Thursday 23rd February
SHEFFIELD SHARKS 78 (21,43,61) (Shelton 21, Cage 19, McKinney 12)
SCOTTISH ROCKS 66 (20,32,48) (Joseph 17, Francois 12, Yanders 11)

Sheffield notched up their fourth victory of the season over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks with a 78-66 win in the Steel City.

The Sharks broke open the game late in the first quarter with a 25-6 run either side of the first quarter break which took them from 16-20 in arrears to 41-26 in front. The Rocks trimmed the lead back to 43-36 early in the second half before a 9-0 burst from the hosts put daylight back between the sides.

Former Shark Justin Phoenix headed an early fourth quarter fight back from the Rocks as they trimmed the lead back to 7 at 66-59 but a Todd Cauthorn three settled the ship and the Sharks ran out comfortable winners.

Sunday 18th February - Result
BBL Championship
Scottish Rocks 79 (20,38,64) (Joseph 19, Yanders 18, Francois 13)
Guildford Heat 65 (13,33,54) (Martin 24, McKnight 14, Dux 8)

By John MacCalman at Braehead

The Rocks rebounded from defeat at Westfield Sharks Sheffield on Saturday night with what ended up as a comfortable 79-65 home win against Guildford but not without a lot of heat from the visitors.

The Rocks took the lead from the start but the Heat briefly led 31-30 midway through the second period. However, by half time the home team had regained control at 38-33.

In the third quarter three consecutive three-pointers by Rob Yanders, Julius Joseph and Germayne Forbes sparked the Rocks as they built up a 10-point advantage heading into the final period of play.

The Rocks defence played with the passion we have come to expect and towards the end of the fourth, four Rocks stars were verging on foul trouble with four fouls each - new boy Justin Phoenix, Lijah Perkins, Rob Yanders and Jean Francois.  At this point the Rocks had a comfortable 16 point advantage and head coach Steve Swanson was able to substitute 3 of them and give the rest of the squad some valuable game time.

Speaking of passion, Steve Swanson is known for drawing the wrath of the officials for his sidline arguments and was awarded a technical foul for pushing it too far with referee Chris Dodds. While the passion is fine and much appreciated by the fans, Steve has to know where the line is when disagreeing with the match officials.  While Guildford failed to capitalise on the free throws awarded by the techical foul, there is always the danger that the Rocks Head Coach can be ejected from the game. 

Guildford were badly let down by their performance from the free throw line -  8/24. This is an issue they may try to address before the teams meet again on Friday at Braehead in a match postponed from earlier in the season.  Sunday's game was great entertainment and home fans should relish another clash like this on Friday night.

Justin Phoenix proved to be a great find by coach Steve Swanson and will add much needed strength to the team later in the season when they lose players to the England national side for the Commonwealth games.

The Rocks travel to Sheffield for revenge for last week's overtime loss before heading home for the rematch against Guildford on Friday. 

 

 

SAT 18th FEB - RESULT
Sheffield Sharks 90 (18,35,54,71) (Davis 30, Shelton 21, McKinney 13)
Scottish  Rocks 76 (15,35,55,71) (Joseph 19, Forbes 16, Phoenix 15)
(After Overtime)

The Westfield Sharks Sheffield beat the league leading Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks for the third time in the BBL Championship this season.

The teams could barely be separated throughout, with the Rocks establishing the largest lead in regulation time at 9 points mid-way through the third quarter.

The Sharks narrowed the gap to one at 54-55 before establishing a lead of their own in the fourth quarter, and it was former Shark Justin Phoenix who made the buzzer-beating three pointer to take the game into overtime with the teams tied at 71.

Once in overtime it was all Sheffield as they opened with 7 unanswered points and led 84-74 after a Sterling Davis trey with less than a minute left. After a Julius Joseph technical, the Sharks netted 3/4 from the charity stripe to seal the win.

Sheffield's Sterling Davis led all scorers with 30 points, as Julius Joseph led the visitors with 19 on the night.

THURSDAY 16 FEB - RESULT
BBL CHAMPIONSHIP
Milton Keynes Lions 77 (20,36,49) (Youngblood 20, Benjamin 14, Lloyd 14)
Scottish Rocks 82 (16,32,55) (Yanders 21, Forbes 18, Joseph 17)

The Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks put some breathing space between themselves and the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles at the summit of the BBL Championship table after a 77-82 success at the Milton Keynes Lions.

It was the home side that started the better as a couple of early three-pointers helped them out to a 17-10 lead, until Julius Joseph sparked a response that saw the Rocks trailing just 20-16 by the end of the first quarter.

A pair of Kevin Griffin triples were all that the Lions could muster in the opening 6:00 of the second stanza, whilst the Rocks scored 11 points of their own to take the lead at 26-27. However, Pierre Henry-Fontaine scored 5 points towards the end of the quarter to send the hosts in 36-32 to the good at the half.

The Rocks took control mid-way through the third as, with the teams tied at 41, they posted an 8-2 run, although a Junior Williams trey kept the Lions in touch at 49-55 going into the decisive period.

The Lions went on an early 7-0 charge to regain the initiative at 56-55 before Germayne Forbes nailed two from beyond the arc, complimented by a further triple from Rob Yanders, to see the Rocks lead 63-69 with 2:00 to play. The Lions rallied behind Dru Spinks and Robert Youngblood and after Williams made a pair of free-throws it was a one possession ball game at 72-75 with 30 secs on the clock.

Kevin Griffin made a triple, after a pair of Forbes free- throws, for 75-77 with 24 secs to play. Rocks' new signing Justin Phoenix made 1 of 2 from the line but after Pierre Henry-Fontaine rushed his shot, the Rocks were able to close the game out from the charity stripe.

Rob Yanders led all scorers with 21 points, whilst England pair Germayne Forbes and Julius Joseph contributed 18 and 17 respectively for the Rocks. For the Lions, Robert Youngblood posted 20 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

Sunday 12th February
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 91 (24,52,75) (Joseph 23, Forbes 17, Bennett 13)
Birmingham Bullets 79 (14,40,52) (Williams 19, Harker 17, Wallace 17)

The Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks re-claimed the outright lead at the top of the BBL Championship after a 91-79 defeat of the Birmingham Bullets at the Braehead Arena.

The Bullets led briefly at 9-10 before 10 unanswered points from the Rocks gave them a lead that they would never relinquish.

The Rocks finished the third stanza with a 15-4 tear, including 6 points from England international Julius Joseph, to put the game beyond doubt at 75- 52.

Tuesday 7th February 2006
BBL Championship
Genesis Brighton Bears 82 (25,41,61) (Parillon 29, Williams 19, Alleyne 14)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 90 (26,46,68) (Forbes 19, Francois 17, Joseph/Bennett 14)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks made the long journey south worthwhile with a 90-82 win at Genesis Brighton Bears.

After an 8-0 run had given the Bears the lead at 21- 18 an 8-4 close to the first quarter by the visitors ensured they finished the opening period in the lead. The Rocks closed the half out with a 4-0 run to lead at the interval 46-41.

England international Germayne Forbes was the catalyst for the Rocks breaking the match open in the third quarter with two three-point shots but a Bears 10-2 burst closed the gap from 51-66 to 61-68 at the end of the quarter.

Free throws dominated the final stanza with Rocks’ Julius Joseph sinking three to begin proceedings, and then four from Rob Yanders sealed the win late in the game.

Steve Parillon led all scorers with 29 for the Bears. Forbes had 19 for the Rocks.

Sunday 29 Jan
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 65 (14,31,47) (Joseph 19, Francois 18, Perkins 8)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 88 (19,38,63) (Hyatt 23, Sullivan 22, Walker 20)

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles went second in the BBL Championship after a 65-88 win over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks at the Braehead Arena.

The Eagles took control of the game early on as they restricted their hosts to just 2 points in a 4:00 spell in the first quarter, but by the time that Julius Joseph nailed a three-pointer for the Rocks they were 14-19 down.

The teams traded baskets in the second stanza before the Eagles went on an 11-0 charge to open the third quarter, giving them a 31-49 lead that they held comfortably.

Jeremy Hyatt led the way with 23 points for Newcastle whilst English pair Andrew Sullivan (Eagles) and Julius Joseph (Rocks) celebrated their Commonwealth Games call ups with 22 and 19 points respectively.

Sunday 22 January 2006
Scottish  Rocks 96 (29,44,71) (Yanders 32, Joseph 25, Forbes 16)
 London Towers 81 (22,41,60) (Arinze 22, New 19, Marks/Simmons 13)
The Rocks remain eight- points clear at the top of the BBL after a convincing 96-81 home win against Noray Properties London Towers.  Rocks Rob Yanders was the star scoring 32-points, including eight three-point shots. After a close first half which the Rocks shaded 44-41 an 11-1 burst midway through the third period put the home team in the clear. Towers fought back but could get no closer than 77-69 in the fourth quarter.

Thursday 19th January
Scottish Rocks 87 (25,41,58) (Bennett 19, Yanders 18, Joseph 16)
Sheffield Sharks 97 (27,50,70) (Cage 21, Shelton 18, McKinney 17)

The Sharks continued their good run of form, and confirmed themselves as BBL Championship contenders, as they defeated the league leading Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks, 87-97, at the Braehead Arena.

In inflicting the Rocks first Championship defeat in eight games, the Sharks focused on shutting down their opposition's three point shooters - who had been on fire in recent games - a tactic that proved successful for them.

The teams could barely be separated on their way to 39-39 mid-way through the second quarter, until the Sharks closed out the half with an 11-2 burst to take the ascendancy at the break, 41-50.

They slowly built on their lead, stretching it out to 12 points at the end of three quarters (58-70) before the home side clawed their way back into the game. The Rocks closed the gap to 4 at 79-83 with 2:00 left in the contest, however the Sharks managed to pull away behind big man Eddie Cage, who scored 11 points in that fourth period.

It was Cage that led the scoring with 21 personal points, supported by 18 points from Blake Shelton and 17 from England sharpshooter Iain McKinney. Frank Bennett led the Rocks with 19 points whilst former Sheffield point guard Rob Yanders netted 18.

ROCKS IN THREE-POINT BASKETFEST WEEKEND!
The Rocks finished the weekend 10 points clear of there nearest rivals at the top of the BBL Championship table after a pair of victories. Their three point shooting was remarkable all weekend as they stunned the Newcastle Eagles by beating them 55-81 at the MetroRadio Arena, Julius Joseph's five three pointers helped him to a game-high 25 points. Then the Rocks returned home on Sunday to record an impressive 93-72 win over the Milton Keynes Lions, a game in which they made seventeen triples.

MATCH REPORT from JohnMacCalman at Braehead
Scottish Rocks 93 (31,47,76) (Forbes 21, Joseph 20, Francois 17)
Milton Keynes Lions 72 (20,27,53) (Benjamin 29, Jamison 23, Williams8)

No game is a foregone conclusion and despite their poor current form the Lions had to be regarded as a threat. But after the first  couple of minutes of play the Lions found themselves playing catch up on an ever increasing Rocks lead aided by 6 x three point baskets - two each to Frank Bennett, Germayne Forbes and Jean Francois.  By the end of the first quarter the Rocks were 11 in front.

It was an evening of 3 pointers from the Rocks with a total of 17 in the game. Early in the second half Julius Joseph scored three in succession and halfway thriough the third quarter his fourth 3 pointer in that quarter put the Rocks 34 points in front - their biggest lead of the game 72 -38.  At this point the Rocks eased off and the Lions kept on trying and managed a little bit of catch up with a 13-2 burst to finish the third at 76-53.  But the fourth quarter saw now way back for them.

The game was very entertaining, and despite the scoreline, could not be described as a blowout. The Rocks had to fight for every shot, but patience paid off for them.   

As ever, an entertaining evening at Braehead - and the Rockettes were quite stunning as was their new routine with the white hats. 

ROCKS WIN ON TYNESIDE!!!
Newcastle Eagles 55 (15,32,40) (Walker 15, Sullivan 12, Bridge 10)
Scottish  Rocks 81 (25,43,59) (Joseph 25, Bennett 15, Yanders 14)

The Scottish Rocks extended their advantage at the top of the BBL Championship table after an astounding 55-81 win over third placed Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles.

The Rocks set the tone early on as three triples in the first quarter, two from Julius Joseph and one from Gareth Murray, saw them take a double-digit advantage at 15-25. The home side struggled to narrow the deficit, which was at 32-43 by the half, and when the Rocks nailed 8 unanswered points shortly followed by a Rob Yanders three-pointer to end the third, the game looked beyond the BBL Trophy finalists.

The Scots put it beyond doubt in the final stanza as a further four three-pointers - including another two from Joseph, who made five on the night - ensured that Newcastle couldn't get close.

It was England star Joseph who led the scoring with 25 points, whilst former Eagle Frank Bennett netted 15 for the victors. TJ Walker led the home side with 15 points, whilst Joseph's England team-mates Andrew Sullivan and Andrew Bridge made 12 and 10 respectively.

 

MATCH REPORT
Saturday 7th January BBL Championship
Birmingham Bullets 71 (19,42,60) (Bonds 18, Kemper 17, Harker/Anderson 15)
Scottish Rocks 72 (21,40,62) (Yanders 21, Joseph 19, Bennett 17)

The Rocks put behind them the disappointment of losing to Newcastle Eagles in the BBL Trophy semi-final to maintain their lead at the top of the Championship with a narrow win at Birmingham Bullets.

