Derby Trailblazers 104 (29, 51, 78) } BCB League
Hemel Storm 73 (16, 39, 49) }

A thirty-five-point haul from Conner Washington helped an understrength Derby Trailblazers side
produce their biggest ever win over Hemel Storm, who were similarly blighted by injury problems.

Washington converted nine out of fourteen three-pointers in a sensational display of outside
shooting, whilst also adding three rebounds, six assists and one steal.

While Derby were without Harlond Beverly Jnr and Evan Oliver for the second game in succession,
Hemel were missing Matt Norman, Kai Walker and Taylor Johnson. A hip injury meant Johnson
took no part in the game despite being kitted for possible inclusion, while teammates Norman and
Walker were both in street clothes.

Washington’s stand-out contribution was backed up by 20 points, four rebounds, five assists, four
steals and one block from Jai Pathmarajah, 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and
one block from Raheem May-Thompson and 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and one block
from Mo Walker, who enjoyed a stellar battle against former teammate Darian Nelson-Henry.

Hemel were led by 19 points and nine rebounds from New Zealander Brayden Inger, 18 points, six
rebounds and 12 assists from Sam Newman, 17 points from Veron Eze and 14 points and ten
rebounds from Nelson-Henry.

As a team, Derby out-shot Hemel from both inside and outside the arc, as well as winning the
rebounding battle, dishing off ten more assists and forcing Hemel into 16 turnovers which led to 20
simple points for the Blazers. It was a night which will live long in the memory for Derby supporters,
who have seen their team on the wrong end of too many results against the Storm in recent years.

The Blazers were quick out of the blocks, with Washington opening the scoring with a pull-up jump- shot which was countered by a response from Nelson-Henry. Back-to-back triples from
Washington plus another three-pointer from Walker quickly put Derby into what no-one would have
expected to become an unassailable lead at that early stage.

An offensive put-back from Nelson-Henry took the score to 11-4, but six straight points from
Pathmarajah which included a coast-to-coast drive had Hemel needing an early time-out at 17-4,
with 5’50” on the clock.

Nelson-Henry provided the response they were looking for with back-to-back baskets, but Derby
rounded off the first quarter with a 12-8 run which included two more triples from Washington, as
he continued to shoot the lights out from long range.

The second quarter was much more evenly contested, with Hemel edging the period 23-22, largely
thanks to their captain Sam Newman, who hit a trio of three-pointers to prompt a Derby time-out.
The Blazers were still 38-30 ahead with 5’35” on the clock, but nerves needed settling and defence
needed adjustment to prevent Newman from continuing in the same vein.

The Blazers took a 51-39 lead into the locker room and quickly stated their intent at the start of the
third quarter with a triple from Walker courtesy of a steal by Charlie Brown and an assist from
Pathmarajah. That was the first of an incredible seven steals in that quarter alone, which helped
Derby to go on a 21-6 run as they opened up a 75-45 lead with 2’33” left in the third.

Hemel’s ball handling was reckless and the Trailblazers benefited with Washington adding two
more triples and Brown also connecting from long range after a Pathmarajah block. Derby took the
quarter 27-10 effectively securing the outcome of the game and allowing Coach Henderson to give
extended minutes to Elliot Lawrence and sixteen-year-old Academy star Casey Burr.

Derby opened the fourth with a split a pair of free-throws and a driving lay-up from Rob Marsden,
before Hemel briefly rallied with eighth straight points which included a dunk from Eze. Their run
was halted by Burr, whose basket was followed with a pair of free-throws from Pathmarajah.

In the closing moments, the Blazers brought two more Academy players into the game, and Elias
Norman wasted no time in getting into the action, converting a shot clock beating triple from the
corner to give Derby their biggest lead of the night, at 102-67 with 2’05” remaining.

Inger replied with a three-pointer for Hemel, before a shot from Burr was blocked by Newman. Burr
reacted fastest, gathering the rebound and quickly providing the assist to provide Jack Lemon with
the opportunity to net his first BCB points with a mid-range jump-shot.

A late consolation three-pointer from Eze saw the game end in a 31-point win for the Trailblazers,
much to the delight of the home supporters at the Clarence Wiggins Sports Centre.

Derby: Washington 35, Pathmarajah 20, May-Thompson 14, Walker 12, Marsden 9, Burr 6, Brown 3, Norman 3, Lemon 2, Lawrence 0.

Hemel: Inger 19, Newman 18, Eze 17, Nelson-Henry 14, Parkinson 4, Burnell 1, Johnson DNP, Norman DNP, Walker DNP.

Derby are without a game next weekend, but return to the Clarence Wiggins Sports Centre on
Saturday 6 th December, for a 7:30 tip off against Yorkshire Dragons.