2/11/10 - A stunning third quarter blitz was the key to Hemel Storm's 87 - 65 National League win in Birmingham on Saturday. Storm returned to the court after the half-time interval determined to break the game open and their defensive pressure in the backcourt was enough to disrupt the home team and secure an impressive 29 - 8 edge in the quarter.

Although only three games into the season, the win takes Storm to the top of the League table having gone undefeated.

Storm started the game with Simon Kearney, Rich Wellings, Tom Frederick, Fred Stephens and Bobby Edmunds against a big, athletic and aggressive opponent.

In the opening exchanges Hemel's poor decision-making on offence resulted in too many long-range attempts instead of focusing on their skill advantage close to the basket. They led 19 - 13 after the first quarter thanks mainly to their only consistent shooter, Kearney, who led his team by example and eventually top-scored with 19 points.

The second quarter was an equally hard-fought affair and a carbon-copy of the first. Storm held a narrow 36 - 33 advantage going into the break although their pattern of regular substitutions in the first half ensured that they started the third quarter fresh and ready to take control of the game.

The first four minutes of the third quarter signalled Storm's intent to return home with the League points as Stephens, Yemi Hassan, and Edmunds combined to force Birmingham's guards into a series of ball-handling mistakes that led to steals and easy lay-ups. Birmingham were prevented from getting into any kind of offensive flow and the free-scoring Hemel squad were able to launch a series of fast-breaks sharing the scoring so that every player got onto the score-sheet.

Hemel let up a little in the fourth quarter but had done enough to come away with a convincing win.

Director of Coaching Dave Titmuss who assumed a coaching role alongside Head Coach Tony Harrison in the absence of Associate Head Coach Jon Burnell, said: "I really liked the way we were able to force Birmingham into mistakes with our uncompromising defence in the third quarter. We moved the ball unselfishly on offence and made it tough for Birmingham to mount any kind of comeback. It was a terrific effort."

Storm team and scorers: Kearney 19, Joe Matthews 14, Wellings 12, Frederick 8, Hussan 8, Alex Wilkins 7, Edmunds 7, Stephens 7, Mark Quashie 5.