The Rocks were matched throughout by a hard working Bullets team who were deprived of the services of Deano Tanner due to an ankle injury. The loss of Tanner didn’t seem to be a factor as the Bullets led 71-68 with three minutes remaining.  However, a free throw by England international Germayne Forbes and a three-pointer by point-guard Rob Yanders (21-points) edged the Rocks in front with 90 seconds to go.

Jeff Bonds, who led Bullets with 18-points, had a chance to steal the game in the closing seconds but his shot hit the rim and the Rocks returned north of the border with a victory

ROCKS KNOCKED OUT OF TROPHY IN SEMI FINAL
FRIDAY  6th JANUARY
NEWCASTLE EAGLES 82 (23,40,60) (Sullivan 23, Walker 20, Hyatt 13)
SCOTTISH  ROCKS 72 (13,27,51) (Forbes 26, Bennett 13, Joseph 11)

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles juggernaut continues to power on as the north east club booked another final after beating the Rocks 82-72 in the BBL Trophy semi- final.

The reigning Trophy holders got off to a perfect start as 23-13 first quarter lead gave them a 10-point advantage which they would still have at the final buzzer.  However, in between the Rocks made a fight of it as they clawed back a 40-27 half time deficit to trail by just four at 55-51 after two threes from Germayne Forbes and one from Frank Bennett.

Forbes’s England international team-mate Andrew Sullivan put the match safe for the Eagles though with 10-points in a 16-0 run which took the score to 71-51 midway through the fourth quarter. There was no way back for the visitors after that and despite Forbes, who led all scorers with 26, draining another couple of threes the Eagles’ perfect 10 margin was maintained.  Sullivan hit 23 for the Eagles with support from TJ Walker on 20 and 13 by a fit again Jeremy Hyatt.

Tuesday 7th February 2006
BBL Championship
Genesis Brighton Bears 82 (25,41,61) (Parillon 29, Williams 19, Alleyne 14)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 90 (26,46,68) (Forbes 19, Francois 17, Joseph/Bennett 14)

The Rocks made the long journey south worthwhile with a 90-82 win at Genesis Brighton Bears.

After an 8-0 run had given the Bears the lead at 21- 18 an 8-4 close to the first quarter by the visitors ensured they finished the opening period in the lead. The Rocks closed the half out with a 4-0 run to lead at the interval 46-41.

England international Germayne Forbes was the catalyst for the Rocks breaking the match open in the third quarter with two three-point shots but a Bears 10-2 burst closed the gap from 51-66 to 61-68 at the end of the quarter.

Free throws dominated the final stanza with Rocks’ Julius Joseph sinking three to begin proceedings, and then four from Rob Yanders sealed the win late in the game.

Steve Parillon led all scorers with 29 for the Bears. Forbes had 19 for the Rocks.


Sunday 29 Jan 2006
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 65 (14,31,47) (Joseph 19, Francois 18, Perkins 8)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 88 (19,38,63) (Hyatt 23, Sullivan 22, Walker 20)

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles went second in the BBL Championship after a 65-88 win over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks at the Braehead Arena.

The Eagles took control of the game early on as they restricted their hosts to just 2 points in a 4:00 spell in the first quarter, but by the time that Julius Joseph nailed a three-pointer for the Rocks they were 14-19 down.

The teams traded baskets in the second stanza before the Eagles went on an 11-0 charge to open the third quarter, giving them a 31-49 lead that they held comfortably.

Jeremy Hyatt led the way with 23 points for Newcastle whilst English pair Andrew Sullivan (Eagles) and Julius Joseph (Rocks) celebrated their Commonwealth Games call ups with 22 and 19 points respectively.


Sunday 22 January 2006
Scottish  Rocks 96 (29,44,71) (Yanders 32, Joseph 25, Forbes 16)
 London Towers 81 (22,41,60) (Arinze 22, New 19, Marks/Simmons 13)
The Rocks remain eight- points clear at the top of the BBL after a convincing 96-81 home win against Noray Properties London Towers.  Rocks Rob Yanders was the star scoring 32-points, including eight three-point shots. After a close first half which the Rocks shaded 44-41 an 11-1 burst midway through the third period put the home team in the clear. Towers fought back but could get no closer than 77-69 in the fourth quarter.

Thursday 19th January 2006
Scottish Rocks 87 (25,41,58) (Bennett 19, Yanders 18, Joseph 16)
Sheffield Sharks 97 (27,50,70) (Cage 21, Shelton 18, McKinney 17)

The Sharks continued their good run of form, and confirmed themselves as BBL Championship contenders, as they defeated the league leading Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks, 87-97, at the Braehead Arena.

In inflicting the Rocks first Championship defeat in eight games, the Sharks focused on shutting down their opposition's three point shooters - who had been on fire in recent games - a tactic that proved successful for them.

The teams could barely be separated on their way to 39-39 mid-way through the second quarter, until the Sharks closed out the half with an 11-2 burst to take the ascendancy at the break, 41-50.

They slowly built on their lead, stretching it out to 12 points at the end of three quarters (58-70) before the home side clawed their way back into the game. The Rocks closed the gap to 4 at 79-83 with 2:00 left in the contest, however the Sharks managed to pull away behind big man Eddie Cage, who scored 11 points in that fourth period.

It was Cage that led the scoring with 21 personal points, supported by 18 points from Blake Shelton and 17 from England sharpshooter Iain McKinney. Frank Bennett led the Rocks with 19 points whilst former Sheffield point guard Rob Yanders netted 18.

ROCKS IN THREE-POINT BASKETFEST WEEKEND!
The Rocks finished the weekend 10 points clear of there nearest rivals at the top of the BBL Championship table after a pair of victories. Their three point shooting was remarkable all weekend as they stunned the Newcastle Eagles by beating them 55-81 at the MetroRadio Arena, Julius Joseph's five three pointers helped him to a game-high 25 points. Then the Rocks returned home on Sunday to record an impressive 93-72 win over the Milton Keynes Lions, a game in which they made seventeen triples.

MATCH REPORT from JohnMacCalman at Braehead
Scottish Rocks 93 (31,47,76) (Forbes 21, Joseph 20, Francois 17)
Milton Keynes Lions 72 (20,27,53) (Benjamin 29, Jamison 23, Williams8)

No game is a foregone conclusion and despite their poor current form the Lions had to be regarded as a threat. But after the first  couple of minutes of play the Lions found themselves playing catch up on an ever increasing Rocks lead aided by 6 x three point baskets - two each to Frank Bennett, Germayne Forbes and Jean Francois.  By the end of the first quarter the Rocks were 11 in front.

It was an evening of 3 pointers from the Rocks with a total of 17 in the game. Early in the second half Julius Joseph scored three in succession and halfway thriough the third quarter his fourth 3 pointer in that quarter put the Rocks 34 points in front - their biggest lead of the game 72 -38.  At this point the Rocks eased off and the Lions kept on trying and managed a little bit of catch up with a 13-2 burst to finish the third at 76-53.  But the fourth quarter saw now way back for them.

The game was very entertaining, and despite the scoreline, could not be described as a blowout. The Rocks had to fight for every shot, but patience paid off for them.   

As ever, an entertaining evening at Braehead - and the Rockettes were quite stunning as was their new routine with the white hats. 

ROCKS WIN ON TYNESIDE!!!
Newcastle Eagles 55 (15,32,40) (Walker 15, Sullivan 12, Bridge 10)
Scottish  Rocks 81 (25,43,59) (Joseph 25, Bennett 15, Yanders 14)

The Scottish Rocks extended their advantage at the top of the BBL Championship table after an astounding 55-81 win over third placed Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles.

The Rocks set the tone early on as three triples in the first quarter, two from Julius Joseph and one from Gareth Murray, saw them take a double-digit advantage at 15-25. The home side struggled to narrow the deficit, which was at 32-43 by the half, and when the Rocks nailed 8 unanswered points shortly followed by a Rob Yanders three-pointer to end the third, the game looked beyond the BBL Trophy finalists.

The Scots put it beyond doubt in the final stanza as a further four three-pointers - including another two from Joseph, who made five on the night - ensured that Newcastle couldn't get close.

It was England star Joseph who led the scoring with 25 points, whilst former Eagle Frank Bennett netted 15 for the victors. TJ Walker led the home side with 15 points, whilst Joseph's England team-mates Andrew Sullivan and Andrew Bridge made 12 and 10 respectively.

MATCH REPORT
Saturday 7th January BBL Championship
Birmingham Bullets 71 (19,42,60) (Bonds 18, Kemper 17, Harker/Anderson 15)
Scottish Rocks 72 (21,40,62) (Yanders 21, Joseph 19, Bennett 17)

The Rocks put behind them the disappointment of losing to Newcastle Eagles in the BBL Trophy semi-final to maintain their lead at the top of the Championship with a narrow win at Birmingham Bullets.

The Rocks were matched throughout by a hard working Bullets team who were deprived of the services of Deano Tanner due to an ankle injury. The loss of Tanner didn’t seem to be a factor as the Bullets led 71-68 with three minutes remaining.  However, a free throw by England international Germayne Forbes and a three-pointer by point-guard Rob Yanders (21-points) edged the Rocks in front with 90 seconds to go.

Jeff Bonds, who led Bullets with 18-points, had a chance to steal the game in the closing seconds but his shot hit the rim and the Rocks returned north of the border with a victory

ROCKS KNOCKED OUT OF TROPHY IN SEMI FINAL
FRIDAY  6th JANUARY
NEWCASTLE EAGLES 82 (23,40,60) (Sullivan 23, Walker 20, Hyatt 13)
SCOTTISH  ROCKS 72 (13,27,51) (Forbes 26, Bennett 13, Joseph 11)

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles juggernaut continues to power on as the north east club booked another final after beating the Rocks 82-72 in the BBL Trophy semi- final.

The reigning Trophy holders got off to a perfect start as 23-13 first quarter lead gave them a 10-point advantage which they would still have at the final buzzer.  However, in between the Rocks made a fight of it as they clawed back a 40-27 half time deficit to trail by just four at 55-51 after two threes from Germayne Forbes and one from Frank Bennett.

Forbes’s England international team-mate Andrew Sullivan put the match safe for the Eagles though with 10-points in a 16-0 run which took the score to 71-51 midway through the fourth quarter. There was no way back for the visitors after that and despite Forbes, who led all scorers with 26, draining another couple of threes the Eagles’ perfect 10 margin was maintained.  Sullivan hit 23 for the Eagles with support from TJ Walker on 20 and 13 by a fit again Jeremy Hyatt.

ROCKS END THE YEAR ON TOP WITH ANOTHER WIN!
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 75 (18,37,56) (Bennett 22, Yanders 15, Joseph/Francois 14)
DMU Leicester Riders 69 (13,26,45)( Holley 25, Bucknall/Erskin/McHenry 10)

The  Rocks extended their lead at the top of the BBL Championship table after a 75-69 success over third place DMU Leicester Riders at the Braehead Arena.

The Rocks established themselves from the outset and held an early 16-8 lead, which they extended further, courtesy of a Frank Bennett three-pointer, just before half-time to 37-24. Leicester made inroads after the break, but Bennett was there again to help put the Rocks 56-43 up just before the end of the third period.

The Riders made a charge in the fourth as consecutive Steve Bucknall threes in a 10-3 burst reduced the deficit to 63-60.  However the home side maintained their poise and closed the game out with a 7-2 burst in response.
It was Bennett who led the Rocks with 22 points, although Tony Holley led all scorers with 25 personal for Leicester.

ROCKS BBL TROPHY NEWS
ROCKS MAKE SEMI FINAL!
Teesside Mohawks 70 (14, 32, 46) (Fingleton 18, Adu 15, Nicholson 12)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 131 (35, 66, 98) (Joseph 25, Yanders 24, Deng 22)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks set up a BBL Trophy semi-final match with Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles after crushing Teesside Mohawks 70-131 in the final group match of the competition.

The Rocks needed to win by 29-points to beat Birmingham Bullets as the best second placed club and easily accomplished their task. By half time the score was 32-66 and the Rocks made the match totally safe with a dominant third quarter which took the advantage out to 46-98.

Julius Joseph shrugged off an ankle injury to record a game-high 25-points, while point-guard Rob Yanders hit 24. For Teesside, who battled bravely, Neil Fingleton stood out with 18.

Basketball Results - Saturday 17 December 2005
BBL Championship
Guildford Heat 70 (22,29,48) (McKnight 20, Martin 18, Williams 17)
Scottish Rocks 71 (30,45,47) (Yanders 17, Forbes 14, Joseph 13)

The league leading Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks escaped from the Spectrum with the BBL Championship points after a 70-71 defeat of the Guildford Heat.

Both sides tried to establish a lead early on, an 8-2 run from the home side put them 14-12 up before the Rocks responded by rattling off 9 unanswered points.  The Rocks closed out the quarter with a further 7-2 tear to take a 22-30 advantage.

A three from the Rocks on the first play of the second quarter set the tone and, led by Ajou Deng's 5 points, they went on to post an 8-0 burst which saw them take a commanding lead at 43-27.

However, stifling defence from the Heat turned the game on it's head in the third as they scored the opening 17 points of the quarter, including 8 from Mike Martin.  Amazingly, Deng's deuce was the only score of the stanza for the visitors as the Heat took a slender 48-47 lead.

