’ and that ‘as time goes on he’ll get even better.’

A tight third quarter left the Rocks up by four points going into the final stanza.

Enter Jonny Bunyan. The 19 year old scored all nine of his points in a breathtaking and mesmerising two minute spell at the start of the fourth quarter that brought not only the crowd, but the Rocks bench to their feet in a mixture of adoration and astonishment. The young guard is playing with a confidence and skill that belies his teenage years. On several occasions he went right at the Sharks big men and beat them. Thanks mainly to the injury to E.J. Harrison, Jonny has been receiving ample game time, perhaps more than Coach would have initially intended, but recently he has forced his way right into the forefront of Sterl’s thoughts with electrifying displays and an infectious enthusiasm and hustle that can only bring about positive vibes for the rest of the players.

The Sharks never really got going, and despite out-rebounding the Rocks (55-33) they went an unforgiveable 5 of 35 from 3 point range, and shot just 30% from the field. That proved too poor an offensive performance from Atiba’s boys and the Rocks, thanks to back to back three pointers from Mychal Green, led by as many as 13 points in the final quarter before closing out a somewhat ugly, but very much deserved win.

The Rocks start 2012 with an away trip to perennial challengers and foes, the Eagles in what is sure to be a tough match-up against the table toppers then they have a fortnight off before the visit of the Mersey Tigers to the Kelvin Hall. You know you don’t want to miss that clash!

Let’s Rock!

Callum Carson

A mesmeric display from Mychal Green led the Rocks to a 99-94 victory over the winless Guilford Heat on Sunday at the Kelvin Hall in a contest that was marred by the serious injury suffered by ex-Rock and fan favourite Mike Copeland in the first quarter.

Despite Guilford having gone 0-11 in all competitions both Coach Davis and guard Danny Huffor were keen to point out that the Heat were certainly not going to be taken lightly. Davis stated that he ‘disregarded their record completely,’ with Danny adding that he knew they were ‘going to be a good, athletic team.’

Veteran guard E.J. Harrison remained out, while Sterl still wasn’t 100% fit, so yet again the Rocks were going to have to play short-handed. That being said, when you have the Green Machine playing the way he has been this season, it almost seems like you can throw anything our way and Mychal will lap it up, get on with the job and carry this team on his shoulders.

The teams traded baskets in the early going, with neither team building a sizeable lead. The Rocks defence was posted missing on a few occasions though that led to easy points for the Heat, something that you just can’t concede against any opposition. Guilford dominated the boards, which led to them being able to cut down the second chance opportunities for Glasgow. With just over a minute to go in the first quarter, big Cope went down following a collision with Cranston underneath the basket. The injury looked bad at the time, and has since been confirmed as a snapped patella tendon. I’m sure everyone associated with the Rocks, fans and staff alike, wish Mike a speedy recovery.

Following a lengthy delay, the Heat claimed five unanswered points to close out the first quarter and take a 28-20 lead. Then, it was Mychal’s time to shine. In the second quarter alone, Green notched up 21 points on 7 of 8 shooting (including 5 of 5 from behind the arc and 2 of 2 from the free throw line). I can let the stats do the talking there. Simply an incredible performance, even more so when you consider that Murray was the Rocks second highest scorer with 21 for the entire game!

Green ended up with 32 points in total, and speaking to Danny after the game, he was in absolutely no doubt that Green has taken over the role of team leader following the injury to E.J, saying that while the entire team has had to step up, Mychal has stepped up ‘way higher’ than anyone else.

When E.J. gets back from his injury, that must surely give the Rocks the best guard combo in the league. You would have the three remarkable guards, each with their own unique skills to bring to the table. Huffor is a defensive specialist, Green the offensive weapon, while Harrison has all the intangibles that don’t get noted in the box score with his leadership and knowledge of the game. That, of course, is not to say he doesn’t contribute considerably on the score sheet.

Green’s second quarter heroics turned the tide massively in favour of the Rocks, and it was to stay that way for the remainder of the game. A four point half-time lead became eight going into the final quarter. Although the Rocks were never able to put the game beyond doubt until the last few seconds, they did hold the lead for the entire second half against a very resilient and determined side, who despite now being 0-12 were certainly no slouches.

Both teams, in actuality, played fairly similar games with a high tempo offence that was geared to score points. Defensively, the Rocks in particular, and rather uncharacteristically, allowed numerous open looks from down town and perhaps a more lethal team would have taken the two Championship points away from Kelvin Hall, but the Rocks ultimately did enough.

