Basketball team claim third trophy of the year

The Reading Rockets basketball team is celebrating after its men's team won a third trophy this year.

The Rockets beat MK Breakers 102-91 to become playoff champions in Manchester on Sunday.

They had defeated MK Breakers to claim the KitKing Trophy in March and won the National Cup in January against Hemel Storm.

CEO Matt Johnson praised the club's "amazing" supporters and said they had regularly packed out the 500-capacity Loddon Valley Leisure Centre.

The Azeri head coach who led the team to the victories, Samit Nuruzade, was also praised by the Azeri Embassy in London for his contribution.

He is well known in his home country, helped to set up the country's national basketball programme and coached the men's national team between 2016 and 2022.

Nuruzade had served as the Rockets' men's team coach between 2010 and 2013, before returning to Berkshire three years ago.

The embassy said it hoped the club and Nuruzade would secure "even more victories" following their recent success.

It added to other success for the Division One club, with the Rockets' Justin Hopkins also named the Wilson Player of the Year at the NBL Awards at the weekend.

Mr Johnson said the club's community programme, which about 900 people are part of, was critical.

"We're really competitive but we don't get too caught up on one moment or one team winning one thing," he said.

"Everyone's welcome. That is the beauty of it and what community sport should be. It should not be the 10 people who are in the men's or women's teams or the wheelchair seniors that are the most important.

"As a sport and a club our job is to get more people joining [and] get more people enjoying it."