Injuries take their toll on the Glasgow Rocks

Injuries take their toll as the Rocks lose their way against the Eagles

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Newcastle Eagles 97 (27,46,70) (Smith 28, Defoe 21, Thomson 17)

Glasgow Rocks 71 (27,45,59) (Green 16, Murray 15, Cranston 13)

The league-leading Newcastle Eagles sent a message to their BBL Championship rivals as they beat the Glasgow Rocks 97-71 in the battle between the league’s two northernmost teams, overcoming the third-placed Rocks for the second time in the league in little over a month.

The Eagles did the damage in the third quarter with Charles Smith leading all scorers on the night with 28 points, Darius Defoe notching 21 and Andrew Thomson posting a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds.

A quick start to the game saw the teams tied at 9 after three minutes with Danny Huffor scoring 5 early points for the visitors, and another of his baskets gave the Rocks a 10-13 lead midway through the period. Paul Gause tied the game immediately with a three-pointer but the Rocks pushed on as five straight points from DeAndre Cranston and a Gareth Murray triple helped them to a 19-25 lead with two minutes to play in the quarter. But the Eagles finished strongly to tie the game at 27 as Charles Smith scored 8 straight points, including two three-pointers of his own.

After a high-scoring first period, the Eagles failed to register in the first two and a half minutes of the second stanza meaning they had a six and a half minute period in which only Smith scored. Another Murray triple, making the score 29-35, forced the Eagles into a timeout from which they emerged with consecutive Darius Defoe baskets from Gause feeds before Smith tied it up again at 35; and they were back in front a couple of minutes later at 42-39 on Andrew Bridge’s three-pointer. The hosts held that lead through to the half at 46-45, with Smith on 18 points.

The Eagles carried their momentum into the third quarter and stretched their lead, seeing it reach 8 points at 63-55 on Thomson’s three-pointer and then 68-59 as he repeated the trick within the final minute of the period. The lead reached double-figures before the third was finished as Gause’s buzzer-beater made it 70-59.

Andrew Wedemire set about trying to get the Rocks back in the game with an early three-pointer in the fourth quarter, but the revival was stopped before it started as Smith made a triple in response and the Eagles posted an 8-0 burst soon after to see the lead reach 81-64 on another Smith basket. The lead peaked at 26 points in a dominant fourth quarter that the relentless Eagles won 27-12.

The Rocks once again struggled with their injuries with both EJ Harrison, and Sterling Davis watching from the sidelines with star guard Mychal Green also struggling with a knee/hip injury as well as his ongoing thumb injury. It seems like the Rocks biggest hurdle this season has been their ongoing list of casualties. They now have 2 weeks to rest their battered bodies before they take on the Mersey Tigers in Kelvin Hall on the 22nd January @ 5:00pm..