David 'Tin-Tin' Watts came back to haunt his old club as Manchester Magic continued their unbeaten season with a comfortable win at Manchester on Sunday, 82-57.

 

Last season's Division One MVP finished with 21 points, six blocks, six rebounds, three steals and two assists in 33 minutes as a Rockets team that swept the board last season were consigned to their third loss in five games.

 

However, it was Brandon Kimbrough who led the Magic scoring with a 28 point, ten rebound double-double. In common with Watts, Kimbrough played every minute of the first three periods before sitting down for part of the fourth. Stefan Gill added 18 points and five assists as Magic stay top of Division One.

 

All of Reading's leading scorers were English products of their junior policy, with Jason Sayers leading the way on 16 points and 12 rebounds, and his brother Louis and Dan McKay each scoring ten.

 

Manchester shot out of the blocks with 10 unanswered points as Watts hit six quick points.

 

Robbie Parker got Rockets off the mark from the free throw line and behind the arc and with Jason Sayers tipping in a couple of shots, Reading were back in the game as Magic took a narrow 18-14 lead into the first break.

 

Within 40 seconds of the start of quarter two, Rockets were level thanks to five points from Jason Sayers and a Fenny Falmagne shot, but then Manchester hit 3 consecutive triples to open up a 29-20 lead.  Manchester went into the interval with a nine-point advantage, 37- 28.

 

Dan McKay copnverted a three point play having been fouled at the start of the third period and when Parker hit another three Reading were just six points down. The teams swapped scores for a few minutes, but then Rockets were hit with a 13-5 Manchester run as Magic led 60-46 at the final break.

 

A very fast pace game saw Manchester finish more clinically and this proved to be the deciding factor in the fourth and final quarter. Manchester outscored Reading 22-11 in the fourth, gaining revenge for their three final defeats against Reading last season.

 

Although Reading out-rebounded Manchester 43-41, they did shoot an abysmal 28% from the field (19/67) thanks to pressure defence from the Magic, who blocked 10 shots in the game as a team. As has been the case for most of the season, the Magic's big three (Kimbrough, Gill, Watts) did the vast majority of the scoring, combining for 67 of their 82 points.

 

 

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