Rebels D1 Men Continue Playoff Push with Another Statement Win Over Reading Rockets

Our Essex Rebels D1 Men’s team secured a fantastic away win in what has been a remarkable run of form, beating Reading Rockets 89-81 on the road. The victory against the Rockets sets up an enticing end to the season as the Rebels continue their push for a top-4 finish and home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Luke Busumbru delivered another outstanding performance with a game-high 35 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Emmanuel Kanwei contributed 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Kyron Martin added 14 points off the bench, and Daniel Johnson-Thompson pulled down 8 rebounds as the Rebels outrebounded Reading 41-31.

The visitors dominated in transition, outscoring the Rockets 21-9 in fast break points, while shooting an efficient 41.4% from beyond the arc despite facing two former teammates in Zain Poorman (4 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and Victor Olarerin (9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists).

For Reading, Justin Hopkins led the way with 29 points and 7 rebounds in 35 minutes, while Mitch Clarke added 14 points in a losing effort.

The win improves the Rebels to 14-9 on the season, remaining in 5th place in the NBL Division One standings. Milton Keynes Breakers currently hold 4th place with a 14-8 record and a game in hand, while Loughborough Riders sit 6th at 13-9.

The playoff race has intensified as MK face Loughborough in their next game. If Loughborough were to win, all three teams would sit at 14-9 heading into the final weekend. The Rebels’ final regular season game against MK Breakers now looms as a potential winner-takes-all showdown for 4th place and crucial home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Weekend Division 2 Update

The Essex Rebels D2 Men close out their 2024/25 NBL Division 2 season with a strong 104-94 win over Greenwich Titans