SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks

Welcome back everyone to what will hopefully be another exciting game tonight. We are now well into the season with our roster complete. Many of you will have already seen the last new addition to our team, Bilal Clarance. He has definitely been everything we hoped he would be in his arrival both for our team and the organisation. We have been very pleased with his contribution both on and off the court and look forward to working with him in what we hope will be a successful season.

As for the season right now; we have played 2 more games winning one and losing one. Our game against Cheshire Jets was a great exhibition of team basketball from my standpoint. We definitely came together and worked as one focused unit to get that victory. What we were most pleased about was our defensive intensity from the jump ball. We work hard everyday on our defense and to see the hard work pay off was definitely gratifying for the team.

Then on Wednesday we played our northern rival Newcastle Eagles and if you were able to attended that game you could see why this game is everything its hyped up to be. The game, from start to finish, would have to be one of the most exciting games ever to be played at Braehead. Both teams threw blow after blow at each other until there was nothing left. It was definitely a tough loss for us as a team because we felt we really left it all on the floor that night and to not be able to reap the benefits of the work we put in over the 50 minutes definitely hurt but it also made us stronger. It showed that we have a lot of heart and that we can and will compete with anyone in the league when we play to our potential. All we have to focus on now is turning these close losses to wins and the sky’s the limit.

On behalf of the team I would like to thank everyone for their continued support and encouragement. It really means a lot to know that no matter what happens our fans are always there riding with us, which we felt on that night and every night we step on the floor.

Sterl

Bitesize BBL

So the new BBL season is off to a flying start. Some great games have already taken place notably between the Heat and the Sharks and more recently between the Rocks and the Eagles. Yes the competition in the BBL is definitely flourishing. But whilst that might be true about the top half of the BBL table, it remains a different story when we look at the teams bringing up the rear of the league.

Unsurprisingly both the Everton Tigers and the Birmingham Panthers have struggled in their inaugural BBL seasons and after bearing witness to the Rocks convincing home victory over the Cheshire Jets, there is little doubt that a gulf exists between the teams in the top and bottom sections of the league. So should we be worried about the state of competition in British basketball? Or is this just a pattern that is endemic of sport worldwide?

Consider football for example. Both the English and Scottish Premier Leagues have quite severe gulfs between teams in the top, middle and bottom sections of their respective leagues. Almost every football fan in Scotland knows that the league title will end up in the hands of Celtic or Rangers (sorry Hibs fans!) and almost every football fan in England knows that the league title will end up in the hands of Chelsea or Manchester United (despite Arsenal’s impressive start). So does this situation lead to a stagnation of competition amongst teams in football and other sports? And will this pattern continue as the BBL grows and welcomes new teams to the fold? (more…)

Georgina Lennon sits down with Rocks guard Maurice “Squeaky” Hampton…

Maurice ‘Squeaky’ Hampton says his first trip to Scotland was so great he had to come back for another season.

“Glasgow is a great city,” said Maurice “The people have been so welcoming to me and there’s always something to do.”

“Last season was the first time I’d been to Europe and I’m really excited to be back again.”

The city isn’t the only reason Maurice came back. His friendship with both Rob and Sterling helped to clinch the deal.

“Sterling wanted to keep the core of last season’s team and I was included in that. It really made me feel wanted.”

He added: “Rob and I had been talking all summer about getting as many of the guys back as possible and after getting so close to winning last year we decided we could do it this year if everyone came back.”

Maurice says he is really pleased to see Sterling in the player/head coach role and says he couldn’t have picked anyone better.

“He’s more than just a coach to me, he’s like a big brother and I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”

When not on the court the 23-year-old American from Russellville, Kentucky, has a serious shoe fetish.

“I love shoes,” says Maurice “I have over 80 pairs and I’m always on the look out for more.”

Maurice also likes to make music and counts Lil’ Wayne and T.I. as some of his musical inspirations.

Maurice is looking forward to bringing some silverware home to Braehead this season and thinks that having the same team will help them go all the way.

“Having the same guys back will make us a stronger side.”

“We know how each other likes to play and we have a real bond and respect for each other,” said Maurice.

He added: “For me personally, I just plan to be as consistent as possible and help the team win as many games as possible.”

“I’d also like to thank the fans for all their support – it’s greatly appreciated.”

Well, the first two home games of the season are over, and could they have been more different? The first, against the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, was the perfect start to the season, with the Rocks winning by a landslide 38 points. Contrast that with last week’s heartbreaking loss – yes, AGAIN – to the Newcastle Eagles - this time in double overtime.

Ok, so the whole ‘revenge for April’ thing didn’t quite work out the way we had hoped. However, the team played hard, staying on level terms with the Eagles until right at the end of the second overtime period, when the Eagles’ deep bench gave them the edge of having fresh players that the Rocks just didn’t have.  Playing one of the best teams in the BBL, and keeping it tight enough to take the game into double overtime is no mean feat – especially when said team hasn’t lost since their first game of the season.

Another huge plus is that it was a brilliantly entertaining game, and unquestionably the best atmosphere Braehead has ever seen for a mid-week game, with the fans going home almost as exhausted as the players – and with a whole lot less vocal abilities! No technical problems for the DJ, either, although a certain member of the team is missing Chris Brown’s ‘Run It’ during the warm-up. Playing the Birdie Song, however, was an inspired move. Now all we need are songs for the rest of the BBL teams – how about ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ for the MK Lions? Or ‘Cold as Ice’ for the Guildford Heat?

Moving on swiftly, the question then was whether the Rocks could recover in time for a hectic weekend of away games, first facing the Worcester Wolves on Saturday night, and the Milton Keynes Lions on Sunday night. 

The answer, it would appear – at least for the Saturday night game – was yes, as the Rocks maintained their 100 percent win record against the Wolves, and won by their biggest margin of the season so far, a massive 41 points. Unfortunately, on Sunday night, the Rocks’ luck changed yet again, as we saw the lions fight back in the final quarter of the game to win by three, despite Rob’s 30-point haul.

Now we have to look forward to the next two challenges – the visits of the Leicester Riders and BBL newcomers the Everton Tigers. We know the Rocks will put in the effort, and we need to do the same – Braehead can be the sixth man!

LET’S GO ROCKS!
Lauren Heenan