One pleasing note was that Glasgow hit 9 of 18 from behind the arc, significantly better than their season average, and what arguably lost us the game last week against the Eagles. If they can keep up stats like that, then they will be even more difficult to beat.

Next week the Rocks have a tough double header away at Worcester and Plymouth, but Huffor, who tallied 18 points on Sunday, and was one of four Rocks players to nail 50%, or more, of their shots, is looking relishing the challenge, believing that back to back games ‘make us more prepared, we go into the first game and we’ll play really well and I know the second game is going to be even better, that’s just how we are.’ Let’s hope you’re right Danny!

As this is the last blog before Christmas, I’ll take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Christmas and also to pass on my condolences to the family and friends of James Lay. Although I never knew him personally it is easy to see the impact he had on many of those in the Rocks family and his loss came far too soon.

Let’s Rock!

The Glasgow Rocks suffered an agonising defeat against main rivals Newcastle Eagles in front of a sold-out Kelvin Hall on Sunday. The 89-85 reverse sees Glasgow slip down to third in the BBL Championship, behind Worcester, with a 5-3 record. Newcastle, on the other hand, remain top with their unbeaten record.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Rocks given the continued absence of star guard E.J Harrison to an ankle injury, while Coach was carrying a knock himself that limited him to slightly over 13 minutes of game time.

The first quarter was a real back and forth affair with both sides enjoying short bursts of domination. Glasgow came out firing and opened up an early five point advantage but the Eagles quickly fought back.  The defensive pressure that Sterl has tried to hammer home to his troops all season was only shown in all too brief glimpses and the Eagles were left with far too many uncontested shots. That being said, the Rocks dominated the boards, at both ends in the first stanza and, despite not playing outstanding basketball, they found themselves down four points heading into the second quarter, where it all seemed to fall apart.

In what was surely the worst period played by the Rocks this year, they allowed the Eagles to go on a 25-2 run that looked like it had effectively clinched the game. The Rocks were sloppy in possession, turning the ball over with embarrassing regularity and letting the Eagles stroll to the basket for the easy shot. They seemed to be almost trying too hard and offensively just didn’t seem relaxed.

Yes, the injuries were damaging to the team, and the result may well have been different had EJ and Davis been fit, but the Rocks shot themselves in the foot with this one. At one point, Glasgow were a woeful 1 of 19 from behind the arc. Need I say more? I also feel that Davis should have changed things up a bit during the second quarter. At half-time, Wedemire, who had his best game in a Rocks jersey so far, and the Green Machine, totalled 23 of the 26 Rocks points. What happened to the other guys? The so-called ‘reserve’ players have shown on several occasions that they are more than capable of putting in a decent performance when called upon, especially wee Jonny Bunyan. Had he, or Martins, been given a run out for five minutes or so, it would have given the Eagles something different to think about and may have been the catalyst the Rocks so badly needed. At the end of the day, why have bench players if you’re reluctant to use them, especially when short-handed? While it may be a limited sample, Bunyan, Malnieks and Richards have gone 11 of 17 combined this season, so they are hardly slouches and clearly the stats show that only Mychal and Andy were remotely effective in the first half.

As bad as the second quarter was, the third quarter was incredible. The Rocks equalled their 26 first half points within eight minutes and outscored the Eagles 35-17. Green quoted Sterling, after the game, as having instilled a belief in his players that ‘Newcastle are not a better team than us,’ and that Coach simply asked his troops to play ‘Rocks basketball.’ Well, they certainly did that. The high intensity on both sides of the ball that was so badly lacking during the second quarter returned in abundance and dreams of a miraculous comeback were well and truly on. DeAundrae, in particular, come out fired up and scored 8 of his 14 for the game in the opening five minutes of the second half.

That, essentially, was the difference between a truly awful second quarter and the heroic fight back. Murray, Huffor and Cranston were finding ways of getting to the basket and getting their shots to drop. Remarkably, having gone 1 of 19 previously, the Rocks went 6 of 7 from behind the arc before two last gasp efforts fell short in the dying seconds.

Despite a brief lead with just over six minutes left to play, the effort of the chase, and the use of only six players, proved too tiring for the Rocks, and Newcastle, as always seems to be the case, managed to find the extra gear, helped by clinical free throw shooting in pressure situations and ran out four point winners.

