Rebels Women Surge Past Durham to Climb League Standings, as Rebels D1 Men Dominate Thunder
The Essex Rebels Women’s team continued their impressive run of form with a commanding 85-59 victory over Durham Palatinates, leapfrogging their opponents to claim sixth place in the SLBW standings. The win marks three victories from their last four outings, building crucial momentum as the season progresses.
Following last weekend’s hard-fought 76-71 home win against Leicester Riders, Coach Cookson’s side again displayed their growing confidence and cohesion on both ends of the floor. The Rebels dominated the contest against Durham, showcasing their defensive capabilities while efficiently converting on offense.
The victory propels the Rebels up the SLBW standings, overtaking Durham to secure sixth position as the playoff race intensifies. This turnaround in form follows a challenging period before Christmas, with the team now finding their rhythm at a crucial point in the season.
The Rebels face two significant tests in the coming weeks as they prepare to take on the league’s top two sides – Oaklands Wolves and Sheffield Hatters. These matchups will provide an opportunity for the team to measure their progress against SLBW championship contenders.
Rebels D1 Men Dominate Thunder to Extend Winning Streak
Essex Rebels D1 Men delivered an emphatic performance on the road, defeating Worthing Thunder 110-78 to secure their third consecutive victory. The commanding win extends their impressive recent form and solidifies their position in the NBL Division One standings.
In a balanced scoring effort that showcased the team’s depth, Kyron Martin delivered his best performance since returning to action, leading all Rebels scorers with 24 points, including a remarkable 6 three-pointers. Emmanuel Kanwei continued his consistent production with 18 points and 4 rebounds, while Ben Winter contributed 17 points and 4 assists off the bench.
The Rebels’ playmaking duo of Luke Busumbru and Joe Hart orchestrated the offense masterfully, with Hart dishing out a game-high 11 assists to go with 8 points and 8 rebounds, while Busumbru added 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Daniel Johnson-Thompson provided interior presence with 14 points and 12 rebounds in another strong double-double performance.
For Worthing, league scoring leader Elijah Maynard posted 23 points and 6 rebounds, while veteran Bode Adeluola added 22 points, but the Thunder struggled to contain Essex’s efficient offense, which shot 55.9% from the field and 45.7% from three-point range.
The victory improves the Rebels’ record to 10-7, maintaining their sixth position in the league standings. They’ll look to extend their winning streak to four games when they host City of Birmingham Rockets this Saturday as part of our International Women’s Day Special, before facing a challenging test against league leaders Hemel Storm on Sunday.
Weekend NBL Division 2 Update
The Rebels Division 2 men’s team fell 79-67 to NASSA over the weekend. The result leaves the team second from bottom in the NBL Division 2 table as they continue to search for consistency this season.
