THERE were mixed results for Reading Rockets who recovered to defeat Loughborough Riders just a day after suffering defeat in Birmingham.
With the hosts hitting three trebles in the opening exchanges and leading 10-2, Rockets responded with four trebles of their own through Jermiah Jenkins, Mitch Clarke and Isaac Round, though still trailed at the end of the first quarter 24-20.
Zack Powell scored Rockets first points of the second period before Reis Pinnock made a lay up to draw the teams level on 27 but Birmingham hit another three trebles to extend their lead to double digits before a buzzer beating treble from Clarke saw the deficit 38-45 at the interval.
Chris Alexander slam dunked to get Rockets within a point of the hosts and a Pinnock treble kept Rockets close at 62-64 before a 6-0 Birmingham run caused Rockets Head Coach Samit Nuruzade to call a time out.
Maynard scored three points and tied the game 70 and Alexander spun to tie it again on 72 as the last minute was near on the clock.
Birmingham hit five points, three from the penalty stripe to lead 77-72. Clarke clawed one point back but Birmingham countered it and when another treble just failed to drop, Birmingham capitalised from the free throw line to take the win 81-75.
Despite having a depleted side, Rockets took to task in the east Midlands the next night to earn a spirited victory.
An opening quarter 23-14 lead was followed by a second period where Fin Porter slam dunked to re-assert Rockets advantage.
A Clarke finger roll saw the visitors with a double digit lead at 29-19, until Riders went on a 10-0 run to get to the break only six points behind.
A 25-19 third quarter for Riders evened up the game and brought the result very much into question as Riders lit up the arena with five unanswered trebles interspersed with a sole Clarke treble and a couple of inside plays from Porter seeing the hosts just a single point in arrears as the final quarter beckoned at 59-58 in Rockets favour.
A rejuvenated and on fire Riders took the lead for the first time in the game with their first possession and extended it with the next before Reis Pinnock scored off the glass and then with a jump shot.
Rockets as Porter spun to score and Jenkins hit another treble to tie the game on 75 with just under four minutes remaining.
Jenkins showed how key he is in such situations as he sent an assist to Porter and then hit four from four from the free throw line to secure the victory.
