Rebels D1 Men Split Road Weekend with Win Over Hoods and Narrow Loss to Dragons
Our Essex Rebels D1 Men’s team had mixed fortunes on their road trips this weekend, securing a hard-fought 91-87 win over Nottingham Hoods on Saturday before suffering an agonising 84-83 defeat to Bradford Dragons on Sunday. Despite the split, the Rebels climbed to fifth place in the NBL Division One standings as they continue their playoff push.
Luke Busumbru delivered another standout performance with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in Saturday’s victory, while Emmanuel Kanwei contributed a double-double of 22 points and 8 rebounds. Connor Nelson added 13 points and 2 steals as the Rebels shot an efficient 56.5% from the field.
The visitors dominated inside, outscoring Nottingham 56-40 in the paint, though the Hoods stayed competitive by capitalising on second-chance opportunities, converting 17 points from offensive rebounds.
For Nottingham, Greg Skoric led all scorers with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Sam Akano (17 points, 11 assists) and Jun Murdock Jr (17 points) provided additional offensive support in a balanced attack.
In Sunday’s contest against Bradford, despite shooting 53.1% from the field and outrebounding Bradford 43-34, the Rebels were undone by poor three-point shooting (12.5%) and missed opportunities at the free-throw line.
Emmanuel Kanwei again starred with a team-high 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Luke Busumbru added 21 points and 4 assists. For Bradford, Justin Williams led with 23 points and Micah Savery-Richards contributed 20 points and 9 rebounds.
The weekend split moves the Rebels to 12-9 on the season, climbing to fifth place in the NBL Division One standings. With just two games remaining, the team continues to battle for a top-four finish and home-court advantage in the playoffs, with critical matchups against second-placed Reading Rockets and fourth-placed Milton Keynes Breakers to come.
Weekend Division 2 Update
The Rebels Division 2 men’s team secured an impressive 87-76 road victory over Westminster Warriors, providing a positive end to their season.
