READING Rockets fell at the final hurdle in their bid for National Trophy glory, suffering a 92-61 thrashing against Manchester Magic in Sunday’s final.

The Rivermead-based side were dealt a pre-match blow as American point guard Antonio Robinson was ruled out in the warm-up, and Manchester twisted the kife as they began with a 9-0 run as Rockets could not finish their own good moves.

However, Rockets hit back with a 13-4 run including a David Ajumobi treble and a D’Montre Edwards tip-in. Magic stroked their second treble before Fraser Glass went coast-to-coast, but a final quarter finish by Manchester saw them with a 22-15 lead.

They then started with a 6-0 run before Ajumobi hit his second treble, and he and Edwards were secure from the penalty line as Rockets scored seven unanswered points to cut the gap to 28-22. 

Jack Minster hit a brace of trebles for the northerners but Edwards hit both free throws, spun to score and gleefully accepted a Danny Carter assist before the captain himself hit his first personal points from the penalty stripe. 

A rebound and score from Ajumobi lifted Rockets who added further points through Carter and Edwards and Wayne Yeboah, but another three-point play by Magic gave them an interval lead of 49-40.

The early exchanges of the third quarter saw both sides stopping each other score for almost four minutes as Rockets 6ft 6in Spanish 16-year-old Fidel Gomez de Enterria Lopez continued his development on court.

However, with Carter picking up his third personal foul and needing to be rested Magic went on a decisive 13-0 run to lead 62-40. 

An Ajumobi slam dunk followed by a Yeboah offensive rebound and finish saw Rockets still fighting but their lack of strength in depth coupled to the missing Robinson and a buzzer treble from Magic saw Rockets trail 69-48 as the final period of the final beckoned.

Another Rocket junior, Ali Sbai hustled for possession and then finished an offensive rebound with his opening points of the final but Carter was called for his fifth and excluding foul and the victory became even more distant. 

Nonetheless, the depleted squad fought gallantly against the league leaders and National Cup holders and Joel Keeble struck his only points as a consolation at the death for Rockets.

Top scorers for Rockets were Ajumobi with 18 points and seven rebounds, Edwards with 17 points and five rebounds, and Yeboah with 12 points and seven rebounds.