BCB PLAYOFF QF: HOME COMFORTS PREVAIL AS TOP FOUR ADVANCE

The final four have been set for the BCB playoffs after a thrilling quarter-final weekend in which all games went down to the wire.

The semi-finals will take place next weekend (April 25/26).

Reading progress in feisty battle against Derby 

Aldermore Reading Rockets showed their championship mettle to overcome the Derby Trailblazers 77-65 in a fiercely contested quarter-final tie at Loddon Valley.

The champions, though, were pushed to the limit by the Trailblazers, who had led by as many as seven points and, with 4:20 to play in the third, led 49-43 through a Malcolm Smith lay-up.

But the Rockets are the league champions for a reason, and they found a way back into the game, and they went on a game-changing 14-0 run that spanned the end of the third to the start of the fourth to take a 62-51 lead that would ultimately settle the tie. Before that run, the biggest lead for either side had been a mere seven points.

Victor Olarerin led the Rockets with 25 points, supported by Jax Bouknight and Yusef Salih, who both had 12. Mo Walker paced the Trailblazers with 16 points and 12 rebounds in a stellar showing that sadly wasn’t enough.

Breakers seal semi-final place after OT win over Hoods 

Milton Keynes needed a mix of youth with a dash of composure to beat the Nottingham Hoods 102-95 after a period of overtime at Bletchley.

With the Breakers seemingly down and out with under 40 seconds left, Kai Williams gave the hosts hope with a lay-up, which was followed by teenager Kalvin Oates drilling a three-pointer with 20 seconds left to force overtime at 86-86.

Then Milton Keynes iced the game with under a minute left in the extra session, with Williams connecting again, followed by five straight points – all from the foul line – from Mike New Jr.

New Jr. would finish with 24 points, with Jordan Spencer matching his tally for the winners. Donnel Nixon had a game-high 27 for Nottingham.

Thames and the Knights put out the Dragons fire

JaRon Thames starred for the Newcastle Knights as they beat the Yorkshire Dragons 102-95 on Tyneside.

Thames hit the ground running, but most importantly, so did Newcastle, as they led early and kept their foot on the pedal, suffocating the Dragons into submission with Thames going for 36 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Nicolas Lewis led Yorkshire with 25 points, six assists and four steals as their season ended, but there’s lots to be proud of, with a post-season finish and a BCB Trophy final under their belt.

Birmingham digs deep to see off the London Cavaliers

City of Birmingham Rockets were made to work hard, but advanced to the last four with a 74-62 triumph over the London Cavaliers in the Midlands.

Ronald Blain would lead the Rockets with 20 points, but they could not properly shake off the Cavs, despite a 24-11 second quarter, which would crucially prove to be the game-changer.

Despite the second-quarter ambush by Birmingham, London wouldn’t go away as a Juan Manning bucket narrowed what was an 18-point lead to 70-60 with just over three minutes left. But the hosts held their nerve to see out the game to secure the win.

Manning led all scorers with 29 points.

Semi-Finals

Newcastle Knights vs City of Birmingham Rockets – 25/04/26 – 15:00 tip
Aldermore Reading Rockets vs Milton Keynes Breakers – 26/04/26 – 16:00 tip