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Rocky celebrates as Rockets, Comets, Cougars win
May 26, 2008
Rockets guard Ben Thompson sums up the great night of sport during their 116-66 win.
A RHYS Martin-inspired Rockhampton Stadium Nightclub Rockets men's basketball team completed a hat-trick of sporting wins for the city on "Super Saturday".
The Rockets destroyed the Mackay Meteors 116-66 in front of a sellout Hegvold Stadium crowd on Saturday night while the Central Comets and Minniecon & Burke Capricorn Cougars also tasted success on home soil.
A late try to centre Karl Johnson sealed the Comets a memorable 28-26 win over Queensland Wizard Cup powerhouse Redcliffe before a bumper Browne Park crowd.
At Jardine Park, the Cougars came back from 1-0 down to record their first home win of the inaugural QSL season with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Olympic, much to the delight of their large band of supporters.
And it was almost four wins on "Super Saturday" after the Rockhampton Hog's Breath Cafe Cyclones women's basketball team suffered a heart-breaking 62-59 loss to Mackay in the dying seconds of their QABL showdown at Hegvold Stadium (see all reports inside).
It was the Rhys Martin-show in a fiery men's encounter, with the Rockets point guard's "hot hands" the highlight of the 50-point demolition Rockhampton's sixth straight win.
Martin finished with a game-high 39 points, which included an amazing seven of 11 three-pointers, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in what he and coach Neal Tweedy described as his best game in Rockets colours.
"It was one of those nights where the rim was as big as a field goal it was just going in," a speechless Martin said after the game.
While Martin was the hero in the round six grudge match, Grant Kruger played his usual role as the villain, with the vocal home crowd continuing their running battle with the former Townsville now Mackay big man.
It took Kruger just one minute to receive his first personal foul on local star Stephen Weigh before the fireworks began seconds later when he clashed with Rockets import Ryan McDade.
The Rockets led 25-17 at the first break and raced further ahead early in the second quarter courtesy of three consecutive long-range bombs from Martin.
When captain Darren Richardson nailed a three-pointer of his own to get the crowd on its feet with one minute to go in the first half, the Rockets had opened up a match-winning 55-31 lead.
It was shooting practice for the Rockets in the second half, with the home side leading by as much as 62 points in the final term.
After scoring nine straight points at the end of the third quarter, Martin had the home crowd applauding his big night out when he started the fourth quarter where he left off the last.
The 22-year-old netted two points from just inside the perimeter, threw down another bucket and grabbed a steal and lay-up on the very next play before earning a well-deserved rest on the bench.
However, the biggest cheer went to Rockets import Saulius Dumbliauskas in the closing minutes when he was fouled for decking Kruger to the floor.
With the Rockets shooting at an impressive 52% for the night, Tweedy said it was by far his team's best offensive performance of the season but again paid tribute to their brickwall defence.
"We have been waiting to knock some decent percentages down, especially from the perimeter," Tweedy said.
"But it was our defence again, teams are just struggling to score against us."
Tweedy said Martin was simply superb.
"He had it on a string. He's shooting was incredible."
The Rockets are now aiming for back-to-back wins on the road in this weekend's northern double-header against Cairns and Townsville a feat the team has never achieved in 22 years.
May 26, 2008

Rockets guard Ben Thompson sums up the great night of sport during their 116-66 win.
A RHYS Martin-inspired Rockhampton Stadium Nightclub Rockets men's basketball team completed a hat-trick of sporting wins for the city on "Super Saturday".
The Rockets destroyed the Mackay Meteors 116-66 in front of a sellout Hegvold Stadium crowd on Saturday night while the Central Comets and Minniecon & Burke Capricorn Cougars also tasted success on home soil.
A late try to centre Karl Johnson sealed the Comets a memorable 28-26 win over Queensland Wizard Cup powerhouse Redcliffe before a bumper Browne Park crowd.
At Jardine Park, the Cougars came back from 1-0 down to record their first home win of the inaugural QSL season with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Olympic, much to the delight of their large band of supporters.
And it was almost four wins on "Super Saturday" after the Rockhampton Hog's Breath Cafe Cyclones women's basketball team suffered a heart-breaking 62-59 loss to Mackay in the dying seconds of their QABL showdown at Hegvold Stadium (see all reports inside).
It was the Rhys Martin-show in a fiery men's encounter, with the Rockets point guard's "hot hands" the highlight of the 50-point demolition Rockhampton's sixth straight win.
Martin finished with a game-high 39 points, which included an amazing seven of 11 three-pointers, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in what he and coach Neal Tweedy described as his best game in Rockets colours.
"It was one of those nights where the rim was as big as a field goal it was just going in," a speechless Martin said after the game.
While Martin was the hero in the round six grudge match, Grant Kruger played his usual role as the villain, with the vocal home crowd continuing their running battle with the former Townsville now Mackay big man.
It took Kruger just one minute to receive his first personal foul on local star Stephen Weigh before the fireworks began seconds later when he clashed with Rockets import Ryan McDade.
The Rockets led 25-17 at the first break and raced further ahead early in the second quarter courtesy of three consecutive long-range bombs from Martin.
When captain Darren Richardson nailed a three-pointer of his own to get the crowd on its feet with one minute to go in the first half, the Rockets had opened up a match-winning 55-31 lead.
It was shooting practice for the Rockets in the second half, with the home side leading by as much as 62 points in the final term.
After scoring nine straight points at the end of the third quarter, Martin had the home crowd applauding his big night out when he started the fourth quarter where he left off the last.
The 22-year-old netted two points from just inside the perimeter, threw down another bucket and grabbed a steal and lay-up on the very next play before earning a well-deserved rest on the bench.
However, the biggest cheer went to Rockets import Saulius Dumbliauskas in the closing minutes when he was fouled for decking Kruger to the floor.
With the Rockets shooting at an impressive 52% for the night, Tweedy said it was by far his team's best offensive performance of the season but again paid tribute to their brickwall defence.
"We have been waiting to knock some decent percentages down, especially from the perimeter," Tweedy said.
"But it was our defence again, teams are just struggling to score against us."
Tweedy said Martin was simply superb.
"He had it on a string. He's shooting was incredible."
The Rockets are now aiming for back-to-back wins on the road in this weekend's northern double-header against Cairns and Townsville a feat the team has never achieved in 22 years.