The Medway Park Crusaders rounded the year off in style with two huge wins on the road, lifting them into sixth place in EBL Division One.

They triumphed 73-59 against current Champions, the Reading Rockets, on Saturday and followed it up with an 94-90 overtime (OT) win against the Leicester Warriors on Sunday.

The two victories stretched the Crusaders winning streak to four matches and moved them up into the playoff places.

Crusaders Coach James Vear said: “I think many teams had written us off with the start we had this season and I think the guys have used this as motivation to prove we can be a very good team.

“We have now won against four of the best teams in this league.  I love coaching the Crusaders and am already looking forward to getting back on court after a well-deserved break.”

The on-fire Crusaders kicked things off in Reading with American forward Adrian Fenyn stealing the show with a game-topping 30 points.

The first two quarters were very close, with the Medway side just edging the Rockets 40-38 at half time, but in the third quarter a 22-0 straight run helped them to an impressive 73-59 victory.

Canadian forward Joe Schow helped himself to 13 points in a game that saw all 10 Crusaders on the score sheet.

In Leicester, Fenyn brought his weekend total to 54 points with another 24, guard Luke Baker hit 23 and point guard Steve Vear hit 16.

The Crusaders were down 50-44 at half time, but a strong second half meant the teams were level 81-all at full time, and they went into five minutes of OT.

In OT, both teams, who were understandably tired from their Saturday games, put up an intense fight, but it was the Crusaders, who didn’t want fitness to be the separator, who closed the game out 94-90, with crucial baskets from Vear and Baker – taking OT 13-9.

Coach Vear, said after the game: “I cannot speak highly enough about my team. We had a very tough start to the year but the guys have made no excuses and continued to work hard week in, week out.

“We have great team chemistry and every player from one to 12 contributes to the team dynamics.  We are already looking at the first game back after the Xmas break against a very tough Derby team.”

The Medway side know the second half of the season will be challenging, starting with a trip to the Derby Trailblazers on Saturday, 7 January.

Derby have won six of their opening nine games, one more than the Medway side, and sit third in EBL Division One, two points ahead of the Crusaders.

Picture by Cesar Velasco