As a fan, in many ways it is a difficult game to evaluate. Do we get down beat because of the defeat and the second quarter performance, or do we feel confident and proud over the valiant, yet ultimately futile comeback? Personally, I’m in the second camp. Twice in the last month we have played Newcastle and lost in a close game despite giving away 20 point runs. Despite the defeat, this performance does show that we do have what it takes to beat the Eagles if we can just play hard for the full 40 minutes, instead of the 30 it was on Sunday.

Next up we have the winless Guilford Heat at the Kelvin Hall in the last home game before Christmas and a chance to not only bounce back quickly with a win, but also a chance to see a slew of former Rocks stars with Mike Copeland having united with Julius Joseph and Michael Martin. It’s sure to be a cracker.

Let’s Rocks!

Callum Carson

The Glasgow Rocks entered their SKY televised game on Remembrance Sunday in less than ideal fashion following two tough defeats to Cheshire and Newcastle while the injury to veteran E.J. Harrison meant that the navy blue would be up against it for the visit of the One Health Sheffield Sharks.

The Sharks themselves, however, have gotten off to a somewhat surprisingly slow start considering their unquestionable fire power, with the like of Nate Reinking and Olu Babalola, and came into the game on the back of a three game losing streak that included agonising losses to Newcastle and Plymouth that saw them drop to a 1-2 record in league play this term.

Going into the game the match-up I was most looking forward to seeing was the battle of the big men. Sharks forward Justin Dobbins up against DeAundrae. For all the flair players and sexy three pointers, games are won and lost in the paint and on the boards and these two earn their pay doing those exact things.

The Rocks came out looking a bit slow on both ends of the court, as they have done a few times this season. The hustle on the offensive rebounds in particular wasn’t what it should have been with too many players not anticipating the board. Sheffield raced out to an early lead and Dobbins appeared to be having the better of his personal battle with Cranston. Then, it got a whole lot worse as Cranston injured his ankle and sat out all but 22 seconds of what remained of the game. I, for one, feared the worst as the Sharks size looked like it might overpower the Rocks. Add to that, Glasgow were playing their second game in three days and now were down to just eight players, it was  going to take an heroic performance in front of the TV cameras to pull a win out of the bag.

And boy did they deliver! An 82-64 victory moved Glasgow up to 2^nd in the championship as yet again the Rocks defensive hustle and fight proved too difficult to break down. Speaking to Sterl after the game he couldn’t have sounded happier with the effort and determination of his troops, commenting that ‘the guys really came through and showed what type of team we can be regardless of what type of situations are thrown at us.’ Coach Davis also confirmed that DeAundrae Cranston suffered a sprained ankle and it will be assessed before anything is stated regarding how long it might keep him out of action for.

Following the injury to Cranston, the remainder of the boys really stepped it up and didn’t allow the Sharks any time on the ball once they crossed into the Glasgow half. A 32% field goal percentage from Sheffield says more about the Rocks defence than it did the Sharks offence. I counted just 4 genuinely uncontested shots for the Sharks at the Kelvin Hall last night, proof, if indeed it were at all needed, that pressure leads to missed shots.

With Harrison being the quarterback it was going to be interesting to see who would carry the team in the way that E.J does. The truth is, everybody chipped in. Green dominated for a large spell, and led all scorers with 23 points. Huffor was game MVP with 18 points and 5 steals while Coach dominated defensively with 3 blocks. Even Martins came on and nailed two crucial three pointers, much to his delight. During the course of a long season, each team will have to deal with various injuries that will stretch the squad, but this Rocks team appears to have real depth, as Martins proved when he came on and impressed.

Next up for Glasgow is an away trip to the north-east to face the Durham Wildcats, a team they have already beaten twice in the BBL Trophy this season, although both were tough games. Four of Durham’s last five games, in fact, have been decided by five points or less. Wedemire, who got the start in place of the inured Harrison on Sunday, expects another close encounter, saying that the Rocks will have to bring their ‘A game’ if they want to return north of the border with the win.

The next home game will be 4^th December against the other north-east team, our main rivals the Newcastle Eagles in what promises to be a great game against the early leaders of the BBL table, although hopefully by the time we play them, it will be the Rocks who are soaring above the Eagles.

Let’s Rock!

