READING Rockets will be looking to bounce back from their opening day defeat at the hands of Worthing Thunder when they welcome newly-promoted Team Solent Kestrels to Bohunt School in Arborfield on Sunday evening (5pm tip-off).

Despite the 78-71 defeat on the south coast, Rockets head coach Manuel Peña Garcés believes he is starting to get the feel of his team and knows that, with a lot of work, the signs are positive heading into his fourth season at the helm.

The Spanish play-caller said: “The defeat to Worthing was a difficult one to take because we had been ahead in the game for a long time but in the end game missed some key assignments resulting in a narrow loss but highlighting the key areas we will need to be working on as we start the season.

“It was good to see where the players are at individually and what we will need to give them as well as how the team is as a collective, and we feel this is the key area moving forward.”

He continued: “This weekend’s game against Solent will be a real challenge for us.

“We know that Solent teams are always difficult to play against through the academy games and Matt Guymon has done a really good job with this.”

Peña Garcés (pictured right) added: “They have built on their core foundations over the years and approach Division One with two new Americans and two good quality English players, one of whom was with us in his academy years, Matt Davis.

“Having not had a game last weekend has been good for us; it has meant we have been able to practise more often with better intensity but also have some rest after a hard pre-season.

“I am hoping that Sunday’s game will be much better and we will be able to record our first win.”

Rockets have a fully fit squad with up to five players expected to make their home debut.

They are American duo Craig Ponder and Chris Hooper, Spanish summer signings Dani Arcau and Juan Valerio, and Bulgarian Under-20 international guard Paulin Jardim.