READING Rockets (18-3) will aim to maintain their astonishing 17-match NBL Division One winning streak when they play their penultimate double-header of the season this weekend.

Manuel Pena Garces’ men entertain relegation-threatened Worthing Thunder (6-16) on Saturday evening at Bohunt School (6pm), before travelling to play-off chasing London Lituanica (9-11) the following day (1.30pm).

Rockets made it 17 wins on the spin to keep their title ambitions alive with a 95-75 win at Lancashire Spinners, and with five games remaining in the regular season, Saturday’s match with Worthing Thunder will be the third meeting between the two teams this term.

Thunder picked up an opening day 78-71 home win in the National Trophy before Rockets secured an 84-70 away league win back in December, while the Reading team defeated Sunday’s opponents just two weeks ago in their only meeting of the season running out convincing 105-69 winners.

Head coach Peña Garcés was pleased to see his team notch up another win and was especially satisfied with the 36-13 second quarter blitz against Lancashire, but knows work at the defensive end needs to be done.

He appreciates this week is a huge one for him and his team and said: “I am very happy after Saturday’s win because we had an improved performance and played an absolutely great quarter of basketball during the game.

“This is good for our momentum, but we cannot be satisfied or at all complacent. We gave up 75 points and for me that is too much, so we will need to address this and continue to work on the really good defence we played, especially in the second quarter of the game.”

He continued: “Both teams we play this weekend are still really fighting for different things in the league; Worthing to stay in the division and London Lituanica to get into the top eight and the play-offs and that’s what makes them both dangerous opponents in their own right.

“Worthing have just beaten Derby and held them to 60 points so they are in a good moment and will be desperate to beat us as always.

“Lituanica are a very tough opponent at home – we have seen this with their victory over Northumbria in January, so we know that, while we are on our run we and the team to beat, we have to put care and attention in to both games, one at a time, before thinking about next weekend.”

And Pena Garces (pictured) has called on Rockets fans to keep the faith as the season comes towards its conclusion.

He said: “I urge Rockets fans to keep their fantastic support with us as we keep working so, so hard to achieve something really special this season.

"We must keep improving, thinking the right way, and believing.”

Rockets go into their penultimate double header weekend of the season with no new injury concerns.

Shooting guard Joel Keeble remains a long-term absence for the Rivermead outfit, while Under 18 Fidel Gomez De Enterria Lopez is still a few weeks away from competitive basketball with his ankle injury.

U19 point guard Bikram Rana travelled to Lancashire but did not feature for Peña Garcés’ team, however he looks set to return to full action in time for Saturday’s game against Worthing Thunder.

Ibu Jassey Demba suffered a knock during last Saturday’s win against Lancashire Spinners, but has shown no ill affects since and will almost certainly feature.