Rebels D1 Men Split Weekend Action with Statement Victory Over League Leaders Hemel
The Essex Rebels D1 Men team concluded their home schedule in spectacular fashion with an impressive 81-76 victory over league leaders Hemel Storm on Sunday, just one day after a narrow 86-84 defeat to City of Birmingham Rockets.
In Saturday’s International Women’s Day Special contest, the Rebels saw their three-game winning streak halted in a tight finish against the Rockets. Connor Nelson delivered another outstanding performance with a game-high 25 points, including 8 three-pointers, while Luke Busumbru orchestrated the offense with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. Emmanuel Kanwei added 15 points and 6 rebounds in the losing effort.
Despite outrebounding the Rockets 46-39, the Rebels couldn’t overcome the visitors’ hot shooting from beyond the arc, where Birmingham connected on 57.7% of their attempts. Lucas McGregor led the Rockets with 18 points, while Orlan Jackman contributed 15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals.
The Rebels showed remarkable resilience bouncing back on Sunday to secure their most impressive win of the season against Hemel Storm, who had lost just once previously this campaign. Joe Hart led the way with 20 points and 4 rebounds, while Connor Nelson added 17 points and 5 rebounds. Luke Busumbru continued his exceptional playmaking with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists in a near triple-double performance.
Kyron Martin proved to be the hero in the closing moments, hitting a crucial three-pointer with just 25 seconds remaining to secure the victory. Daniel Johnson-Thompson anchored the defense with 4 blocks, while the Rebels collectively held Storm to just 40.5% shooting from the field.
For Hemel, Hakeem Sylla posted 21 points and 7 rebounds, while Darien Nelson-Henry added 16 points and 9 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Rebels’ determined performance.
The weekend split moves the Rebels to 11-8 on the season as they prepare for five consecutive road games to conclude their campaign. Next up is a challenging trip to Derby Trailblazers, who are currently riding a five-game winning streak and sitting fourth in the table.
