Retro Night & NBL National Cup Action at the Essex Sport Arena this Weekend

Saturday 30 November – Retro Night at the Essex Sport Arena!

This Saturday, 30 November, the Essex Sport Arena will host an exciting triple-header of basketball games, all with a retro twist! The schedule includes the Rebels D2 men taking on Endeavour Ipswich Basketball, the Rebels women facing the Oaklands Wolves, and the Rebels D1 men clashing with the Bradford Dragons. Don’t miss this exciting day of hoops! Dress up in your favourite styles from these iconic decades and join us for a fun-filled day of basketball and nostalgia!

NBL D2 Championship: Rebels D2 vs Endeavour Ipswich Basketball – 1:00pm

Kicking off the day’s events, the Rebels D2 face Endeavour Ipswich Basketball in a local rivalry showdown. The Rebels D2 men are coming off a mixed recent performance, securing their first win of the season against Westminster Warriors before falling to Greenwich Titans, 87-92, last weekend. With a 1-8 record, they sit in 11th place in the NBL Division 2 Southern standings.

Their opponents, Endeavour Ipswich Basketball, yet to secure their first will with a 0-8 record, currently occupy 12th place in the standings. Ipswich’s most recent game saw them fall to the Cobham Scorchers. With Ipswich looking to claim their first victory of the season, and the Rebels eager to improve their standing, this local derby promises intensity and excitement.

SLB Championship: Rebels Women vs Oaklands Wolves – 4:00pm

Next up, the Rebels women face the Oaklands Wolves in an SLB Championship clash. The Rebels, currently 6th in the SLBW standings with a 2-2 record, are coming off a hard-fought 73-83 loss to Durham Palatinates. Taylor O’Brien led the Rebels with 22 points, supported by Maria Blazejewski’s 19 points and Brooke Flowers’ impressive double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The Oaklands Wolves enter the game undefeated at 3-0 and sitting in 2nd place in the standings. In their recent victory over the Leicester Riders, Shanice Beckford-Norton and Terri Battle each scored 12 points, while Sam Ashby and Danielle McCray added 11 points apiece. The Rebels will look to climb the table with a win, while the Wolves aim to extend their unbeaten run.

NBL D1 Championship: Rebels D1 Men vs Bradford Dragons – 7:00pm

Rounding out the day, the Rebels D1 men take on the Bradford Dragons. The Rebels, holding an 8th-place spot in the NBL Division 1 standings with a 3-4 record, are eager to rebound from their recent 81-72 loss to the Thames Valley Cavaliers. Daniel Johnson-Thompson led the way in that game with 26 points, supported by Daljang Wol (11 points) and Emmanuel Kanwei (10 points).

Bradford Dragons sit at the bottom of the standings with a 0-7 record and are searching for their first win of the season. In their last game, they fell to the Thames Valley Cavaliers despite strong performances from Micah Savery-Richards (24 points), Rihards Sulcs (20 points, 10 rebounds), and Andre Gayle (10 points, 7 rebounds). This game is crucial for both teams: the Rebels aim to even their record, while the Dragons hope to end their losing streak.

Dress up, enjoy the music, and relive the magic of the 80s, 90s and 00s while cheering on the Rebels in this thrilling triple-header! Whether it’s the Rebels D2 men, Rebels women, or Rebels D1 men, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Join us this Saturday at the Essex Sport Arena for basketball action and retro vibes all day long.

UpTheRebs

Sunday 1 December – NBL National Cup action

After Saturday’s thrilling triple-header, the Essex Sport Arena will host another exciting day of basketball on Sunday, 1 December. The Rebels D2 and D1 men return to action for a double-header featuring an NBL D2 matchup and a critical NBL National Cup clash.

NBL D2 Championship Rebels D2 vs NASSA – 1:00pm
The Rebels D2 team continue their busy weekend by taking on NASSA in another NBL Division 2 South conference matchup. NASSA comes into the weekend in 2nd place with a 7-1 record, fresh off a dominant 104-73 victory over the Westminster Warriors. They, too, will have a demanding schedule, playing the Greenwich Titans on Saturday.

The Rebels D2 squad faces a tough test against this strong NASSA team and will need to bring their best to secure an upset.

NBL National Cup (Round 5): Rebels D1 Men vs Milton Keynes Breakers – 4:00pm

In the final game of the weekend, the Rebels D1 men face the Milton Keynes Breakers in the fifth round of the NBL National Cup. With a spot in the Quarterfinals at stake, this game promises high-stakes drama.

The two teams last met in the Rebels’ season opener on 5 October, where the Breakers claimed victory. Since then, the Breakers have struggled, sitting 9th in the standings with a 2-4 record, including a 73-92 loss to the Reading Rockets in their last game. In that matchup, Kai Walker led the team with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Adrian Scarborough and K.J. Johnson added 14 points each.

The Rebels, meanwhile, are motivated to avenge their season-opening loss. They come into this game off a dominant 108-78 win over local rivals Essex Charge in their previous National Cup outing, with Jordan Ashley delivering a near triple-double performance (26 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists). Joe Hart (20 points, 8 rebounds) and Michael Amako (18 points) also shone in that game.

With both teams eager to prove themselves, this game is set to be a nail-biter.

Join us at the Essex Sport Arena this weekend for a packed schedule of thrilling basketball action and cheer on your Rebels.

UpTheRebs