Callum Carson

Well, that didn’t exactly go to plan, did it? After two blowout victories in the Championship against Milton Keynes and Mersey which saw the Rocks climb up to second place in the table, Glasgow entered the BBL Cup match against Scottish National League side the Edinburgh Kings full of confidence. Yet, despite a 78-60 victory, they surely could not have been happy with their afternoon’s work.

Edinburgh have been blowing everyone away in both league and cup competitions, winning all seven of their games this season in convincing style, including a 32 point victory over Aberdeen University on Friday night. The Kings players, coaches and fans would have been relishing the opportunity to play at the highest level and they certainly gave it their best shot.

The Rocks came out and looked lethargic and disinterested, as if they were expecting to cruise to victory. Midway through the first period, Coach Davis called a timeout with the Rocks trailing by 6 and had some extremely harsh words to say to his troops. Yet it seemed to have little immediate effect as the Kings finished the first quarter strongly and led 19-13 going into the second quarter.

Glasgow shot just 3 of 16 (19%) from the field in that awful first quarter, and in truth, Edinburgh deserved to be further in front, with the Rocks nailing seven free throws to keep the score from being even more damaging. For the Kings, Edgars Rekis and Mike Kirkpatrick were controlling the game and seemed to be picking the static Rocks defence apart with ease.

All the credit in this game must go to the Kings, whose physical and aggressive play knocked the Rocks off their game plan and showed Glasgow that they were up for the challenge. So physical, in fact, were the early exchanges that Coach Davis found himself of 3 fouls just 2:10 into the game. It wasn’t to get any better for Sterl as he fouled out in the third quarter after just 9 minutes on the court.

As has been the case all season, Mychal and E.J. were the ones that took control of the game for the Rocks and dragged Glasgow back into the game. Glasgow seems to have genuine strength in depth this season, perhaps stronger than in previous seasons, however, too often so far it has been left to Harrison and Green to carry the team and it is difficult to win games at any level when only two players are impressing. In the recent victories over Milton Keynes and Mersey, the team have collectively played well and several players have chipped in with the scoring, and this needs to continue if the Rocks are to play consistently good basketball. Murray and Cranston, for example shot just 2 of 21 combined on Sunday.

Despite the atrocious start from Glasgow and the physicality of the Kings, you always sensed that the Rocks would come out on top, and once they took the lead for the first time, with 4:03 left in the second, they never looked back.

Glasgow went into the half up 37-29 on the back of some crucial baskets from Harrison and a three pointer at the buzzer from Green. The Rocks had been unsuccessful on all nine 3 point attempts before that point.

The Rocks players spent an age in the locker room at half-time and one has to assume that Sterling was taking a leaf out of the Sir Alex Ferguson manual of motivational speaking with his very own hair-dryer treatment.

It seemed to work, as the Rocks came out and immediately played with an intensity and determination that had been sorely lacking in the first 20 minutes. Harrison and Green hit back to back three pointers to effectively kill off all hope the Kings had of mounting a giant killing comeback. The Rocks came out and were simply too quick and too clever in the opening exchanges of the second half, yet the game reverted back to type following a Kings timeout less than four minutes into the half.

The key difference in the game came on the boards, as Glasgow claimed 25 offensive rebounds to just 6 from the Kings, and outscored the Kings 17-2 on second chance points. Had Edinburgh been able to match the Rocks in this category it could have been a much different story.

In the end, the Rocks were able to claim a 78-60 victory, with Harrison and Green just one rebound away from notching a double-double, while the duo combined for 41 points.

It was Edinburgh, however, who left the game with all the plaudits and with their heads held high after a hard fought contest and showed that there is an impressive level of basketball on this country.

Next up for Glasgow is two away games against the Cheshire Jets and a BBL Cup clash against Newcastle before Sky makes a visit to the Kelvin Hall for our Remembrance Day match-up with the Sheffield Sharks in what is sure to be a must see game.

Let’s Rock!

Callum Carson

LET’S ROCK!

Jekyll and Hyde weekend sees Rocks start season 1-1

Three days, two games and two very different performances. Will the real Glasgow Rocks please stand up?

The Rocks entered BBL Championship play on Friday with an enticing double-header at the Kelvin Hall against the Worcester Wolves and the Prestige Homes Milton Keynes Lions and came out of it with a demoralising defeat and a convincing victory. So what are we to make of it all?

