READING Rockets have made a double swoop with the signings of American duo Tim Gill and Jerrod ‘Scotty’ Hendricks.

The pair put pen to paper last week to fill both of the Rockets import spots for the 2017-2018 campaign in place of last year’s club MVP Craig Ponder and league MVP runner-up Chris Hooper.

Power forward Gill, who stands at 6ft 9in, will start his second year out of college having played in Spain’s EBA League last season for Baloncesto Naron since graduating from NCAA Division Two school Clarion University in 2016.

The 23-year-old has also played at NCAA Division One outfit Jacksonville Dolphins and prior to that attended Patrick Henry High School. He averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds last season and will bolster the Rockets front court this term.

Gill commented: “I have heard nothing but great things about Reading Rockets and am eager to not only improve my game, but also this programme as a whole. I am really thankful for this opportunity.”

Point guard Hendricks, 26, is an NCAA Division Two King University graduate, but is well known to the Berkshire outfit having played in NBL Division One already for Tees Valley Mohawks – where he averaged 18.5 points per game along with 3.4 assists and finished up as the league MVP runner-up in the 2015-2016 season.

Last season, 5ft 9in Hendricks played in Canada’s NBL for Orangeville A, but wanted to return to England and is very excited about joining up with his new teammates at the Rockets.

He said: “I’m excited about returning back to my favourite country, England, and the NBL. Being able to be a part of such a winning organisation that is family-oriented is a warm feeling. Day one of chasing a championship happens as soon as I step off the plane. We have a great coaching staff whom I’m excited to come and learn from.”

Rockets chairman Gary Johnson added: “We are delighted to have both Tim and Scotty with us and they provide our team with some much-needed size and presence in the front court (in Tim) as well as an exciting, experienced point guard to run the team in Scotty.

“We are awaiting their arrival in England and we are sure they will be able to make significant contributions on and off the court.”