Reading Rockets

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Reading Rockets
League	BCB
Established	1997; 28 years ago (1997)
History	Reading Rockets (1997–present)
Arena	Loddon Valley Leisure Centre
Capacity	500
Location	Reading, Berkshire
Team colours
Head coach	Samit Nuruzade
Ownership	Gary Johnson, Helen Johnson
Website	Official website

The Reading Rockets are an English semi-professional basketball club based in the town of Reading, England. Founded in 1997, the Rockets compete in British Championship Basketball , the second tier of the British basketball system.

The Rockets were formed in 1997^[1] by current owner Gary Johnson together with his son Matt, starting in Division 3. The club won promotion at the first attempt, and in the National Basketball League reorganisation of 2000, England Basketball replaced Division 1 with the eight-team NBL Conference as the second-tier. Subsequently, Division 2 became Division 1 where the Rockets found themselves.

The Rockets remained in Division 1 for just one season, finishing second and beating Oxford in the Championship Final, thus winning promotion to the NBL Conference. In the 2001–02 season they finished seventh in the NBL Conference. In the following season, the Rockets continued their rise, finishing in third place. In 2003, the National Basketball League was rebranded as the English Basketball League, and once again was restructured with a new format, with Rockets finishing in second place in the new EBL Division 1. In the following season the Rockets finished third and were runners-up to Worthing Thunder in both the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons.

The club completed its most successful season ever in 2008–09, going undefeated to win all four national championships. The club applied to join the British Basketball League (Top division of the British Basketball System) as a member franchise for the 2012–13 season but was unsuccessful.^[2] In the 2013–14 season the Rockets completed the treble and were Play Off Championship finalists. Rockets' Ladies won the Division 2 Southern league in 2014. As a stepping stone into the Senior Men's team, the Rockets' run academies at the John Madejski Academy and the Henley College.

The club has squads ranging from developing Under-12s to the Division 1 senior men's side, and coaching staff regularly visit local schools and run satellite clubs as part of the Community Rockets scheme.^[3]

In 2022, the Rockets applied to join the British Basketball League starting from the 2023–24 season.^[4]

In the 2024–25 season, the Rockets won the National Cup in January, the KitKing Trophy in March, and the NBL1 D1 playoff championship in April.^[5]

• Men's National League Division 1 League Champions (3): 2008/2009, 2012/13, 2013/14
• Men's National Cup Winners (4): 2004/05, 2008/09, 2013/14, 2024/25
• Men's National League Division 1 Play Off Champions (4): 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2012/13
• Men's National Trophy Winners (5): 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2013/14

Reading Rockets 25-26 roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. G Bouknight, Jax 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) G Champion, Lewis 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) G Olarerin, Victor 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G Bryant, Malik 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G Poorman, Elias 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) F Allman, Matthew 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) F Chamberlain, Simon 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) F Creek, Cooper 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) F Nsangu, Ty 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)	Head coach Samit Nurazade Assistant coach(es) Ben Fisher Jack Adams Legend (C) Team captain Injured

• E.J. Harrison
• Adam Kelly
• Ted Smith
• Tyrell Smith
• David Watts
• Niko Scott
• Ryan Lohfink^[6]
• Luke Nelson
• Matt Johnson
• Harrison Gamble
• Andy Powlesland
• Jermaine Williams
• Pem Bristol
• Danny Carter
• Damon Cooper

Former head coaches

Coach	From	To	Total Games	RS Won	RS Lost	PO Won	PO Lost	Total Win %
Richard Devereux	1997/98	1997/98	26	12	14			0.462
Dave Aldred	1998/99	1998/99	26	17	9			0.654
Dave Titmuss	1999/00	2000/01	42	31	11			0.738
Matt Johnson	2002/03	2002/03	22	16	6			0.727
Mark Dunning	2004/05	2004/05	22	16	6			0.727
Dave Titmuss	2005/06	2008/09	95	75	9	9	2	0.884
Sasa Punosevac	2009/10	2009/10	6	3	3	–	–	0.500
Matt Johnson	2009/10	2009/10	17	9	7	0	1	0.529
Samit Nuruzade	2010/11	2012/13	75	48	20	6	1	0.720
Manuel Pena Garces	2013/14	2017/18	134	91	33	5	5	0.716
Alan Keane	2018/19	2020/21	68	35	33	-	-	0.514
Dan Pearson	2021/22	2021/22	27	15	11	-	1	0.555
Samit Nuruzade	2022/23	Present	33	21	10	1	1	0.66

• Women's National League Division 2 Champions (1): 2013/14
• Women's National League Division 2 South West Champions (1): 2015/16 1
• Women's National League Division 1 finalist (1): 2019/2020/
• Women's National cup finalist (2): 2019/2020- 2022/2023

Reading Rockets 24-25 roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. G 4 Thompson, Amba 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) G 5 Adelekan, Adeyosola Ayomide Taiwo 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) G 6 Thompson, Mia 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) G 7 Karpova, Kristina (C) 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) F 8 Jarju, Saffie 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) G 9 Guerra Rainford, Alicia 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) F 10 Day, Millie 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) F 11 Malone, Alannah 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) G 12 Brydson, Sancia 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) F 13 Harrysson, Wilma 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) F 14 Blackburn, Jade 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) G 15 Adegoke, Tracy 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) G 16 Dhillon, Tania 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)	Head coach Joan Portero Luque Assistant coach(es) Philip Hayfield Legend (C) Team captain Injured

• Cat Lutz-Sadler
• Steph Johnson
• Maike Delow
• Carmen Segura Moreno
• Sitota Gines Espinosa
• Jessica (Jessie) Ford
• Noa Sanchez Marques
• Anabel Latorre
• Saioa San Francisco

Former head coaches

Coach	From	To	Total Games	RS Won	RS Lost	PO Won	PO Lost	Total Win %
Josh Thorne	2010/11	2015/16	86	65	15		-	0.755
Patrick Fasbender	2016/17	2016/2017	20	6	14	-	-	0.3
David Sanchez de la Torre	2017/18	2019/2020	40	22	18	-	-	0.55
Joan Luque Portero	2019/20	Present	84	41	43	-	-	0.476

• DNQ denotes Did not qualify.

Reading Rockets 24-25 roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. G 4 Maitland, Amari 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) G 5 Harrington, Ethan 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) F 6 Carter, Tristan (C) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) G 8 Coxon, Adam 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) G 9 Round, Ethan 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) C 11 Tustin, Freddie 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) F 14 Mackinnon, Joe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) C 15 Clarke, George 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) F 16 Obediah, David 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	Head coach Danny Carter Assistant coach(es) Liam Hardiman Legend (C) Team captain Injured

• Basketball in England

• Official website
• Basketball news at Reading Post