The Rocks responded by opening the fourth period with a 9-2 run to regain the ascendancy, until mid-way through the quarter when a Dean Williams three ignited 8 unanswered points that snatched the lead back, 62-61, for Guildford.  With the game tied at 65, a Chris Brown basket and 3 free-throws saw the Rocks take a lead that they wouldn't relinquish.  Marlin Capers had a chance to tie the game with a three in the dying seconds, his miss was slammed back by Chad McKnight for a final score of 70-71.

It was McKnight who led all scorers with 20, Englishmen Mike Martin (18) and Dean Williams (17) also impressed for the Heat.  For the victors, Rob Yanders netted 17 whilst England internationals Germayne Forbes and Julius Joseph scored 14 and 13 respectively.

Basketball Results - Thursday 15 December 2005
BBL Trophy

Newcastle Eagles 77 (15,35,55) (Flournoy 25, Walker 21, Sullivan 9)
Scottish Rocks 74 (18,31,39) (Joseph 21, Bennett 20, Forbes 15)

The Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles have qualified for the BBL Trophy semi-finals after a 77-74 win over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks meant they topped the North Group. The teams were close in the first quarter, Newcastle player/coach Fab Flournoy led by example as he scored 7 of their points as the Eagles were 15-18 down after the first ten minutes.

The home side turned the game around towards the end of the second period as a 12-3 run, including a further 7 points from Flournoy, saw them take the lead at 35-31 at the half-time interval.  Flournoy and the Eagles carried that momentum into the third stanza, he scored 4 as they netted 10 unanswered points to open up a 45-31 lead.

Newcastle maintained a double-digit advantage, 74-64, until there was 1:00 left.  Then Rob Yanders drained a three and former Eagle Frank Bennett scored 4 to reduce the deficit to 74-71.  The Eagles kept their cool from the line, netting 3/4 to keep the visitors at arm's length before England star Julius Joseph netted a triple on the buzzer.

Fab Flournoy led the scoring with 25 points, backed up by 21 points from TJ Walker for the Eagles.  Joseph finished with 21 personal for the Rocks.

MATCH REPORT
Sunday 11th December
Scottish Rocks 96 (22,44,69) (Francois 29, Yanders 23, Bennett 19)
Brighton Bears 92 (28,47,64) (McGhee 27, Alleyne 23, Parillon 18)

A Genesis Brighton Bears side that included four former Rocks players came close to upsetting the league leading Rocks at the Braehead Arena on Sunday night, the home side eventually prevailing 96-92.

The Rocks trailed for much of the first half but a Rob Yanders three-pointer early in the third period saw them tie the game at 47 before moving into the lead from which they never trailed again.  The Bears tied the game at 80 before the Rocks pulled away late on. Jean Francois scored 29 points to lead the scoring for the home side. It was an uncharacteristically high scoring game and after the match Francois said " At the start we didn't have that great a defence and both teams were hot with their shots but I think we finally found our grove at both ends of the court and that's why we scored 96 points today"

Rob Yanders who put away 5 x three point baskets gave credit to his team mates for his own performance.  "Shooting is something I've been struggling with at the beginning of the year but I seem to have found my touch, I hope I can keep that going."

The Rocks now switch their attention to the BBL Trophy and travel to Newcastle for a Thursday night clash with the on-form Eagles who won all three of their games at the weekend to climb to the second spot in the BBL. Rocks forward Julius Joseph who is out with an ankle injury hopes to be back with the team on Thursday in Newcastle.
 

Thursday 8th December 2005
BBL Championship
Scottish Rocks 61 (14, 27, 44) (Yanders 14, Bennett 13, Forbes 13)
Chester Jets 56 (12, 24, 36) (Brown 27, Myers 16, Gilbert 9)

MATCH REPORT from John MacCalman at Braehead with additional reporting by Jamie Barr

The Rocks went 2 points clear at the top of the BBL when they held off a tough challenge from Chester at the Braehead Arena.  The teams had met at the same venue just a week previous in the BBL Trophy and it showed  as both sides had sharpened their defensive abilities.  There was a famine of 3 point baskets in the game and it was not till midway through the 3rd quarter before Germayne Forbes hit one home for the Rocks.  Up to that point it had been a hard slog f, , or both sides to achieve any points.

The Rocks were without one of their star players, Julius Joseph, who is out with an ankle injury, but they managed to hold off the challenge from the Jets for most of the first half.   It is normally the Rocks Head Coach Steve Swanson who plays the brinkmanship game in haranguing the match officials, but in the second quarter it seemed like former Rocks player and now Head Coach of the Jets, Billy Singleton, had been taking lessons from Swanson.  He managed to earn his side a technical foul and the Rocks Germayne Forbes took full advantage scoring on both his free throws.

Swanson had been relatively subdued on the sidelines until Singleton got his technical foul and that seemed to inspire him back to his usual animated self.   Technical fouls are not suppose, , d to work that way but Swanson believes in passionate sideline support which can occasionally go over the top despite the remarkable tolerance of the match referees.  Tonight he came very close to getting a technical foul but Ross Hutton stepped in and helped calm his ire.

I have to put on record once again my respect for the hard work of the match referees who have to call the game as they see it.  They are never going to get it 100% right, but in an average game the calls should balance out.  Coaches and fans should remember the only agenda the referees have is to try and see fair play.  It is a tough job and, unlike the players and coaches, their motivation is certainly not financial. Part of the entertainment can be the coaches losing it on the sidelines but there must be a limit to the referees' tolerance.  Coaches will always risk a technical foul or as Steve Swanson knows, the possibility of being ejected from the game!

The Rocks were made to work all the way by a Jets team led by Jamal Brown's game-high 27-points. There were some nervous moments throughout the game especially near the start of the second quarter when the jets took a 2 point lead but the Rocks soon regained control.  In the final minute the scores were tied at 56 each then a free throw from Frank Bennet gave the Rocks the lead.

With just 8" on the clock the Rocks were 3 in front and were trying to play out the clock when Rob Yanders was fouled in a desperate attempt to regain possession by the Jets. He stepped up to the line and calmly put away his two free throws putting the game beyond the reach of Chester.

Earlier the Rocks had led 14-12 after the first quarter and 27-24 at half time. An eight-point lead was opened during the third quarter (44-36) and despite a brave Chester fightback it was the league leaders who broke free at the end.

Yanders led Rocks scoring with 14 with Bennett and Germayne Forbes on 13. Brown was backed up by Shawn Myers on 16 and Philip Gilbert with nine.

Saturday 3rd December
BBL Trophy
Scottish Rocks 69 Sheffield Sharks 53
Match Report

England international Germayne Forbes put on a superb fourth quarter show to lead Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks to a 69-53 win over Sheffield in the BBL Trophy. The match had been tight all the way through with both sides making significant bursts but then being pegged back by their opponents. It wasn’t until Forbes unleashed a barrage of three-pointers in the final period that the direction of the game became clear.  The Rocks lost Julius Joseph with an ankle injury in the third quarter but the team turned on the passion and played with what head coach Steve Swanson described as 100% effort on defence to win the game. Forbes hit 21 of his game-high 30-points in the fourth including six three-pointers.

Saturday 3rd December
BBL Trophy
Scottish Rocks 69 Sheffield Sharks 53
Match Report

England international Germayne Forbes put on a superb fourth quarter show to lead Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks to a 69-53 win over Sheffield in the BBL Trophy. The match had been tight all the way through with both sides making significant bursts but then being pegged back by their opponents. It wasn’t until Forbes unleashed a barrage of three-pointers in the final period that the direction of the game became clear.  The Rocks lost Julius Joseph with an ankle injury in the third quarter but the team turned on the passion and played with what head coach Steve Swanson described as 100% effort on defence to win the game. Forbes hit 21 of his game-high 30-points in the fourth including six three-pointers.

Thursday 1 December 2005
BBL Trophy
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 82 (25,43,65) (Yanders 21, Joseph 15, Forbes 14)
TCS Chester Jets 61 (20,34,46) (Gilbert 17, Brown 10, Simpson 8)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks carried their BBL Championship form over to the BBL Trophy with a 82-61 win over the TCS Chester Jets in their opening pool game. The Rocks, led by Julius Josephs 9 first quarter points, opened up a 25-20 lead and after they posted a 8-2 run early in the second the Jets were always left chasing the game especially with the Rocks finding form on their 3 point baskets. Rock Rob Yanders led all scorers for the hosts with a season high 21 points.  


Sunday 27th November
ROCKS ROAD REVIEW by John MacCalman

The Rocks have returned home after a 4 game road trip which saw them win 3, lose 1 and hold on to their grip at the top of the BBL. 

This is proving to be the best season so far in the history of the franchise and is a testament to the strength and depth of the side under the stewardship of Head Coach Steve Swanson and owner Ian Reid.   The whole franchise plays as a team to produce the situation where the strength of the side lies in having a complete self supporting unit with no one component being the sole reason for the success.

It is not just on the court where the players this season have all stepped up to give that extra passion when required - three road wins from behind is testament to that - but also on the sidelines where, in the London Towers game, Assistant Coach Ross Hutton stepped in to steer the side to victory (from 8 points behind) when Steve Swanson was ejected from the game. 

The team has delivered an amazing performance at the start of the season but ther i, s a long way to go - we are not even at the halfway point and a playoff berth has still to be secured though the Rocks will be looking for the No 1 position for the home court advantage at the end of the season.

Updated 10am Thursday 1st December
SATURDAY 26th Nov
DMU Leicester Riders 65 (17,33,47) (Erskin 20, Burns 11, McHenry 8)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 62 (15,26,45) (Joseph 18, Forbes 13, Francois 11)

DMU Leicester Riders climbed to 2nd spot in the BBL Championship defeating the top placed club Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 65-62 to move within two points of the Scots.  Riders owe much of their victory to the fine offensive work of new signing Deginald Erskin who finished with a game high 20 points but it was veteran centre Tony Holley who will steal the headlines. His offensive board off a missed free throw with 27s remaining, which made him the all time national league leader in offensive rebounds, gave the Riders possession to go with their 64-62 lead.

The Rocks were forced to foul to stop the clock and Ryan Huntley nailed 1 from 2 free throws to give his side a three point cushion at 65-62. Some stifling defence from the hosts left Rocks Rob Yanders looking for an off balance three pointer on the buzzer to force the extra period but his shot fell short.


FRIDAY 25th Nov
ROCKS WIN 3RD ROAD GAME FROM BEHIND!
Overtime Game in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Lions 82 (18,38,54,71) (Jamison 23, Griffin 16, Henry-Fontaine 14)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 85 (15,34,54,71) (Joseph 26, Francois 18, Bennett 12)

The Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks remain top of the BBL Championship table after recording their third road win on the bounce, 82-85 after overtime at the Milton Keynes Lions. It was the home side that s, tarted the better as they jumped out to an 11-4 lead, forcing the Rocks to come back from behind for the fourth straight game.  Despite a barrage of threes from the Scots, the Lions held on at 18-15 after the first ten minutes.

The Rocks levelled the scores at 24 in the second period, until Junior Williams inspired a 5-0 finish to the quarter to see the home side go in 38-34 to the good at the mid-way point. There was little to separate the teams in the third until Jean Francois nailed 6 in a row, however the Lions responded to tie the game at 54 going into the fourth quarter.

The league leaders put daylight between the teams at 61-66 with 3:00 left on the clock, that was until Shawn Jamison scored 6 in an 8-3 run which tied the game at 69 inside the final minute.  Rob Yanders looked to have won the game for the visitors with two free-throws but Jamison was there again to tie the game with the clock running down.

Once in overtime Julius Joseph made the first four points for the Rocks, Williams kept his team in it as he scored five points consecutively for the Lions but they still trailed 77-83 before Kevin Griffin netted 5 unanswered points to make it a one-point game with 7 seconds remaining.  Jean Francois held his nerve to net two free-throws before Junior Willaims' three rimmed out on the buzzer.

England international Joseph led all scorers with 26 points, backed up by 18 points and 15 rebounds for Jean Francois.  The hero for the Lions, Shawn Jamison, led their scoring with 23 points and 10 boards.

ROCKS WIN 2 ON THE ROAD
Sunday 20th November
Birmingham Bullets 70 (19, 42, 55) (Bonds 23, Kemper 22, Harker 18)
Scottish Rocks 74 (7, 30, 54) (Forbes 17, Yanders/Joseph 16)

The Rocks completed a winning weekend road double with a 74-70 come from behind win at Birmingham Bullets.  The Bullets dominated the opening half of the match leading 19-7 after the first quarter and 42-30 at half time. Rocks fought back in the third period with a 9-0 run which closed the gap to 50-47 and they trailed by just one 55-54 with 10 minutes on the clock.

Saturday 19 November 2005
London Towers 63 (24, 33, 53) (Marks 15, Sargeant 14, Arinze 12)
Scottish Rocks 68 (15, 34, 45) (Joseph 18, Forbes 16, Francois 10)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks snatched a vital victory at Crystal Palace as they came from behind to beat Noray Properties London Towers 63-68. The Rocks maintain their position at the top of the Championship standings despite being held to less than 70-points by some strong London defence.

Towers had led 24-15 after the first quarter but trailed by one (33-34) at half time. The home team produced some superb play in the third to lead 53-45 with just the final quarter remaining, but couldn’t close out the win.