Both the Wolves and Lions went into the weekend having won two of their three BBL Trophy games this term and it certainly was never going to be an easy task for Glasgow. Worcester had recorded impressive victories over Guilford and Plymouth with big man Tommy Freeman and the delightfully named Sherrad Prezzie-Blue leading the way, averaging 20 and 17.6 points per game respectively, while Milton Keynes’ Demarius Bolds was coming off a 36 pt performance against the London Leopards.

Coach Davis’ troops, however, were also on a great run of form following back to back victories over Durham and an incredible win over rivals Newcastle Eagles at the Kelvin Hall last Sunday, where they showed the rest of the league that they will be a difficult team to break down with an exemplary display of effort and hustle on defence.

On Friday night, however, the team came out and played lethargically. The marking on defence and the determination to bring down the rebounds just wasn’t there and the Wolves simply have too many good players not to take advantage. A key feature of the Rocks win over Newcastle was the fact that the defence was closing down and pressuring every Newcastle shot. Not so against Worcester. There were far too many open shots and you’re not going to win games by giving up easy points.

Despite playing poorly, the Rocks went in up two points at the half, with Worcester nailing three pointers as time expired at the end of both quarters.

The Rocks were 53-47 with 4:08 left in the third quarter. Then it all fell apart. A technical on Wedemire seemed to derail the side and Worcester went on a 22-4 run that sealed the game. During that spell the Rocks just couldn’t buy a point, although in saying that, they didn’t try and attack the basket. Too often they left themselves with difficult jumpers or 3 pointers with a Wolves hand in their face.

Simply put, the Wolves seemed to want it more. The Rocks let their heads go down on the back of some questionable refereeing rather than trying to play their game. It’s a game the players will feel they should have won, and in truth, they should have. Glasgow shot just 33% from the field, but credit must go to Worcester too. They out-hustled and out-muscled the Rocks for large periods of the game and deserved to go home with the win.

Going into the game on Sunday it was clear that the Rocks needed to bounce back. Against Worcester, the Harrison and Green partnership that has flourished so quickly this season again played admirably, the two combining for 53% of the Rocks points. To win against the Lions, more players needed to step it up a gear and help the dynamic duo.

Do you think seven players in double figures qualifies as ‘more players stepping it up?’

After the disappointment of Friday came an exhilarating performance in a 115-88 rout of the Lions. This time, Harrison and Green scored just 28 between them, or 24% of the teams points. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call a team effort.

Last week I commented that DeAundrae Cranston might take a wee while to find his feet following a major injury sustained last season. If Sunday’s performance is anything to go by, I think it’s safe to say that he’s found them. On a day of outstanding individual efforts, the big man rose above everyone else, literally, grabbing 10 rebounds and a season high 19 points (shooting 80% while adding 2 assists and 2 steals). It was Cranston’s defensive efforts that allowed the Rocks to grab a convincing early lead, while on offence, everything seemed to be falling. Gareth Murray was unstoppable early on and ended up with 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting.

Going into the game, the Rocks remit on the defensive side of the ball was to stop Demarious Bolds, who came into the game averaging 28 points per game. Oddly enough, they failed, as Bolds led all scorers with 34 points, yet their high intensity offence kept piling on the points, while the Rocks were able to stop the rest of the Lions team. They also took a full 30 shots more than the Lions, who shot 50% themselves yet found themselves convincingly beaten.

The effort that was posted missing on Friday night was there in abundance right from the off against Milton Keynes, and barring the very occasional defensive lapse, the effort remained for the full 40 minutes. In fact, the Rocks forced a 24 second shot clock violation on the Lions very first possession.

It was a complete turnaround for the Rocks, but, if truth be told, we shouldn’t read too much into this one performance, just as we shouldn’t read too much into the defeat against Worcester. While the Rocks are unlikely to play as badly as they did on Friday, they are also unlikely to play as well as they did on Sunday. The trick for Sterling is to make sure that they team can play at a consistently high level, and we do have the makings of a side that can do just that.

It was a sensational all round display against the Lions with 31 points coming from the bench, including career firsts for the very impressive Jonny Bunyan and Greg Richards who saw his first game time in front of the Kelvin Hall crowd.

I have to say that I have been blown away by the performances of Bunyan. For such a young lad, playing at this level, and as a rookie no less, Bunyan has played with poise, effort and no little confidence. His passing and ability to go by his man are impressive, and they will only get better. A few times yesterday he was caught as the last man defending two Lions players, yet he never gave up and made the Lions earn their points. He looks a really good prospect and I have every confidence that Sterling will help his game grow throughout the season.

