Derby Trailblazers host this season’s early pacemakers Reading Rockets at Moorways on Saturday in what will certainly be their most difficult encounter of the season so far.

 

Unbeaten in 12 starts across three competitions, the Rockets have been winning games by an average of 25 points, scoring 88.5 points per game in the process, whilst giving up a meager 63 ppg.

 

"They’re a daunting proposition," admits Derby’s assistant coach Charlie Wright. "We would have our work cut out even if we were at full strength, but a variety of circumstances mean we will once again have several key players missing the game.

 

"We will have to ask some guys to step up from our Division Three and under-18 teams to fill the gaps. It will be difficult, but all we can do is put out as strong a team as we possibly can and hope for some lucky breaks," he said.

 

Along with Manchester, Reading are one of two sides that Derby have never beaten since joining the top flight. The closest they have come so far was a 78-59 away defeat in March of this year, in which Rob Stockwell (21) and Simon Spencer (12) were the only Derby players to manage double figures.

 

Rockets have not been without their own problems of late, with both Simon Kearney and Rich Wellings missing the last couple of games through chest and hand injuries respectively.

 

But the biggest problem for Derby this weekend will probably come from attempting to contain David Watts. The Blazers are well aware of the threat he can pose, having come up against him on many occasions in the past, when he used to ply his trade for Mansfield against Derby back in division two.

 

The 6’10” forward is deadly from both inside and outside the arc and is his average of 22.7 points per game has him ranked second in the country.   

 

Simon Spencer was Derby’s top scorer with 17 points when the two sides last met, which was in the semi-final of the EBL Division One Final Fours, at the English Institute of Sport last April.