Steve Swanson was ejected from the game towards the end of the third when he disputed the awarding of a basket to the Towers by the match referees.  Despite Steve's passionate sideline support for his team, it is the first time in his career he has been ejected from a game. 

The Towers couldn’t get it going offensively in the fourth quarter as they allowed a 10-point lead to slip away even though Rocks coach Steve Swanson had been ejected from the match.  The Rocks' players made this one happen for their absent coach.  

England international pairing Germayne Forbes and Julius Joseph were once again impressive as they led all scorers with 16 and 18-points respectively. Chez Marks top-scored with 15 for London.

ROCKS ROCKED BY PLYMOUTH BUT END UP STEADY VICTORS
By John MacCalman at Braehead Sun 13th Nov
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 64 (24,37,46) (Joseph 20, Francois 19, Forbes 11)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 61 (18,41,51) (Moore 16, Aaron 14, Beasley 11)

The Rocks opened on form racking up 24 points which included 5 x 3 point baskets in the first quarter giving them a six point lead then the BBL's basement side, the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders, came close to pulling off a major upset with a 15-2 burst in the second quarter saw Plymouth gain the upper hand at 33-39 and an Allister Gall three-pointer gave them their biggest lead at 43-51 but by the half Plymouth's lead had been reduced to 4 points at 37-41.

The third quarter was a piece of trench warfare which included a period of play over 7 minutes in which neither side could make a basket.  Perhaps this was the effect of the two sides meeting on the same court twice in ten days.

A spark was needed to reignite the Rock's offence and it came from JJ in the fourth quarter. Julius Joseph who rekindled the offence with a three-pointer saw them re-gain the lead at 54-53 and then with the game tied at 58 he made two free-throws to give the Rocks a lead that they wouldn't give up. 

Joseph led the scoring with 20 personal points.  Former Rock Gaylon Moore led the visitors with 16 points. Plymouth's performance does not merit their current bottom of the table rank.  They came close, but no cigar, and when the fat lady was singing it was the Rocks that once again ruled the roost. 

ROCKS FALL TO SHARKS
Braehead Sunday 6th November 2005
Rocks 62  Sharks 67
For 3 out of 4 quarters the Rocks held the Sharks off and even managed an 11 point lead during the third quarter which finished 51-48. The Rocks should have wrapped things up then but in the 4th at all fell apart. The turning point was three successive 3 point baskets from the Sheffield captain Iain McKinney which gave the Sharks a seven point lead and the Rocks never recovered. The Rocks still hold on to the top of the BBL but their unbeaten run of 6 games has been sunk by a Shark attack.

UNBEATEN ROCKS - BUT PLYMOUTH COME CLOSE!
Scottish Rocks 86 (23,46,68) (Bennett 25, Francois 20, Forbes 19)
Plymouth Raiders 80 (27,44,58) (Aaron 26, Moore 18, Beasley 13)

Special report for Radio Clyde Websites from John MacCalman 
Braehead Arena Thursday 3rd November 

The Rocks got a fright tonight when the team that's bottom of the BBL took an early lead through 10 unanswered points early in the first quarter which ended 23-27 in favour of Plymouth. The Raiders were determined to take revenge for their 48 point defeat on their home court last week. Could the visitors do the unthinkable and be the first team to beat the Rocks in the BBL championship this season?  

The Rocks turned things around in the second period as they clawed their way back into the game, establishing a 2 point advantage at halftime 46-44.

The Rocks maintained their lead into the second half and moved 10 points ahead by the end of the third.  This lead peaked at 14 (73-59) before the resilient Raiders fought back, looking to steal their second win of the season.  They posted a 21-9 run to get back to within 2 at 82-80 with less than a minute on the clock, however the Rocks closed the game out from the charity stripe as Plymouth needed to stop the clock.

Frank Bennett's 25 points helped the Rocks maintain their unbeaten league record, whilst Jean Francois scored 20 and England international Germayne Forbes made 19.  Carlton Aaron led all scorers with 26 points in vain for the visitors, who remain bottom of the league and saw Gavin Love limp out of the game with an ankle injury.

Match referees Chris Dodds and Tom Watson were on good form tonight only causing Steve Swanson's blood pressure to explode on a couple of occasions - far less than usual. Perhaps they are slipping!  Special thanks to Rona and Natalie who do the official record keeping at the game for the BBL - they kept me right when I missed a couple of scorers!

The Rocks got a fright from the bottom of the league and this should warns them that they will be the target of attack from tougher teams in future games who all want to be the first to break the table toppers winning streak.

This Sunday 6th November (5pm) at Braehead against Sheffield holds out great promise of a tough tussle with more fireworks than the previous night in Glasgow.

Swanson Scoops Award

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks’ Head Coach Steve Swanson has picked up the BBL Coach of the Month Award for October, as his side remain unbeaten in the BBL Championship.

The Rocks sit top of the league after a 6-0 start to the 2005/06 campaign, that includes wins over reigning Playoff champions the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles, 72-71 at the Braehead Arena, as well as a 30-point road win over the DMU Leicester Riders and a 48-point demolition of the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders. It represents the Rocks’ best start to a campaign since their inception into the BBL in 1998.

A delighted Steve Swanson commented,
“It’s been a fantastic start to the season, I’ve had the good fortune of having an experienced and hard working nucleus of players together since early September and that pays off. 

“I’m just the guy that was coaching the best team in October, our players did really well, and if anything they deserve the best team honours for October.

“Now I’m looking forward to getting close to that in the month ahead”.

October also saw the Rocks reach the semi-finals of the BBL Cup, although they lost out to the Noray Properties London Towers in a thrilling overtime semi-final last weekend.

BBL CUP NEWS - SUNDAY 30th October 2005
Rocks Knocked Out in Newcastle in Overtime.
BBL Cup Semi-Finals

Noray Properties London Towers 106 (21,45,70,90) (Wadley 28, Stewart 20, Phillips 16)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 97 (34,52,77,90) (Forbes 25, Bennett 22, Joseph 19)

The Noray Properties London Towers have won through to the BBL Cup Final after coming from behind to defeat the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 106-97 in overtime.

The Rocks set the tone early on at the MetroRadio Arena as a Rob Yanders trey helped them out to a 5-0 start, a high scoring first quarter ensued and the Rocks took charge at 34-21.  That was inspired by some fine long range shooting from Germayne Forbes who had 21 first half points including 4/4 from beyond the arc.  After the Rocks had extended the lead to 18 points in the second period, Quincy Wadley sparked the Towers as his 17 first half points helped them reduce the deficit to 7 at the break.

The teams traded baskets in the third as the Rocks maintained their 7 point advantage.  In the final period the Rocks, who were looking to make their third consecutive Cup Final, led 83-77 before a 13-5 burst from the Towers saw them take their first lead at 90-88, Wadley nailed 5 in that run before the Rocks scored the last basket as the teams were tied at 90 at the buzzer.

Lynard Stewart scored five points early in overtime to help Towers to a 97-95 lead before his team closed out the game with a 9-2 tear, 7 of those points scored by Chez Marks.

ROCKS STILL UNBEATEN IN BBL CHAMPIONSHIP
Thursday 27 October 2005 BBL Championship
London Towers 70 (22,38,59) (Marks 21, Phillips/Stewart 16)
Scottish Rocks 91 (27,47,67) (Francois 25, Joseph 20, Bennett/Forbes 17)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks maintained their 100% record in the BBL Championship on Thursday evening with a 91-70 success over the Noray Properties London Towers.

In this the warm up game for Sunday's BBL Cup Semi Final clash it took the Rocks until the final quarter to throw off a resilent Towers outfit. Trialing 47-38 at the half time interval the Towers, led by Chez Marks 21 points, cut the deficit to within 4 at 59-63 only for a string of turnovers from the hosts which saw them lose their momentum and the Rocks pull back clear. Once inside the final stanza it was all about the Rocks as a 14-2 burst moved them to safety at 89-68.  Rocks Jean Francois led all scorers with 25 poi, nts.

Sunday 23rd Oct 05 Scoreflash!
Unbeaten Rocks Roll to the Top of the BBL
Plymouth Raiders  66  - Rocks 114

The Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks are the new leaders of the BBL after a 66-114 demolition of Kularoos Plymouth Raiders in Devon on Sunday n23rd October.

The Rocks swarmed around the Raiders from the start to open up an impressive lead. At 9-31 with one quarter gone there was already no way back for the winless Raiders.

From then on, despite Plymouth recording 20-points in the second and fourth quarters, the Rocks could not be pegged back as they scored at will.

The trio of Germayne Forbes, Julius Joseph and Frank Bennett were once again key to Rocks success scoring 29, 26 and 24-points respectively. Gaylon Moore replied with 19 for the hosts.

ROCKS PROGRESS TO BBL CUP SEMI-FINAL!
After a thrilling and hard fought victory against the Westfield Sharks Sheffield  (77-81 in overtime!) the  Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks have secured their place in the BBL CUP SEMI FINAL.

The CUP SEMI FINAL game is now scheduled to take place on Sunday 30th October at a central venue (tbc). Unfortunately we will therefore be required to re-schedule our home fixture against the Chester Jets originally planned for this date.

The Rocks remain undefeated in all competitions and made club history last night having never beaten the Sharks on their home court before! It looks set to be an exciting season and we look forward to more wins and a third consecutive BBL Finals place under Rocks Head Coach Steve Swanson.
(Full Cup quarterfinal match report on www.bbl.org.uk )

RESULT! ANOTHER ROCKS WIN
Sunday 16th October 2005
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 80 (14, 39, 55) (Bennett 20, Forbes 20, Yanders 14)
Noray Properties London Towers 74 (17, 40, 59) (Marks 27, Arinze 21, Stewart 16)

Frank Bennett and Germayne Forbes were the stars of the show as Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks notched up their third consecutive Championship win to move third in the table. The recipients this time were Noray Properties London Towers * it was the Towers third league defeat of the season.

Towers had the better of the opening exchanges to lead 17-14 after the first quarter.  And they were in front most of the second until the home team drew level at 34-34. Rocks edged ahead in the third thanks to good work by Julius Joseph but a 6-0 end to the quarter had the visitors once again to the fore.

However, Bennett and Forbes combined at the beginning of the fourth quarter to put together a 15-3 run for the Rocks which pushed the score to 70-62 in their favour. After that there was no way back for London. Chez Marks scored a game-high 27-points for the Towers. Forbes and Bennett hit 20 each for the Rocks.


ROCKS WIN AGAIN!
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks v Birmingham Bullets
BBL Cup 1st RoundBBL Cup
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 86 (24, 44, 71) (Bennett 22, Joseph 21, Forbes 14)
Birmingham Bullets 75 (20, 39, 60) (Harker 24, Tanner 18, Williams 15)

A last eight berth in the BBL Cup awaits Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks after a solid 86-75 win over Birmingham Bullets.  The Rocks, unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, strung together an 8-2 run late in the first quarter to lead 20-14. However, the Bullets had narrowed the margin to four at the first break (24-20).

Skouson Harker’s visitors took the lead at 27-29 midway through the second quarter but a 7-2 burst by the home team sent the teams to the locker room at half time with the Rocks 44-39 to the good.

After the interval the Rocks continued to build their lead and in the fourth quarter runs of 9-0 and 8-0 had the Rocks ahead by as many as 14-points. But the Bullets refused to lie-down and whittled the advantage to 79-75 before the Rocks hit the match’s last seven-points to secure the win.  The Rocks now travel to face Westfield Sharks Sheffield in the quarter-final.
Listen to Head Coach Steve Swanson talk to Radio Clyde's Adrian Coll about the win and the week ahead

As a result of games elsewhere in the BBL in the Championship race the unbeaten Rocks slip to third place by virtue of  Leicester and Newcastle's 3 wins from 4 games.

Rocks News Update - Friday 7th October 
WALTER JOINS THE SCOTTISH ROCKS 

The Scottish Rocks are pleased to announce another addition to the 2005/2006 roster in 6’3” veteran guard Andrew Walter.  The Rocks have had their eye on Walter since early in the summer when they spotted him playing in London.  After working towards a deal with the Rocks in the last few weeks, Walter has now made it official that he will be with the club for the rest of the season.

Rocks owner Ian Reid said, "Andrew impressed us from the very beginning when he competed with the Rocks during our Norwegian Tour.  He is a very hard worker and is quite the shooter from long range.  His experience and abilities will be a big bonus to this year’s team and we’re delighted to have him on board."

Walter has an impressive basketball resume having played for a number of years in both the Australian National Basketball League and Australian Basketball Association.  He started his basketball career with the Melbourne Tigers juniors team where he played from the age of fourteen.  He then continued on to the Melbourne Tigers senior men’s team in the National League where he competed for five seasons. 

Walter’s most impressive seasons were his most recent ABA seasons where he played for the Mildura Mavericks and Blackburn Vikings.  As captain of the Vikings, he averaged 27 points and 5 rebounds a game while being chosen as a top 3 pick for Conference MVP honors.  Walter has also toured with various Australian teams to the United States to compete against top universities and colleges.

Rocks Head Coach Steve Swanson on Walter: “Having Andrew sign on with us this season is a tremendous boost to our squad.  We have been very fortunate to have him with us for a good portion of the early season and I’m really excited that he will be a permanent part of this year’s team.  Andrew has a wealth of experience playing professional basketball at a high level and really knows how to play the game.  He’s a great fit for our team and we are all very glad he’s with us.”

