The Reading Rebels lost 100-93 to the Atlantic City Gambits in their regular-season finale in a The Basketball League game Sunday at Alvernia’s Jack McCloskey Court.
The Rebels (17-7) led by as much as 13 points in the second half before the Gambits battled back to sweep the season series 3-0.
“We had a really good first half like we did last time we played them down in AC,” Reading coach Joe Linderman said. “We knew they were going to come out charged up in the second half. The thing that killed us, which really frustrates me … we got absolutely destroyed on the offensive glass. They did whatever they wanted. We play good defense and get a couple of stops, but then they get an offensive rebound and putbacks. So, that’s just effort. That’s where it’s disappointing.”
The Gambits (21-3), who clinched the top seed in the Northeast Division, grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, leading to 11 second-chance points.
The Rebels led 18-16 before the Gambits went on an 11-2 run to end the first quarter and go up 27-20.
However, the second quarter was all Reading as it allowed only two points in the first eight minutes to take a 38-29 lead. The Rebels led 52-41 at halftime.
To start the third quarter, Richard McCalop hit a quick two-pointer as the Rebels stretched their lead to 13.
It wasn’t long after, though, that the Gambits would find their rhythm offensively.
Atlantic City outscored Reading 32-23 to cut the Rebels’ lead to two points going into the fourth quarter.
Reading’s defensive struggles continued in the fourth quarter as it could not slow the Gambits.
The Rebels lost the lead 30 seconds into the fourth and never got it back.
The Gambits went on a 17-3 run to begin the quarter, putting the Rebels down 93-78 with four minutes remaining.
The Rebels, who opened the season 16-3, lost for the fourth time in five games.
“Just get back to playing defense, rebounding the ball, and, again, pushing the ball offensively,” Linderman said of what his team has to do to get back on track. “We haven’t been a great halfcourt offensive team this entire year. Our best offense is pushing the ball in transition and getting easy buckets. … Just got to clean it up.”
For Reading, McCalop led the team with 24 points. Myles Lewis had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
For Atlantic City, Leon Freeman-Daniels had a game-high 29 points while Frank Turner had 19 points and 12 assists.
The third-seeded Rebels will open the playoffs Tuesday on the road against the second-seeded Albany Patroons. The teams split the two games in the regular season.
Reading is looking to bounce back and get back to its winning ways.
“We know them well; we know how we’re going to play them,” Linderman said of Albany. “It’s playoff basketball. One-and-done night games, so we’re going to go up there and hoping to play Atlantic City here on Thursday.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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