Against the Lions, the Rocks shot a mightily impressive 53% from the field, including 44% from behind the arc. Hopefully this performance will have shaken off the cobwebs in that particular category, as thus far that has clearly been a massive weakness for the team.

After that mixed bag of a double header comes a massively intriguing BBL Cup tie at home next Sunday against the Edinburgh Kings.

So get yourselves down to Kelvin Hall next Sunday to see the top two sides in the country battle it out in what I can guarantee will be an all action afternoon of basketball.

Let’s Rock!

Callum Carson

There are a few things in life that are uniquely Scottish. A week of rain in July, pizzas covered in batter. And glorious sporting failures. The Rocks added to that ever increasing list despite performing outstandingly well in claiming a 6 point victory against a Newcastle Eagles team who will be right in the hunt for silverware this year. Yet they bowed out of the BBL Trophy thanks to an inferior aggregate score against their bitter rivals.

Let’s be honest though, hands up all those that thought we’d beat the Eagles by 23 points? No, me neither. But their spirited display against a very physical Eagles side showed this young Glasgow team that they can compete with the big boys this year.

After another confidence boosting victory against Durham the previous day, facing the Eagles at the Kelvin Hall was always going to be a tough ask. The off season preparations almost couldn’t have been more contrasting between the two sides. While the Rocks rebuilt their squad, Newcastle were able to bring back some key figures in Chapman, Bridge and our old friend Charles Smith. Add into the mix forward Andrew Thomson and you have yourself a very capable side.

The opening exchanges really set the tone for the entire game, with the Rocks playing outstanding pressure defence and not allowing the Eagles to make uncontested shots. It was also clear early on that this game was going to be another physical battle with our closest rivals.  

The Rocks found themselves 15-8 up after 8 minutes of great team basketball and they really looked like they believed they could win the game. The hustle and rebounding of big DeAundrae Cranston really came to the fore in the first quarter. After a serious injury last season in Uruguay, it may take a while for the big man to find his feet, but he certainly put up a great performance in that first quarter. His defensive hustle and Green’s offensive skills had the Rocks on their way.

Unfortunately, as is often the case against Newcastle, the Rocks found themselves in foul trouble early on and it seemed very little went the Rocks way all night. 

The Eagles closed out the first quarter on an 8-0 run in which the Rocks seemed to fall apart somewhat as if the intensity and adrenaline of the opening few minutes had worn off and they finished the quarter down by 1. The anticipation and effort on the rebounds was lacking and Sterling certainly had a few words to say in between quarters.

The foul trouble continued in the second as just 3:31 in, the Rocks found themselves on 4 fouls. The officiating was at times very questionable but credit to Sterling and his team as they kept plugging away playing incredible defence. While the Rocks only out-rebounded the Eagles 35-34, it seemed that every time the game was in a key situation, it was a navy blue jersey that was able to hold on to it and Mychal Green was again the star of the show, finishing not far off a triple-double (14 pts, 9 rbs and 6 asts). The combination of EJ as the ‘quarterback’ of the team, leading the way with Mychal as his right hand man certainly looks tasty for this season.

Going into half-time tied at 34-34, the slim chance there was of topping the group was all but over, but credit to both teams as they came out after the break with all guns blazing. The third quarter was certainly an incredibly physical affair, perish the thought, with two unsportsmanlike penalties, and a technical being called in quick succession. Eagles coach Fab Flournoy seemed to be enjoying some ‘friendly’ banter with the locals on a couple of occasions too.

Leading by just one point going into the fourth, the Rocks, and especially Gareth Murray and Andrew Wedemire, were able to step it up a gear in the final stanza and their key baskets paved the way for the victory.

A morale boosting win will have delighted Sterling and the team, yet one worrying statistic remains, however, and that is the team still isn’t shooting the ball from 3 point range with any consistency at all. The Rocks shot just 25%, a season high. They have to find a way of getting better production from behind the arc. In key games and in key situations the inability to hit a three could prove crucial.

Make no mistake about it, Rocks fans, this is a very good team we have here. All of the players that got game time last night played incredibly well in a tough game and came out of it with a victory. We all know what Sterling, Harrison and Murray can do but the new boys seem to have gelled well and Green is going to be an influential figure in the coming months if the Rocks are to make a push for the top of the table. His ball handling has been impressive, as has his ability to beat his man and go to the basket. This team is only going to get better, and it all starts on Friday night at the Kelvin Hall against Worcester. Let’s Rock!

