​Storm ease to away victory at Barking Abbey

Storm, led by assistant coach Michael Darlow, immediately started the better of the two teams in the first quarter, mustering a 3-10 scoring run and forcing Barking’s Coach Vear into an early timeout.

The teamwork was clearly evident, as Storm continued to mount heavy amounts of pressure to ensure that the game was out of sight as early as possible. Storm were comfortably ahead, winning 15-28 at the end of the first period.

The second quarter saw Storm once again in the ascendancy, dominating with the physicality of Hakeem Sylla, combined with the highly athletic duo of Matt Disu and former Barking player Veron Eze.

January signings Taylor Johnson and Darien Nelson-Henry also chipped away at the scoreboard, using their previous BBL experience and intelligence to secure possessions for the away side and score when in possession, aiding a 28-48 half-time lead.

The third quarter saw both sides trade baskets before Storm got the pressure back on and a three pointer from Kavell Hawes put them in the lead by 23 at 46-69.

The fourth quarter saw a highly competitive period of play, with Barking using their endurance and energy to continue to compete with Storm until the final buzzer.

Whilst there was a hint of relaxation, Storm did remain focused on cancelling out the 25 points that the home side scored with 24 of their own.

Despite not winning the final quarter, it was a comfortable victory as Storm ended the game, winning 71-93.

It was a good performance for Storm, who looked confident throughout, and deservedly came away with the victory.

They dominated the vast majority of statistics, most notably claiming 12 more rebounds than their opposition.

Top Scorers: Hakeem Sylla: 24 pts, Taylor Johnson: 17 pts, Veron Eze: 16 pts

Storm will not be in action next weekend, but return to the StormDome on Saturday 24th February against a tough Bradford Dragons team.