Kent Crusaders deny the Storm in defensive duel

In front of a packed crowd, Hemel’s Trilogy-it sponsored side started well with a three-pointer by Walid Mumuni and held their opponents to just one point in the first four and a half minutes.

But Storm struggled to put points on the board themselves and at the end of the first quarter had an 11-7 edge in a low-scoring encounter.

Mumuni again opened the scoring after the break, with a two-pointer, and excellent defence from the home team prevented Kent adding to their score for almost five minutes.

A lay-up by Adam Rickwood with three minutes left in the half stretched Hemel’s lead to 10 points, but two consecutive three-pointers by the visitors meant that at half-time Storm’s lead was cut to 25-23.

Tom Adorian started the third quarter with a huge dunk and it was the big man scoring 12 of Storm’s first 14 points of the second half that took the pressure off the home side’s stuttering offence.

However, Adorian picked up his fourth foul which would limit his time on court for the remainder of the game.

Two three-pointers by Bode Adeluola pushed Hemel’s noses back in front at 47-44 after three quarters.

Despite a tense start to the final quarter, the game seemed to be swinging Storm’s way when an Adeluola three-pointer pushed the lead out to seven, but Kent kept fighting back and took the lead with four minutes left.

The atmosphere was electric as Hemel tried everything to get the lead back but the visitors held on to win 72-66.

Disappointed Hemel head coach Steve Darlow had just three words after the game: “Not good enough.”