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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….!!!….