The long summer nights have passed, and the cold, dark evenings of autumn are here. That can mean only one thing. Rocks basketball is back.

Following a disappointing exit in the BBL Play-offs to the Sheffield Sharks last season, there have been numerous changes, both within the Rocks and the BBL. The league was, unfortunately, not immune to the economic uncertainty in the world and this led to two teams, the Worthing Thunder and the Essex Pirates withdrawing from the league, while the Mersey Tigers, who claimed a clean sweep of silverware last term, were saved at the last minute. Following the departure of Worthing, the BBL announced that ambitious EBL side the Durham Wildcats would be admitted to the league.

Gone too are the vast majority of the 2010/2011 Glasgow Rocks, with veteran E.J Harrison the only player retained, whilst Coach Davis agreed to a new contract in the summer that will see him lead the team for the next three seasons.

As ever, Sterling has put in a, ahem, sterling effort in bringing in a new team for the forthcoming season and fan favourite Gareth Murray returns to the Rocks having spent last year at the Cheshire Jets. The signing of youngster Jonny Bunyan completes the Scottish representatives for the only pro basketball team in the country.

And so to the basketball. A 22 point loss last week against Newcastle was possibly a little harsher than the play suggested, with the hosts scoring 12 unanswered points late in the final quarter, while the Rocks are very much a team still finding their feet after such a dramatic turnover in player personnel.

Our opponents yesterday, the Durham Wildcats, entered the game on the back of two heavy defeats to Newcastle and they will have been desperate to give a good account of themselves on their first trip north.

Despite their new status as a BBL side, the Wildcats are not a side that lacks for experienced players, most notably the impressive and versatile Ralph Bucci.

The first quarter was something of a see-saw affair, with both teams showing offensive promise and neither team able to build a big lead. Gareth Murray got the first points for the Rocks at Kelvin Hall this season as he nailed a 3 pointer just after the 1:00 minute mark with the impressive Mychal Green getting the assist.

At the midway point of the first quarter the game had already experienced several lead changes, with the Wildcats holding the advantage by just a single point at 14-13.

Bucci scored two of his game high 24 points with 4:16 left in the quarter to give the Wildcats a three point lead, however the Rocks were able to go on a 7-0 run over the next couple of minutes and wrestle back the advantage. E.J Harrison hit a key three pointer in that time.

Bucci drilled a three to close out the quarter with the Rocks leading 24-22.

If the Rocks defence missed a beat in the first quarter, it was exactly the opposite at the beginning of the next frame as they pressured and harassed the Wildcats into making key mistakes and missed shots. Durham scored just 10 points in the second quarter and the Rocks were able to force a 24 second shot clock violation twice within 80 seconds in the latter part of the quarter.

It was to the credit of the Durham defence that the Rocks weren’t able to build a lead larger than 8 points going into the half after such a dismal showing on the offensive side of the ball.

At the half, the Rocks led 40-32.

After the break the Wildcats seemed to have found an extra gear and within five minutes they had managed to turn an eight point deficit into a one point lead. The Rocks defence wasn’t able to pressure the Wildcat shooters in the way they had done throughout the entire second quarter and successful three point attempts from Bucci, Hinnenkamp and Davies gave the Wildcats their first lead since midway through the first quarter.

The Rocks regained the lead with 4:41 left in the quarter, and it was a lead they were not to give up. Green, the top scorer for Glasgow with 19 points, made a two pointer under pressure to put the Rocks back in front at 49-48.

The comeback from the Wildcats seemed to waken up the Rocks and they returned to the pressure defence they played effectively in the second quarter. Durham were only able to score four points in final 5:05 of the third quarter, while the Rocks went on a 10-4 run that ultimately proved too much for the Wildcats to fight back from. New signing Danny Huffor made a key steal underneath the basket with 1:44 left and took it all the way up the court but missed his two point attempt for what would have been an outstanding coast to coast effort.

The Rocks went into the fourth quarter with a five point lead and Huffor was able to add to that early on with a three point play, having been fouled after finishing a clinical pass from Green.

Again, the Rocks kept the pressure on the Wildcats as the visitors looked to get back into the game. Yet another 24 second shot clock violation, quickly followed by a terrific defensive effort when the Rocks were able to break-up a quick break from Durham following Cappoci’s defensive rebound.