ROCKS ON TOP
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks and Milton Keynes Lions are the only unbeaten teams in the BBL Championship following the second weekend of action.
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 72 (14,29,57)
(Bennett 25, Joseph 21, Yanders 9)
SPRINGFIELD HONDA NEWCASTLE EAGLES 71 (16,42,59)
(Sullivan 25, Flournoy 15, Walker 10)

The Rocks had just one game this weekend, seeing off the challenge of the Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles 72-71 on Sunday evening. Former Eagle Frank Bennett haunted his old side with 25 points as the Rocks fought back from a double digit interval deficit to record the win.

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks made it two wins from two outings on Sunday evening inflicting Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles first defeat of the season 72-71 at Braehead

The Eagles rattled off the final 8 points of the first half to take a 42-29 cushion in to the locker room. Rocks Julius Joseph found his range from the three point line in the third quarter to whittle the lead down to just a single basket. Former Eagle Frank Bennett bagged the three pointer which nudged the hosts back in front and Eagles guard TJ Walker’s late effort rolled around the rim but would not drop.

Julius Joseph (JJ) is the only member of the Rocks squad who has had previous experience with the Braehead side, the rest of the team are all new this year.   Head Coach Steve Swanson appears to have selected a squad with great potential for the season ahead and ap[pears to have addressed weeknesses in last years team in the area of 3 point baskets (9 in this game) and scoring from the free throw line - only one missed shot.

 

ROCKS WIN SEASON OPENER IN STYLE
BBL Championship, Saturday 24 September

DMU Leicester Riders 65 (8, 28, 42) Reed 19, Holley 12, McHenry 9 Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 95 (19, 39, 67) (Joseph 23, Bennett 22, Forbes/Smith 14)

The trip south was well worth the effort for the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks after a 95-65 win over the DMU Leicester Riders.

Riders led the match 4-2 in the early stages but that was to be their only lead of the night as the Rocks began to exert their dominance. A 15-2 run by the visitors blew the game open in the first quarter and the Riders struggled from that point on.

The closest the Riders got to the Rocks after the first break was 17-23 after a 9-2 burst.

New signing Julius Joseph slammed the door shut for the Riders with nine-points out of a game high 23 as part of a 21-5 run for the Rocks which virtually ended the game as a contest at 53-39 late in the third quarter.

Another new signing, Frank Bennett, was also impressive as he posted a double-double with 22-points and 11 boards.

Murray Makes it With Rocks

The Scottish Rocks have made another addition to the 2005/06 roster in 6’6” forward Gareth Murray. 

The Arbroath native made his mark with the Rocks during an open trials session earlier this month at the Kelvin Hall National Sports Centre.  As a young player in Scotland, the Rocks see Murray as an up-and-coming talent that will be a valuable component to this year’s team.

Rocks owner Ian Reid said, "Gareth materialised out of nowhere at our Open Trials and immediately impressed, so much so that three days later he was playing for the Rocks against the Norwegian national team on our Norwegian Tour. As if that wasn't enough he also scored with his first touch. He has had the benefit of playing at a good level in the US and will bring a youthful exuberance to the team. Watch this space!"

Murray played one year of high school basketball in Battle Creek Michigan and then continued on with his college career at Kalamazoo Valley.  Previous to his stint in the States, Murray played with the successful Arbroath Musketeers junior teams that won the National Cup and National League titles for both Under-16 & Under-18 competition.

Rocks Head Coach Steve Swanson on Murray: “I’m really excited that Gareth will be playing with us this season.  He has good size and skills and has already shown that he knows the game well.  Gareth is a young talent who is committed to working hard and becoming a better basketball player.  He fits in with our team very nicely and we are all very glad he’s with us.”

The Rocks home season tips off Sun 2nd Oct v Newcastle at Braehead Arena - 5pm tip.

Rocks Sign Scottish International

The Scottish Rocks have added Chris Brown to their roster for the 2005/2006 campaign.

The 6’8” forward/centre became a strong player inside last season playing with the Thames Valley Tigers. After joining the team a month into the season, he played in 33 games for the Tigers and averaged 7 points and over 5 rebounds per game.

Rocks owner Ian Reid said, "We watched Chris improve week on week in his rookie year in the BBL with Thames Valley Tigers and towards the end of last season decided that we would open negotiations when the season ended. The dialogue has been reasonably straightforward, although he has spent many of his formative years in Canada his father is originally form Glasgow and this is where Chris wants to be. He needs to work on his overall fitness to get up to speed but over the season we are confident that he will make a telling contribution.”

Before playing at Thames Valley, Brown attended Western Ontario University and played there for fours seasons before graduating in 2002. He has also played on the GT Express traveling team touring against U.S. university teams.

Rocks Head Coach Steve Swanson said, "I’ve known about Chris for a few years now and have been following his progress ever since. He improved dramatically last season and was a big force in our games against Thames Valley down the stretch. It is great to have Chris with the Rocks this year. I expect big things from him and think that he can continue to steadily improve. Chris is very excited about it and we will need him to be a significant factor for us.”


Rocks Swoop for Francois    Fri 16 Sept

6 foot 6 inch power forward Jean Francois will be joining Frank Bennett in an all-new Scottish Rocks front line this season at Braehead.  The rookie from Georgia Southern will add strength to an already exciting looking squad in 2005/06. The second highest scorer in his college team, Francois averaged 14.6 points per game and helped the team to 12-1 home record in his last season.

Rocks owner Ian Reid said of Francois, “Lamont McIntosh (from last season) and Frank Bennett both played in Georgia and had similar backgrounds. Both had stellar rookie seasons in the BBL, and now with Jean Francois we have another chance to gain from the obvious pool of talent they have developed from their respective athletic programs. Francois is an exciting talent and a great addition to Coach Swanson’s squad.”

Head Coach Steve Swanson has a similar outlook, "I really feel good that Jean will be a Rock this season.  He comes from a great program at Georgia Southern, and I think that he is a very good basketball player.  I believe that he can play at a high level as a forward in the BBL.  I've been interested in Jean for a long time and have really liked what I've seen this summer.  He has proven that he is a very committed individual and he has a promising career ahead of him.  Jean is an exciting player and he is looking forward to the challenges of the upcoming season."

 

Rocks Bank Frank
Mon 12th September

 

In their latest move for dominance in the British Basketball League 2005/06 the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks have scooped former Newcastle Eagles forward Frank Bennett.

 

At 6’7”, the versatile big man can play inside and has a proven outside shooting touch. In appearances for the Eagles last season, Bennett averaged 12.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds in a campaign that saw the Tyneside outfit capture the BBL title. The rookie managed to make his mark in the team despite being surrounded by a wealth of talent and experience.

 

Ian Reid owner said:  "Frank Bennett is a player we watched closely last season, but not closely enough as he had the unhappy knack of racking up some significant numbers against the Rocks. This time around we are looking to see him build on his Newcastle experience and develop a higher level of consistency throughout the season. We believe he can do well in the BBL and he'll have every opportunity to show us what he can do."

 

Attending Southern Georgia University from 2000, Bennett slowly increased his averages in scoring, rebounding and assists over the course of his four years. His final season with Southern Georgia saw 15.3ppg, 6.4rpg and 1.5 ast over 29 games.

 

Rocks head play caller Steve Swanson said, "Frank Bennett is an extremely talented player in this league who I think can get even better.  He proved in his rookie season in the BBL that he is capable of huge performances.   Frank was a major factor in his team's success last season playing with the most veteran team in the league.  The experience he gained from his first year in the BBL should really help him build on that with the Rocks.  I think Frank is committed to improving his game this season and to doing what it takes to help our team be successful.”

Germayne Forbes to Rocks   Sept  5th 
Adding more strength to the guard position, the Scottish Rocks have signed BBL rookie Germayne Forbes to their roster for the 2005/2006 campaign.  Hailing from London, the 6’1 guard played his college ball in the U.S. at both Gonzaga and the University of West Georgia. 

Speaking of Forbes, Head Coach of the Rocks Steve Swanson said, "I'm really happy that Germayne Forbes will be a Rock this season.  Germayne is a skilled player with European experience, and we hope he can have a major impact on our team this year.  He is a tremendous young talent who has been a very solid player with the England National Team this summer.”

Last season Forbes played in Europe with Hungarian side Gunaras KC Dombóvár.  During his year in Hungary, Forbes averaged 19.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.  Previous to that, Forbes averaged 14.6 points a game as a starter for West Georgia during his senior season of 2002-2003.

In the past few years, Forbes has been a part of the EB English National Team.  He took part in an extensive EB basketball program this summer which saw him playing in Portugal, Austria, and Bulgaria to name a few.  Forbes is also anticipated to be part of the team that will travel to Australia for the Commonwealth games in March 2006. 

Coach Swanson continued, “Germayne has played with a major university team in the States and was also a key player on his team in Europe last season.  He is looking forward to the challenge of trying to prove this year that he can compete with the very talented guards in the BBL."

Rocks Sign Rob Yanders   Aug 31st 2005
The Scottish Rocks, Scotland’s professional basketball outfit, have continued their success in attracting standout point guards to the club by securing the established skills of former Sheffield Shark, Rob Yanders. Head Coach Steve Swanson is looking forward to having Yanders on board this season.  “The Rocks organisation is very excited about the addition of Rob Yanders to the roster.  He has had a tremendous career at Sheffield over the past three seasons and is committed to building on that this year with the Rocks.”

The former SW Missouri State floor leader has had great success in Sheffield with Cup glory in 2004, where he also took home the most valuable player award. 2003/04 also saw a BBL Championship grace the Sheffield club in a season that Yanders averaged 14.6 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists respectively. Rocks owner Ian Reid said," The Rocks have had a happy knack of recruiting top quality point guards and in Rob Yanders we have a player of proven ability, experienced in the BBL, and a great ambassador for the game. If the other moves we are making in the market come to fruition we'll build a team around him which will be very competitive and make Braehead Arena an exciting place to be next season".

Coach Swanson thinks the same, “Rob has proven to be one of the best point guards in the BBL and we are expecting big things from him.  He has proven to be a very tough team leader and that he knows what it takes to win in our league.  I’ve rated him very high over the last few years and I’m really looking forward to coaching him this season.” The Scottish Rocks have sought to bring the best point guards to Braehead over the last few years, with the now legendary Ted Berry and of course, dynamic force of last season, Lamont McIntosh, just two of the names of the recent past. The loyal Rocks fans will be expecting big things from Yanders this season and luckily Rob Yanders has a track record of delivering.

Rocks Sign England Star

The Scottish Rocks announced their first signing of the 05/06 season as they welcome back English forward Julius Joseph. Joseph spent some time with the Scottish side at the start of last season and Head Coach Steve Swanson is looking forward to working with the 29 year old on his return for the forthcoming season.

“We are very happy that Julius has chosen to play for the Rocks.  He is a seasoned veteran who shows a great tenacity for the game.  I really enjoyed having Julius with our team at the beginning of last year and I'm very excited that he has signed on to be a Rock.”

Joseph quickly cemented himself as a fan favourite last season in only a few appearances for Scotland’s sole pro-basketball outfit and his return will only bring smiles to the faces of the Braehead faithful. During the course of his career Joseph played in Europe with clubs in both Belgium and France. For the last five years the 6’4 Georgia College graduate has been part of the EB English National squad and is anticipated to be part of the team that will travel to Australia for the Commonwealth games in March 2006. 

The Scottish Rocks have had several key players from the England National squad since their arrival on the BBL scene and with the addition of Joseph, and other imminent signings, are delighted to be offering their support to both the Scottish and English Commonwealth Games teams in their quest for medals. Coach Swanson agrees, “Julius continues to play a very important role with the England National team and he brings with him a lot of dedication, a great work ethic, and experience in both the BBL and European competitions.”

The Rocks are set to confirm more signings in the coming days and Director Ian Reid likes the way things are shaping up for the 05-06 season, “For me there are a number of positives which surround the return of Julius to the Rocks, not the
least of which is his atti, tude. He plays hard and he practices hard, he also has a determination to get things right so that makes him a good fit for us. Coach Swanson has covered a lot of miles to bring the best we can get to Braehead and if they all measure up to JJ's standards then we'll be competitive and in the mix come the end of the season."
.

SEASON 2004/2005 ARCHIVES

THURSDAY 7th April 2005  RESULT
SHEFFIELD SHARKS 95 (23,45,71) (Yanders 23, Davis 20, Reinking 16)
SCOTTISH ROCKS 92 (26,41,68) (Cole 22, Feggins 17, Perre 16)

Westfield Sharks Sheffield held their nerve late on to  record a 95-92 victory over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks in a thriller on Thursday evening. The Sharks rattled off 8 points without reply midway through the final quarter to put the first significant daylight between the sides at 83-74. The Rocks however ensured a tight finish scoring 7 without answer to trim the scoreline to 92-89 and then on a Lamont McIntosh three pointer to just 93-92 with 5s remaining. Rocks fouled Terrell Petteway from the in bound and he calmly  slotted both free throws to make the game safe.

