NBL: How Clark and Hemel are approaching crucial period

Hemel Storm coach Mark Clark will take each game as it comes as he prepares his side for an increasingly difficult stretch, culminating in a battle against Reading Rockets.

The Storm improved to 14-0 in NBL1 on Saturday thanks to a hard-fought 92-83 victory at home to Derby Trailblazers, as they have regrouped after losing the National Cup final to Reading in Manchester last month, with the success over Derby their fourth straight win since.

Hemel will travel to Nottingham Hoods next Saturday and entertain London Cavaliers a day later before the colossal Cup final rematch with the Rockets on 22 February.

Hemel's Mark Clark at the NBL National Cup Final

They're all tough

Clark, though, isn't thinking of Reading or the Storm reclaiming the league title, but rather the demanding double-header next weekend.

"Nottingham are fighting to not to be in the bottom two, and they've obviously shown in the last couple of weeks they're fighting and have got better," Clark said.

"And then London with Matthew [Bryan-Amaning] signing for them, there's so much quality there now. Playing a back-to-back, is that a more challenging weekend than playing Reading? Truthfully, they're all tough.

"We've done incredibly well to this point, and if you had said at the start of the season that we'd be 14-0 at this stage, I would not have said yes because the standard of the league is very good. I think there's some real quality in Division One.

"All I can say is we will take every game as it comes, and if we end up with a zero still in the lost column when we've played Reading, then obviously, we're going to want to try and go forward for a league title, but it's not crossing my mind."

Storm's Tra'Michael Moton (Matt Cook)

Moton's most complete game

Saturday's win over Derby showcased Tra'Michael Moton's offensive prowess as he led Hemel in front of the NBL Live cameras.

Moton went 10/16, including 4/7 from three-point land, for an efficient 25 points and five assists on the night, securing a spot on the Team of the Week list.

The American averages 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists a game this season, shooting a shade under 38% from three-point distance.

"Every single week now, I see him getting better," Clark said of Moton.

"I think he struggled initially because a lot of college players come into a pro situation differently. Especially when you have to adjust to a different setting and style. I think he found that a little difficult.

"We always knew we had to integrate him and Sam [Newman] because Sam had a great season last year, and we needed to add to it, not replace it. So, the combination of the two of them is becoming very effective now.

"The Cup final was a bit of a watershed. There was a few bits of soul-searching about why we weren't as effective as we wanted to be, and I think the two of them have become an solid combination in the back court."

It was also a triumphant return to home court for Hakeem Sylla, who made his first appearance since April last year the previous week at Birmingham and scored his first field goal of the season inside in Saturday's win over Derby.

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Words by John Hobbs