With 5:41 left and the Rocks up by seven points, Coach Davis called in Jonny Bunyan, showing his faith in the 19 year old who didn’t at all seem unfazed by the task, showing some nice skills and a great passing range.

Andrew Wedemire gave the Rocks their largest lead of the night when his two point effort pushed the lead up to 9 points with 5:00 left to play.

Durham gave it one final push in an attempt to claim their first victory as a BBL side, but the Rocks were able to keep them at arms length. Some terrific play from Murray, where he drove to the basket under pressure and managed to nail the two pointer while getting hit, proved the back breaker as the Rocks lead was 8 points with just over 90 seconds left. Murray again gave the fans something to cheer with a sweet dunk in the final seconds as the Rocks closed out a hard fought 75-70 victory.

While it’s still early days in the 2011/2012 season, the Rocks gained that all important first win against a scrappy, determined and impressive Durham side. Glasgow have two more Trophy games next weekend before the league season starts with a home match against the Worcester Wolves on Friday 21^st October and no doubt Sterling and his players will be looking to keep improving game by game as this new side start out on the road to what will surely be another exciting season of Rocks basketball.

CALLUM CARSON - Rocks Blogger….!!!….

Well everyone, here we go, its Playoff time and we face the Everton Tigers!!

It won’t be easy, especially playing down in Everton in their gym. But to be honest not many people gave us a hope of taking the Tigers on the Sunday just gone, and look what happened. It was only a matter of time that we would get a win and I feel that our recent lack of wins does not truly depict the way we have been playing, all that has been missing is our ability to finish off games.

Let’s look back to the 22^nd March when we played the Worcester Wolves at home, we were behind the whole game but made a couple of huge runs that should have seen us win the game. However, some questionable calls by the refs went against us and ceased all momentum that we had to get that game. The following week we played Guildford and we were an inch away from sending that game into overtime against a team that has now won 9 of its last 11 games. The Leicester Riders game was overshadowed by the sparkling shooting display of underrated BBL player Brad Wierzbicki, who has been on fire since returning from injury. We simply had no answer to his barrage of 3 point shots, and to be honest no team has found a way to stop him in recent games, with Plymouth being an exception keeping him to 9 and 12 points respectively in their past two games. The away game at Newcastle was never one-way traffic as we were in it all the way until the 3^rd quarter. The final score line was flattering for the Eagles and the game was much closer then was lead to believe, especially considering that the Eagles were playing at home in front of a full arena and playing for the League Title. To this point the Rocks had been playing quite well and beginning to adjust to life without Shelton and Davis, the only thing missing was that all important win and some confidence. I think I can be certain in saying that many people thought that the Milton Keynes game was going to be the game that the Rocks would regain some momentum, get the win and start their run for the playoffs. It was not meant to be and I have to be honest, it was probably the worst performance by the Rocks in the 2008/09 season, but I feel that this game was the turning point for the Rocks, as we had hit rock-bottom. We all had a strong feeling that we would make the playoffs no matter what would happen in the final week of the BBL regular season, but we also knew that we did not want to make it after losing 12 games in a row.

The Sheffield game was a good indicator that the Rocks were back to playing some gritty basketball only losing by 4 and keeping the Sharks to 66 points. The final game speaks for itself and I think relief was the biggest thing to come out of that game. Finally things went our way and we got the win. Understandably, the final game was in affect meaningless in the whole scope of things, it did, however, prove to everyone that the Rocks can still do it, and most importantly I think it showed the players that they can do it, and that they have nothing to lose going into the Quarter Finals on Friday.

You would think that a loss like that may have been a wake up call for the Tigers who have not had the best run into the playoffs winning only 5 of their last 9. One of those games saw them go into overtime, and if it was not for the heroics of Andre Smith then it would definitely have been another loss. Another win was against the Newcastle Eagles, however this was the night after the Eagles had just claimed the League Championship, and we all know how they like to party in Newcastle.

So things have not been going as smoothly as they should for a team like the Everton Tigers who spent big in the off-season to produce a team that theoretically, should have won ALL the Silverware this season. (Hats off has to go to the Eagles who have clearly been the premier team in the league this season)

After the Rocks inflicted a comprehensive defeat of the Tigers on Sunday they will be full of confidence going into the game on Friday in the do-or-die grudge match. The fans will definitely be ready and hopefully we get a lot of them to head down to Everton and make some noise at Greenbank Sports Academy. I know I will be.

GO ROCKS!!!