Sunday 3rd April
SCOTTISH ROCKS 103 (27,59,82)  (Henning 23, Wardrope 20, Perre 19)
PLYMOUTH RAIDERS 91 (25,46,69) (Gall 30,  Durham 23, Love 20)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks reached a 6th place finish in the BBL Championship table and left Kularoos Plymouth Raiders a mountain to climb to make the playoffs after a 103-91 success over the Raiders on Sunday evening.  The Rocks scored the final 5 points of the first half to lead 59-46 at the interval but the Raiders started the third strongly with Alistar Gall nailing 3 three pointers in a 13-2 start to the half. Raiders briefly  led at 64-63 before Rocks made the game deciding burst, 17-0 to take the lead out to 80-64. Raiders Alistar Gall led all scorers with 30 points.

Thursday 30th April
DONALD DOES IT FOR  THE ROCKS!
SCOTTISH ROCKS 76 (15,37,65) (Perre  18, Henning 17, Cole 15)
THAMES VALLEY TIGERS 75 (17,39,57) (Murray 26, James 15, Moore 11)

Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks confirmed their Playoff berth with a last gasp 76-75 win over close rivals Thames Valley Tigers at the Braehead Arena.   The Rocks started slowly and only scored 2 points in the first five and a half minutes on the way to trailing 8-17, before an 11-0 tear across the first quarter break put them 19-17 to the good. The Tigers managed to regain a 5 point lead only for Donald Cole to throw an incredible shot that even the Harlem Globtrotters couldn't replicate on their last Braehead visit. From well inside his own half with 0.6 seconds of the first half remaining, he connected with the basket to bring the margin down to 2 at 37-39 and inspire the team and the home crowd.    The Rocks outscored their visitors 28-18 in the third period with Philip Perre scoring 10 of his 18  personal game points in that quarter, andthe Rocks led 65-57 going into the final stanza. Thames Valley managed to claw their way back into the game and led 74-75 facing the last Rocks possession of the game with 8 seconds to go. At that point Lamont McIntosh ran the length of the court and dished it to Donald Cole to score the winning basket.

Sunday 20th March 2005
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 105 (28,47,72) (Cole 22, McIntosh 19, Gordon 17)
LEICESTER RIDERS 74 (19,42,56) (New 23, Murray 16, Burns 14)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks established a four point cushion in sixth place after defeating Playoff hopefuls Leicester Riders 105-74 at the Braehead Arena on Sunday night 20th March. A 6-0 burst in the first quarter helped the Rocks to a 28-19 lead before the visitors closed the gap in the second period courtesy of a 10-2 run which made the score 30-29 - the closest the Riders would come. The game was effectively won in the third quarter as the Rocks opened it 12-3 and closed it with 11 unanswered points to give them an unassailable 72-56 advantage. Roni Gordon was the game's MVP after scoring 17 points with 7 rebounds.

THURSDAY 10th March at Braehead
ROCKS 87 - 67 BEARS
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 87 (17,42,64) (Cole  22, Perre 16, Feggins 14)
BRIGHTON BEARS 67 (21,32,52) (Lepore 27, Alleyne 21, Deng 15)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks stepped up their hunt  for a high placed finish with a 87-67 success over a depleted Brighton Bears outfit on Thursday evening.
The Rocks closed out the first half with a 14-2 burst to take a 42-32 lead at the interval but Bears opened the  third quarter with a 10-2 run of their own to bring  themselves back into contention. Rocks response was  immediate, rattling off the next 17 points without reply  to open up a 61-42 lead from which the Bears were unable to recover. Bears produced the games leading scorer in Steve Lepore who scored 27 points, Cheyne Gadson is the latest name on a long Bears injury list.

Saturday 5th March 2005
THAMES VALLEY TIGERS 110 (35,53,81) (Murray 31, James 20,   Moore/Wellington 17)
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 97 (15,40,68)  (McIntosh 25, Cole 23, Feggins 13)
Thames Valley Tigers notched their fourth consecutive BBL Championship victory with a 110-97 success over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks. The Tigers raced out of the block in the first quarter with runs of 11-2, 7-0 and another 11-2 helping them to a 35-15 lead at the end of the quarter. The Rocks fought back hard with a 14-4 run in the 2nd and a 11-5 burst in the 3rd moving them to within 4 at 62-58. The Tigers however scored the next 11 to put daylight between the team and a 13-2 start to the final stanza secured the win at 93-70. Tigers Jo James and Rocks Tony Windless then found themselves ejected after an altercation with 7.43s remaining in the game.

Wednesday 2nd March
Plymouth Raiders Vs Scottish Rocks
KULAROOS PLYMOUTH RAIDERS 61 (11,26,44) (Beasley 18, Gall 13, Durham 11)
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 75 (23,40,57)  (McIntosh 19, Windless 14, Henning/Perre 12)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders' Playoff push suffered a set  back on Wednesday night with a 61-75 home loss to Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks.  The Rocks were quick out of the blocks as they immediately took a 13-2 lead, Phil Perre and Lamont McIntosh combining for 11 of those points, as they went on to lead 23-11 at the quarter. The home side responded early in the second as they opened 12-4 to pull the score back to 27-23 but Adrian Henning scored 6 points as the Rocks closed the half out with an 8-1 tear to go in 40-26 at the intermission. The Raiders struggled to get much closer until an old-fashioned three point play from Ryan French sparked a 10-2 start to the final period as they drew to within 5 at 54-59. However the Rocks sealed the game as they responded immediately, their next 10 points being interrupted by a solitary Terrence Durham free-throw, the Raiders' centre missed five out of six from the line during this period as the Rocks stretched the lead back out to fourteen points.  Rocks' point guard Lamont McIntosh led all scorers with19 points, also for them, Tony Windless made 14 points with 17 rebounds and 3 assists. The league's leading shot blocker Gerrick Morris had 15 rebounds and a staggering 9 blocks in the game

Sunday 27th February Match Report
ROCKS 92 (28,48,64) (Windless 28, McIntosh 23, Perre 15)
JETS 103 (24,42,68) (Moore 27, Myers 23, Singleton 18)
TCS Chester Jets re-established their four point lead at the summit of the BBL Championship table with a 92-103 road win over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks. Neither team could establish much of a lead in the first half until an 8-0 burst from the home side saw them take a 48-42 lead into the locker room. Chester began to turn the game around after the break as they outscored the Rocks 26-16 in the third before maintaining a slender lead in the final period. It was two former Rocks players that set up the win for the league leaders in the fourth quarter. Shawn Myers made three shots from three-point range and Billy Singleton made two baskets to see the Jets lead 91-79. After a brief Rocks' revival, Trey Moore scored 10 consecutive points to settle the tie. Trey Moore scored 27 points for the victors but it was Tony Windless who led all scorers with 28 points for the home team.
 
 
Match Report Sunday 20th February 2005
SCOTTISH ROCKS 79 (26,45,64) (Cole 24, Windless 17, McIntosh 13)
NEWCASTLE EAGLES 81 (18,41,62) (Hyatt 23, Sullivan 13, Bennett 13)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles held onto second spot in the BBL Championship with a last gasp 79-81 win over big northern rivals Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks. Solid defence and quality three point shooting was the theme for the Rocks in the first half, also helped by some lacklustre free-throw shooting from the visitors, they had their noses infront 45-41 at the intermission after leading throughout the first two periods. However, the lead changed eight times in the third quarter before the Rocks managed to hold it at 64-62 going into a final quarter in which the visitors were playing catch-up again until late on. With 45 secs left on the clock Andrew Sullivan connected from beyond the arc to tie the game at 79. The Rocks' response fell short and it was player/coach Fab Flournoy who won the game for Newcastle, netting the winning basket with 2 secs left in the game.  Donald Cole led all scorers with 24 points in vein for the home side. Jeremy Hyatt led the Eagles for the sixth consecutive game after netting 23 points.

THURSDAY 17th FEBRUARY 
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 89 (23,46,72)      
(McIntosh 24, Windless 17, Perre 12, Feggins 12 Cole 12)   
LEICESTER RIDERS 76 (19,38,58)
The  Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks strengthened their  hold on sixth spot in the BBL Championship table with  a 89-76 victory over the Leicester Riders.    The Rocks recorded their second victory over the Riders in a week, and their third consecutive victory in the BBL Championships, by pulling clear of their  visitors midway through the third quarter. An 8-0  burst moved the Rocks 64-45 clear from which the Riders could not recover.  Throughout the game the Riders were frustrated by a solid rocks defence that did not allow them any serious scoring opportunities. 
 
Saturday 12th February
Leicester 68 Rocks 86
LEICESTER  68 (20,38,54) (Williams 17, New 14,  Smith 13) 
ROCKS 86 (23,43,64)   (Henning 23, Feggins 16, Cole 14)
The Rocks recorded a much needed win on Saturday evening seeing off the challenge of the Leicester Riders 86-68.   The Rocks made crucial scores late on in each of the opening three quarters but could not shake off a resilent Riders outfit until the final 5 minutes of the game. Leading 68-64 the Rocks posted a 18-4 run to close out   the game and show a rather flattering score line. Adrian Henning led all scorers with 23 points.
 
BIRMINGHAM 78  ROCKS 97
SUNDAY 13th February
BULLETS 78 (17,32,52) (Ataha 20, Phillips 16, Marshall 12)
ROCKS 97 (24,48,74) (Cole 25, McIntosh 24, Feggins 13)
The Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks further strengthened their Playoff position with their second road win of the weekend on Sunday night, beating Birmingham Bullets 78-97. The Bullets lead early on but the visitors rattled off 11 unanswered points to take a 7-15 lead. It was a similar story in the second period as the teams traded baskets until the Rocks went 11-1 for a commanding 24-40 lead on their way to a 32-48 half-time advantage. Bullets failed to narrow the deficit in the third as the Rocks pushed their lead out to 22 points at 52-74 at the end of that quarter. The home side fought back in the final period and reduced the lead to just thirteen points, however, every time they got close it was Rocks' point guard Lamont McIntosh who found the basket to keep them at arms length. Donald Cole led all scorers with 25 points for the victors whilst point guard Santa Ataha posted his BBL career high 20 points for the home side.
 
OH SO CLOSE!!!!
Rocks 78 - 79 Sharks
Braehead Sunday 30th January 2005
Match report from John MacCalman
It started off like it was going to be a , , rout of the Rocks by the Sheffield Sharks. In the first period of play Tony Windless opened the scoring with a quick basket to which the Sharks replied with the first of many 3 pointers.  The Rocks replied with a two pointer from Bryant Feggins then the Sharks got another two. Bryant quickly responded with two and then the Rocks scoreline stuck at 6 while the Sharks went on a scoring blitz putting on 14 unanswered points.  You might be deceived into thinking the Rocks defence had fallen apart, but by virtue of the fact that they held the Sharks to 23 points in the first quarter this was not the case. It was on offence that nearly every shooting attempt resulted in failures while the Sharks were close to 100% on their shots.  This was to prove critical later in the game. It is strange that while the Rocks shooting efforts were not striking home, the only remain points in the first period of play came from a 100% conversion effort by Dan Wardrop on his four free throws (try speaking that out loud) towards the end of the quarter to break Sheffield's run. The quarter ended 10-23.

As any team visiting Braehead knows the most dangerous attitude you can bring to the court is complancency and the game ain't over till the fat lady sings, even when you have outscored your opponents by more than double in the first quarter. The second period of play found the Rocks recovering their scoring ability outshooting the Sharks by 30 to 24 aided by Lamont McIntosh's 3 pointer which was the only one for the Rocks in the first half (Sheffield managed 6). At the half the scoreline was 40-47 in Sheffield's favour and all to play for.

The second half started well for the Rocks and it was not long before Phillip Perre showed some inspirational play with a 3 point basket that put the Rocks into the lead for the first time since their opening score.  When things like this happen there is a wonderful chemistry among the Rocks players who seem to find the extra energy to pull victory out of a big deficit in the early scoreline.  At the end of the third period the Rocks held a 2 point lead at 62-60.

It looked like that energy inspired the Rocks in the third quarter as they piled on the points and at one time were 70 to the Sharks 62, then Sheffield gradually bit back gnawing away at the lead.   With 1:03 left on the clock the Sharks levelled the game at 75 after a 13-5 run, setting up a tense finale.  Donald Cole hit a free-throw before Sterling Davis responded for Sheffield to make the score 76-77.  With 5 seconds remaining Cole connected from the field to give the Rocks the lead and Sharks' Coach Peter Scantlebury called time-out.  From there Rob Yanders drove to the basket and netted the winner right on the buzzer. The Rocks were desolated. This was one they could have bagged and should have bagged. No matter how much you can argue with officials, timekeepers and referees, there comes a point where you must be able to win games through your scores throughout the 40 minutes on the court and not just in the last five seconds. It was an entertaining game depite the disappointing result for the Rocks fans.

There were a couple of lighter moments. Referee Will Jones displayed carpentry skills as he made temporary repairs to the Braehead flooring on the court playing surface. In this task he was aided by Sheffield's team doctor acting as floor surgeon, and at another pint in the game play was held up while the Sharks' Nate Reinking hunted for his contact lenses on the court.

