Glasgow Rocks thwarted by 'Hollywood shot', claims boss Davis

Oct 8 2009 By Matthew Leslie

"IT WAS like a scene from Hollywood" is Glasgow Rocks boss Sterling Davis' verdict on the killer basket which left them floored.

With eight seconds of their BBL fixture at Worthing Thunder left, the Rocks were leading by a point with only one thing needed to seal victory - snuff out the opposition's final attack.

Which they looked liked doing as they kept them away from the D only for Thunder ace Reggie Bratton to launch a 'Hail Mary' shot which flirted with the basket rim before dropping in.

It was cruel luck on the Rocks who had led for the majority of the game but credit to Bratton for chancing his arm which gave him a personal haul of 47 points.

It was gut-wrenching for Davis' men but the coach insists they will have to consign Worthing to history and look ahead to Saturday's clash at Worcester.

He said: "That was a sore one to take because we were close to coming away with a victory.

"Bratton's shot could have easily appeared in any basketball film you care to mention.

"He threw the shot and it was literally a slow-motion moment as the ball circled the rim before - unfortunately for us - dropping in the net.

"Yes we had led for most of the game but but regardless of who we are playing, I never feel confident that we've done enough to win until the final buzzer.

"We had racked up a good lead by the end of the third quarter but I've been playing basketball for too long to know that anything can happen - and it did."

Davis has confirmed that he will be taking Australian international centre Neil Mottram on trial at the Kelvin Hall.

He added: "It's been difficult to find someone to fill that spot but Neil's an interesting possibility with the experience he has."

A day before the Worthing heart-break, the mood in the Rocks camp was buoyant after a stunning 96-78 win at Milton Keynes Lions which skipper Mixed results.

Glasgow Rocks skipper Rob Yanders, pictured, bagged hauls of 21 and 25 points against Milton Keynes Lions and Worthing Thunder respectively but the Kelvin Hall side only tasted victory at the former

Rob Yanders insists was down to Davis' half-time talk.

He said: "Milton Keynes are very tough to play at their place and so it proved in the first half.

"But during the interval, Sterling reminded all of some key assignments - namely to rebound better, box-out more and keep our concentration.

"We upped our game and ended up winning comfortably.

"It didn't work out a day later against Worthing but given the night Reggie Bratton was having, he could have fired that shot from his own basket and it still would have gone in.

"But you have to remember, some of the new guys had their first taste of a double-header on the road and all things considering, they played well.

"The established guys also have to get used to them and viceversa and in a way, having so many road trips before our next home game will help us to bond.

"It will also help us in picking the best motorway service stations too as we've come across of varying degrees of quality!"