BBL Championship Friday 4 February
Rocks win one on the road!
Milton Keynes Lions 78  v 101  Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks
MILTON KEYNES LIONS 78 (21,39,49) (Benjamin 20, Spinks 12, Longpre 11)
SCOTTISH ROCKS 101 (26,50,73) (Cole 28, McIntosh 18, Windless 16)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks avenged the one-point defeat by Milton Keynes Lions earlier in the season by inflicting a 78-101 home loss on the Lions, putting a bit of breathing space between them in the BBL Championship. The game started slowly but picked up mid-way through the first quarter as the Rocks took a 10-14 lead, a lead that they held at the end of the quarter, 21-26.  Mid-way through the second period the Lions briefly managed to gain the upper hand, strong inside play from Jamison and Youngblood brought them back to within 3 before Pierre Henry-Fontaine bagged the next 5 points for a 38-36 lead.  However, that didn't last long as the visitors responded emphatically, an 11-0 run and a three-pointer to cap off the half saw them take a 39-50 lead into the locker room.

The home side suffered a huge set back in the third period as Ishua Benjamin left the game with a concusion, without him they only managed to score 10 points in the quarter as the Rocks began to pull out the lead, 49-72 through three quarters.  The Lions struggled to get much closer as the game finished 78-101. Donald Cole led all scorers with 28 points for the Rocks, Ishua Benjamin led the hosts with 20, despite missing most of the third and fourth quarters.

Saturday 5th February 05
LONDON TOWERS 80 (17,36,58) (Brown 20, Arinze 20, Williams/Stewart 15)
SCOTTISH PHOENIX HONDA RECORD ROCKS 77 (21,37,55) (Feggins 22, McIntosh 17, Windless 14)
London Towers recovered from Friday's gruelling double overtime loss in Newcastle by getting revenge on the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks, who beat them two weeks ago, with this 80-77 win at Crystal Palace. A tight first quarter saw the teams trading baskets and Towers led 17-13 with 2 minutes left in the quarter.  However a Rocks surge of 8 unanswered points saw them take the lead at 17-21 at the first break.  4 points from Jerry Williams tied the game at 23 before the Rocks responded with a further 6 unanswered points, a gap they maintained until the last minute of the half.  Towers posted a 5-0 run to close out the second quarter and make it a one-point ball game at 36-37. Towers regained the ascendancy in the third period, Lynard Stewart scored the last 4 points of an 8-0 tear which gave them the lead at 48-43.  Former Rock Niki Arinze then scored their next 8 points before going into the final stanza at 58-55. The Rocks opened the final period with the first 4 points to snatch the lead back but Towers edged away to a 72-66 lead with 3 minutes remaining.  From there the Rocks scored the next 7 points, capped by a Donald Cole three to go up 73-72 with a minute and a half remaining.  Arinze, Williams and Brown gave Towers the lead back at 78-74 before Lamont McIntosh connected from beyond the arc with 10s to go.  The Rocks needed to stop the clock and Niki Arinze scored two of the resulting free-throws to finish the game. Bryant Feggins led all scorers with 22 points.


ROCKS BREAK THE HOODOO
Sunday 23 January BBL Championship 2005
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 80 (24,40,57) (Cole 24, Perre 15, Henning 13)
London Towers 74 (19,32,64) (Brown 20, Arinze 18, Stewart 13)
For the first time this season at Braehead an inspired Rocks team beat a BBL opponent that was placed above them in the Championship table. The Rocks started strongly in front of their home crowd, looking to improve a record that had seen them win just one of their previous six games, and were 24-19 up at the end of the first.  After giving up the lead early in the second, the Rocks posted an 8-0 burst for a 36-29 lead in a quarter that finished 40-32. However, London started to get into their stride in the third as Rod Brown inspired an 18-2 spurt, they outscored the Rocks 17-32 in the period to silence the Glasgow crowd, the score was 57-64 after three quarters.  Butin the fourth they ran out of steam and into a very solid Rocks defence and could only score 10 points.The Rocks opened 9-0 to regain the lead at 66-64 and held on from there.  An important win for the Rocks as it sees them make up some ground on Towers in fifth place in the Championship table. Donald Cole led all scorers for the home side with 24 points.  Rod Brown scored 20 for Towers, followed by former Rocks favourite Nikki Arinze who netted 18.

BBL CUP FINAL : MATCH REPORT
Feggins Flu Fells Rocks
Rocks 74 Vs Bears 90 
BBL Cup Final in Birmingham
Sunday 16th January 3.30pm.

Brighton Bears 90 (24,45,65) (Alleyne 27, Huntley 22, Holley 14)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 74  (21,39,53)
(Cole 22, Windless 13,Henning/McIntosh/Perre 10)
The Rocks were without one of their key players - Bryant Feggins - who has been zapped by a severe bout of 'flu, but even he had been fit it would have been tough going to pull this one off against a Brighton team who found the peak form so far this season. According to Brighton Head Coach Nick Nurse his team put up one of their best performances of the season  to become BBL Cup Champions with a 90-74 victory over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks. A close first half saw Bears edge ahead, a 9-2 first quarter tear giving them the advantage at 14-8. Rocks fought back and trimmed the deficit to a single point at 18-17, keeping it tight for the rest of the opening stanza. Neither team found a way of dominating in the second quarter, but a Ryan Huntley three pointer just before the break gave Brighton the impetus going into half-time, as they led 45-39. Andrew Alleyne spear-headed Bears’ attack in the third – he netted six points in a row to give his side a double-digit lead at 56-45 and Bears never looked back. For the majority of the final quarter, Bears kept the Rocks at arms length and the closest that the Scots could get was eight points. Rocks were without star forward Bryant Feggins because of illness, but team-mate Donald Cole led the Rocks’ scoring with 22 points. However, it was Bears’ Andrew Alleyne (MVP) who topped the scoring charts with 27. The Rocks had a massive travelling support  just under the 1,000 mark and the Rockettes were there in force to add a touch of class the the courtside entertainment.

Match Results and reports 2004

Friday 17 December 2004
BBL Championship
Brighton Bears 82 (25,45,59) (Alleyne 22, Williams 19, Lepore 15)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 72 (15,34,56) (Feggins 15, Cole/McKintosh 13)
Brighton Bears closed to within two points at the top of the BBL Championship with a 82-72 success over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks in a Championship clash between the two sides that will meet in next month's BBL Cup Final. After the Bears had opened up a double figure lead in the first half the Rocks bagged 7 points without reply in third quarter to trim the lead to 57-52 and kept it tight right up until the closing stages. Bears however took advantage of the Rocks needing to foul to stop the clock and sealed the win from the charity stripe.

Sunday 19 December
BBL Championship
TCS Chester Jets 94 (27,49,67) (Moore 40, Myers 17, Harrison 15)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 91 (20,44,72) (Cole 21, McIntosh 14, Henning/Windless 13)
TCS Chester Jets avenged their BBL Cup Semi-Final defeat and recorded their second Championship victory over the Scottish Rocks at the Northgate Arena on Sunday evening. The Jets opened the game with a 7-0 run, however the Rocks were unfazed and came back to lead at 12-13.  This lead was short-lived as the Jets then went 10-0 and then opened the second period 7-0 to lead by 14 points at 34-20.  The Rocks got back into the game after a 14-4 run and they cut the deficit to just 5 at the half at 49-44, Dan Wardrope making a 'Hail Mary' on the buzzer.  The Rocks took a decent lead in the third, after a 10-2 run they led 54-63 although the Jets managed to trim that down to just five points going into the final stanza.  Donald Cole scored 11 personal points in that quarter and he also led the Rocks for the game with 21.  With two minutes to go in the game the Rocks held a slender 1 point lead but that vanished after a 6-0 run from the Jets, this proved decisive and the Rocks found no way back. Trey Moore led all scorers with 40 points, he has reached that total in his last two games.

Sunday 12th December 2004
Scottish Rocks 117  Teesside Mohawks 75
Rocks 117 (30,54,89) (Cole 42, Windless 29, Feggins 14)
Mohawks (15,37,55) (Jackson 21, A'Panzo 16, Nation 13)
BBL Trophy

Special report from John MacCalman at Braehead for the Radio Clyde Rocks Websites

The scoreline may appear to say it all but the absent players from the Rocks squad says a lot more about the current strengt, h and depth of Steve Swanson's squad, even taking into account that their performance was against a weaker side than they would normally encounter in a BBL Championship.  Two of the Rocks top players LaMont McIntosh and Phillip Perre did not take part to allow injuries to heal. It was a sensible move on the part of Steve Swanson because the Rocks are all but out of the running in the BBL trophy as a result of their two losses to Newcastle Eagles.  It would take two wins by the Mohawks over the Eagles for the Rocks to advance in this competition and there is as much chance of that happening as there is of Steve Swanson declaring a truce on referees.  This was more of a Rocks training day in front of the fans with the Mohawks as sparring partners, and it was a valuable exercise for that. The Rocks started comfortably and had built up a 15 point lead at the end of the 1st quarter. Then that old enemy complacency set in and the Rocks dropped their guard allowing the Teesside team to come within 5 points before slipping behind again as the Rocks came alive to increase the differential to 17 points at half time with the Rocks on 54 and Teesside on 37.

The second half produced a blistering successive series of 3 point baskets at each scoring opportunity from the Rocks, with a total of five in a row which extended the Rocks lead. It was refreshing to see the Rocks notch up such a high success rate from beyond the 3 point line but Teesside found difficulty in co-ordinating their defence to cope with the Rockslaught - hey, a new word to describe a Rocks onslaught power attack!

The Rocks piled on the pressure with a 12 unanswered points before the Mohawks Abraham Ndeye put away a 3 pointer to break the spell. By the end of the third period of play the rocks had doubled their half-time lead and were ahead by 34 points on an 89-35 scoreline. 

It might be the season of goodwill for some but the Rocks showed no mercy to the Mohawks as the fourth quarter started with Donald Cole racking up 3 consecutive 3 pointers. He ended up as the games top scorer with 42 points and was the MVP. While the Mohawks play in a different league and we only come against them in Trophy games they did display a hard spirit to keep the battle alive even when the scoreline made recovery seem impossible.  Credit also to the Mohawks coach Tony Hanson who won the contest between the two coaches as to who could harange the referees more.  But then as Steve Swanson's side was in comfortable control of the game for most of the playing time, he had no real reason to be upset unlike 3 nights previously against Brighton.

The Rocks now have two Road games in the BBL Championship before their Christmas break. On Friday 17th they have a return match against the Bears in Brighton then on Sunday 19th December they travel to Chester to take on the Jets.

They are back in Braehead on Sunday 2nd January 2005.  The road fixtures scheduled for Friday 14th January against Plymouth and Saturday 15th against Thames Valley will be moved as the Rocks are now in the BBL Cup Final on Sunday 16th January at the NIA in Birmingham.  

Thursday 9th December
ROCKS BEATEN BY BEARS AND BAD CALLS
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 84 (23,42,58) (Cole 22, Henning 15, McIntosh 13)
Brighton Bears 85 (17,40,63) (Williams 28, Alleyne 18, Knapp 12)

Brighton Bears climbed to second spot in the BBL Championship on Thursday evening with a 85-84 win over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks. Yorick Williams stole the show, bagging the crucial score with 10s remaining to put the visitors 85-84 ahead. Rocks Lamont McIntosh managed to get a final shot off for the hosts as time elapsed but it fell short. Williams led all scorers with 28 points including 23 in the second half, Donald Cole led the hosts with 22 points.

Rocks head coach Steve Swanson has a big reputation of disputing referees calls in the BBL  but match officials normally greet his sideline antics with good humour. Quite often judgement calls may not please a coach but they will win 50/50 of these. But in this match the judgements seemed to be made 90/10 in favour of the Bears and there were several glaring errors on the part of match referees Brian Mills and Steve Elliot who seemed, in the view of the Rocks fans, to be working from a different rule book the that is normally applied at BBL games. While they may get the occasional calls wrong BBL referees tend to be pretty even with the errors and very tolerant with players and coaches.  The game referees in this tie only matched their incompetence with an intolorance in the view of the home fans at this game. The game itself was tough and exciting between two top class teams who despite the officials managed to display some quality play. The Rocks will have two opportunities to prove themselves against the Bears in the weeks ahead, the first on Friday 17th December in Brighton in a regular championship game and the second in the BBL Cup Final in Birmingham on Sunday 16th January.
 

Braehead Arena Sunday 5th December 04,
ROCKS RESTRAIN RAIDERS
Scottish Rocks 95 Plymouth Raiders 74
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 95 (22,47,62) (McIntosh 24, Cole 18, Windless 16)
Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 74 (23,41,60) (Gall 21, Love 13, Durham/Beasley 12)
In an exciting tussle at Braehead on Sunday night the Rocks made constant adjustments till they finally got a firm measure of Plymouth in the fourth quarter. Plymouth led at the end of the first at 22-23, this was after the lead had changed hands on six occasions in the quarter. The Raiders brought several suprises with them including their no 5 -  Alaister Gall, who could only score 3 point baskets - but plenty of them. Scouting reports had suggested he was not a threat but when he notched up 5 successive 3 pointers Rocks Head Coach Steve Swanson had to make adjustments to contain him.  Otherwise throughout the game the Rocks displayed solid defence and the scores remained pretty even till the final quarter when the Rocks containment of Plymouth's attacks allowed them to run away with the scoreline. Once again the Rocks should their all round team consistency and strength which has been their trademark of recent games. 

Momentum is critical in the BBL League and the feeling now in the Rocks camp is things are going their way. Thursday's (9th Dec) game against the Brighton Bears will in some way be a prequel to the BBL Cup final in January when the Rocks face them again with silverware at stake.   

LAMONT McINTOSH BBL PLAYER OF THE MONTH-NOVEMBER 2004
Lamont McIntosh, the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks point guard, has been awarded BBL Player of the Month for November 2004. Perhaps the most memorable moment of his month was helping the Rocks to victory in the BBL Cup Semi-Finals.  McIntosh put on one of the outstanding displays of the season so far, his 31 points and seven massive shots from beyond the arc were instrumental in converting a 15 point deficit into a 15 point victory for the Rocks.  The Atlanta native is in the league’s top 20 for all of his shooting stats (3pts, field goals and free-throws), as well as sixth in assists and 13th leading scorer. The 22 year old graduated from Georgia State University this year after playing in the NCAA for three years.  He then featured for Southern Crescent Lightning in the USA-WBA before coming to the BBL with the Rocks at the start of this season.  Coach Steve Swanson has spoken very highly of his new star in the early months of his BBL career.  He, along with all the Rocks’ fans, will hope this form can continue into the New Year when they will be competing for the BBL Cup. His closest contenders were Mike New and Shawn Myers who each managed around 22% of the votes.  McIntosh also held off Jerry Williams and Frank Bennett as he achieved 31% of the BBL fan’s vote.
 
SUNDAY 28th November
ROCKS WIN THROUGH TO BBL CUP FINAL
The Brighton Bears and Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks secured their places in the BBL Cup Final at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham on Sunday 16 January 2005 after both winning their semi-finals at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield on Sunday evening. The Rocks secured their Final place thanks to a 90-75 victory over the TCS Chester Jets.  A 25-7 tear across the half-time break saw the Rocks take a 50-47 lead thanks in no small part to Lamont McIntosh, who netted 31 points in the game.  Rocks' Coach Steve Swanson said it is "unbelieveable to reach our second Cup Final in my first 2 years as coach of the Rocks."  On Lamont McIntosh, Coach Swanson said, "he is a rookie to the BBL, but he is a seriously big-time player, and we are building a team around him." The BBL Cup Final takes place on Sunday 16th January at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham where their opponents will be the Brighton Bears.

ROCKS LOSE OUT ON TROPHY PROGRESS
In the other knock out competition - The BBL Trophy - the Rocks were beaten by Newcastle on Wednesday 1st December and it looks like Newcastle will be through to the quarter final stage.

Thursday 25th November 2004
ROCKS TAME TIGERS!
BBL Championship
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 100 (18,51,70) (Perre 25, McIntosh/Henning 16)
Thames Valley Tigers 84 (23,34,52) (Murray 20, James 18, Moore/Wellington 13)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks proved that the team has now found a winning form with a 100-84 victory over the Thames Valley Tigers at Braehead on Thursday evening.

After the Tigers had edged a close first quarter the Rocks blew their opponents away with a blistering 33-11 second quarter which included tears of 10 and 11 without reply to put the visitors out of contention. After an initial 8-0 start to the third by the Tigers the Rocks resumed control and comfortably held on to record the win. This highly entertaining peformance delighted the crowd and showed that Steve Swanson's side has gelled into a cohesive fighting unit who play with such enthusiasm and team spirit that it will cause great concern to future opponents. They also have a very flexible game plan which enables them to carry out speedy adjustment to their opponents tactics.  

There was also some good humoured on court fun between the Rocks Tony Windless and Will Jones one of the match referees which would not have been out of place at a Harlem Globetrotters game. This all added to a great evening's entertainment. This result will surely put the Rocks on a Roll as they head to Sheffield on Sunday for their Cup semi finals against TC Chester Jets.  Swanson now has the team he wants and he reckons they can deliver.

Rocks BBL Trophy Games - Match Reports
The rocks won on the road in Teesside on Friday night 19th November but lost to Newcastle at Braehead on Sunday 21st November.  This means that to get through to the next stage of the BBL Trophy the Rocks must beat Newcastle by at least 10 points when they play them in Newcastle on Wed 1st December.
 
Sunday 21 November 
BBL Trophy
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 85 (22,40,58) (McIntosh 22, Windless 21, Feggins 12)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles  94 (20,47,67) (Bennett 32, Walker 19, Hyatt 15)
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles bounced back from Thursday's defeat at the hands of the Brighton Bears with a 94-85 road victory over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks. The Eagles got their noses in front on a TJ Walker basket midway through the second period at 30-29 and despite never quite shaking off a resilient Rocks outfit kept a hold of the lead until the final buzzer. Rocks closed the gap with a 9-0 burst either side of the half time interval but the Eagles steadied the ship with an immediate 8-2 tear to put daylight back between the sides. A late rally in the final stanza from the Eagles stretched their advantage out to the largest lead on the night at 80-67.

Friday 19th November 04
Rocks Rout Mohawks!  BBL TROPHY
Teesside Mohawks 63 (15,30,44)  Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 114 (26,54,87)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks began their BBL Trophy campaign with a comfortable 114-63 road victory over EBL Division 1 outfit the Teesside Mohawks.
After the Rocks had opened up a double digit advantage they blew their hosts away in the second quarter to take a 54-30 half time lead. The Rocks piled on the agony in the third quarter outscoring their hosts 33-14 to make the game safe at 87-44 at three quarter time.

Sun 14th November
Match Report Braehead Arena
Scottish  Rocks 89 (16,38,63) (Feggins 24, Windlass 19, McIntosh 18)
Sheffield Sharks 97 (30,56,73) (Davis 20, Reinking/Yanders 19)
The Rocks led 8-7 early on before the Sharks took control with a 21-3 burst to lead 28-11 towards the end of the opening period in a stunning burst of 3-point baskets to which the Rocks struggled to find a defence. The Sharks extended their lead to eighteen points at 56-38 off the back of a 15-6 run to close out the first half.  The Rocks began to claw their way back into the game in the second half, and got to within eight points at 85-77 midway through the final quarter, but the Sharks held off the Rocks charge to secure the victory.  Sterling Davis led the Sharks scoring with 20 points, while new boy Bryant Feggins led all scorers with 24 points for the Rocks. Phillip Perre sustained a knee injury towards the end of the game. Rocks new boy and top scorer on Sunday Bryant Feggins takes a free throw
 
Sunday 7 November
ROCKS WIN ONE AND LOSE ONE ON THE ROAD
Birmingham Bullets 81 (23,39,55)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 91 (19,38,69)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks bounced back from defeat the previous night to pick up their fourth win of the campaign thanks to a 91-81 success over the Birmingham Bullets on Sunday evening.  The Bullets led for the majority of the opening half, and were ahead by a single point at 39-38 going into the interval.  The second half saw both sides trading baskets before the Rocks took control of the game with a 12-2 run to close out the third period to lead 69-55 going into the final stanza.  The Rocks extended their lead to nineteen points at 84-65 with five minutes remaining, and despite a spirited fightback from the Bullets, held onto secure the victory.  Tony Windless led the Rocks scoring with 22 points for the visitors, while Skouson Harker led all scorers netting 23 points for the Bullets.

Saturday 6th November
Brighton Bears 95 (27,51,75)
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 79 (20,37,57)
Brighton Bears picked up their sixth victory in the BBL Championship and moved level on points with TCS Chester Jets thanks to a 95-79 victory over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks on Saturday evening. Brighton enjoyed success throughout the game, and led by fourteen points at the half at 51-37. The Bears' successes continued through the third period as they extended their lead to eighteen points at 75-57, and despite the Rocks outscoring the Bears in the final period by a score of 22-20, the Bears were able to secure the points for the victory. Steve Lepore led all scorers in the game netting an impressive 26 points for the Bears, while Tony Windlass led the Rocks scorers with 22 points.

Monday 1st November
ROCKS CUP NEWS
BBL Cup Semi Final Draw
The draw for the semi-finals was made at Basketball House this morning and is as follows:
Milton Keynes Lions v Brighton Bears (3:00pm)
TCS Chester Jets v Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks (5:00pm)
Ties to be played at Ponds Forge ISC, Sheffield on November 28th,
Scottish Rocks made the final last year and lost out to the Sharks so another shot at the title at the NIA is something Steve Swanson will be striving for.  They face a team that has won the BBL Trophy four years on the trot and enjoys regular success in these peripheral competitions, the Jets won the National Cup in 2002.  Milton Keynes Lions and Brighton Bears have met once already this season at the Brighton Centre, the Bears won that game 87-71 but Lions have been consistently improving since the start of the season and will be buoyant after defeating current holders Sheffield.

Sunday 31st October
Rocks Win through to BBL Cup Semi Final
Rocks 94 - Tigers 82
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 94 (26,46,72) (McIntosh 27, Joseph 21, Windless 16)
Thames Valley Tigers 82 (26,41,63) (James 20, Moore 20, Murray 17)

The Rocks booked their place in the BBL Cup semi final by beating the Tigers at the Braehead Arena. It was a tight first half but the Rocks displayed a strength and confidence that has been absent from their recent championship games. At the end of the first quarter the scores were tied at 26 but by halftime the Rocks leading 46-41. Confident play from the Rocks enabled them to edge away in the final two quarters. They were leading 72-63 at the end of the third but the Tigers managed to keep the game close at 6 points for most of the final quarter before the Rocks sealed the game with the last 6 points extending the lead to finish with a 12 point advantage. Lamont McIntosh led all scorers with 27 of Scottish Rock's points, he also got 10 assists and there was also a notable performance from debutante Tony Windless with 16 points.
After the win, head coach Steve Swanson talked to John MacCalman about his teams Halloween special. Click here to listen to the interview  You need Windows Media to listen

Tony Windless Joins the Rocks
Tony Windless, born in Tennessee and naturalised British joins the club after a season with French club BC Besancon.  The 6’5” forward will be a welcome addition to the Rocks team as they aim to make their second consecutive Cup Final.

Coach Swanson of the Rocks will welcome Tony’s presence, “It's great to have Tony with the Rocks!  He is a tremendous player that I have been following for a number of years now.  Tony is a proven player in this league and his track record in the BBL speaks for itself.  Ever since I first started coaching professional basketball I have wanted to have him play on one of my teams.  Tony brings with him a load of experience and is ready to go for Sunday's big game."

Ian Reid, Director is in agreement with Head Coach “It has been a long held ambition to see Tony Windless in a Rocks uniform.  He is a natural born winner and will bring much needed experience to the team.”

Sunday 24th October
Back Down to Earth with a Bump
Rocks 80 Eagles 92
Match Report Sunday 24th October
Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles pushed the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks into sixth place in the BBL Championship after a 92-80 victory over their northern rivals on Sunday evening.  They restricted the Rocks to just thirteen points in the opening period, and then went on to extend their lead to a point where the Rocks were 25 points. The Braehead side pulled back some points by the half but were still fifteen points behind at 35-50 at the half. In the final period the Rocks began to claw their way back into the game, but despite outscoring the visitors 27-19 and coming within 5 points of their lead they could not find a way to reverse the deficit. After the game head coach Steve Swanson said "it was really a shame they didn't start the game out the way they ended. Newcastle had the advantage of sitting there all week while -  I was hoping we'd be on a rhythm even though we had a tough road trip last night"

Saturday 23rd October 04
Rocks Rock on the Road
Leicester Riders 72-88 Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks
Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks moved themselves into fifth place in the BBL Championship after a 88-72 victory over the Leicester Riders on Saturday evening.  Leicester started the stronger and opened up an early 16-13 lead after the first quarter.  The Rocks came back in the second period with 9-2 and 9-0 runs to take a 40-26, and ultimately lead 42-33 at the half.  The second half started in much the same vein as the first with Leicester opening their account early bagging the opening four points.  The Rocks when 2 three-pointers from Nicky Bradford sparked a 15-4 Rocks burst that left them leading 57-41, and the Riders could find no response.  Steve McGlothin marked his return to the Leicester roster with a team-high 21 points, while Phillip Perre led all scorers with 22 points for the visitors.

Sunday 17th October
The Rocks Win With Style!
Braehead Arena
Rocks 99 (25,49,70) (McIntosh 25, Perre 23, Joseph 18)
Birmingham 84  84 (16,48,60) (Murray 22, Marshall 16, Erskin 12)
Match Report exclusive to Radio Clyde
The Rocks notched up a confident first home win of the season against the Birmingham Bullets, wiping out any insecurities that may have been in the minds of players and fans after some tough early results this season. They now climb to 6th in the BBL table.  Although the first half was a close game, the Rocks fortunes were marked by their 3-point scoring attempts striking home where in earlier games the basket seemed to have a seal to prevent such tries. It could be that some positive training has enhanced their shooting abilities.  The Rocks played in their "away" blue strips as the Bullets had been using their own away strips the previous night. It seemed to be inspirational for them. Perhaps they should do this more often!  The Rocks had a one point advantage at the halftime break and Birmingham were still very much in the game but it was in the second half that the Rocks started to build up a strong lead over the Bullets from which they found it hard to recover. The Rocks performed with a team spirit that gave the Braehead crowd some very entertaining fast paced basketball, though the spectators can be confused by a scoreboard operator who sometimes give you the impression that he is at a different game. Credit to the team and Coach Steve Swanson for delivering the goods. Also credit to the Rockettes for a great new dance routine they displayed at the end of the 3rd quarter with a lot of energy, synchronised movement and style that makes them into a world class cheerleading team.

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