Derby Trailblazers back-to-back wins over Essex Rebels and Bristol Hurricanes quickly turned into
a distant memory as they suffered a heavy 71-55 away defeat to Birmingham Rockets before
coming up just short against Loughborough Riders in a 79-75 home defeat.
With Malcolm Smith unavailable for the weekend double-header, the task in hand was never going
to be easy, but the defeat to Birmingham was exceptionally disappointing and despite a much-
improved effort on Sunday afternoon, the weekend was completed by a series defeat to
Loughborough Riders, something which had not happened since the 2022/23 season.
Birmingham Rockets 71 (14, 39, 59)
Derby Trailblazers 55 (17, 25, 42)
After a promising start on the road at Birmingham, Derby Trailblazers hopes of completing a series
double over their West Midlands rivals were quickly dismissed after a dismal second quarter saw
them outscored 25-8 as they fell to a 71-55 defeat.
Connor Washington led the way with 13 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Mo Walker
was the only other Derby player to reach double-figures, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds
and three assists.
For Birmingham, Eric Donaldson tormented his former side, finishing with a stunning stat-line of 17
points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Zach Powell was also in good form for the Rockets, adding 17
points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Ronald Blain had 14 points, six rebounds, two
assists and two steals.
Birmingham won the tip but their opening three-point attempt from Blain was off the mark and a
defensive rebound from Jai Pathmarajah was followed by successful three-pointer from Charlie
Brown via a Walker assist.
A jump-shot from Powell was followed by a lay-up from Walker and a triple from Washington as the
Blazers took an early 8-2 lead. Consecutive scores from Donaldson cut the gap to just a single
basket before Washington scored twice, either side of a bucket from Blain.
Derby then went on a 7-2 run which was capped off by a triple from Pathmarajah to go 17-10 up
with 3’05” on the clock, but that was where their problems started. Birmingham closed the period
with back-to-back scores from Powell and then started the second with fifteen unanswered points
to complete the 19-0 run which transformed the game.
Within that period, Derby were held scoreless for eight minutes and looked unusually bereft of
ideas and options to tackle the Rockets onslaught. It was Washington who eventually snapped the
rot with a three-pointer via a Brown assist, but despite only being down by nine points, th
Trailblazers never really re-discovered the rhythm they had shown earlier on.
A 9-5 run from the Rockets saw them take a 39-35 lead into the break and their lead peaked at 22
points when Donaldson completed a lay-up to make it 69-47 with 5’19” left in the game.
Birmingham: Donaldson 17, Powell 17, Blain 14, Gayle 10, Jackman 9, Okosieme 4, Basioudis 0, Duru 0,
Grayling 0, Mughaal 0, Mutothori 0.
Derby: Washington 13, Walker 11, May-Thompson 9, Pathmarajah 9, Burr 7, Brown 3, Norman 3,
Marsden 0, Pastor 0, Tallon 0.
Derby Trailblazers 75 (24, 50, 59)
Loughborough Riders 79 (30, 43, 63)
On Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t the second quarter which stifled Derby’s chances of victory, but the
third which seemed equally as difficult. The Trailblazers were outscored 20-13, as the Riders
turned a seven-point deficit into a four-point advantage, which they maintained to win the game 79-
75 in a rare Sunday lunchtime game at the Clarence Wiggins Sports Centre.
For the second game in succession, Connor Washington topped the scoring for the Trailblazers,
sinking a trio of three-pointers on his way to 19 points, along with two rebounds and two assists.
Rob Marsden was a commanding presence at both ends of the court, finishing with 18 points,
seven rebounds and one steal, while Mo Walker had a 12 point / 12 rebound double-double.
American Jalen Cook went six of thirteen from beyond the arc on his way to a game-high 23 points
to which he added five rebounds and two steals. Johde Campbell once again reminded his former
club of the threat he can be from beyond the arc, converting another six out of thirteen three-point
attempts. He finished with 22 points, four rebounds and eight assists.
The two sides matched each other over the opening six minutes after which time the scores were
tied at 16-all, but there had been some real highlights in those early stages. Raheem May-
Thompson completed an alley-oop which was created by Walker and then followed it up with a
more conventional dunk, which was matched by Cook at the other end.
However, a three-pointer from Campbell sparked an 11-6 run by the Riders, who consequently
took a 30-24 advantage into the first break.
The opening stages of the second quarter saw the two sides closely matched once again, but a
Derby time-out with 3’59” on the clock had an immediate effect. Marsden fed Walker for a lay-up
and then added six points of his own to give the Blazers a 44-41 lead and prompt a time-out from
the Riders.
A lay-up from Callum Keys was followed by missed shots and turnovers from both sides before
Washington completed the quarter with a pair of free-throws to make it 46-43 to Derby at the half-
time break.
Any hopes that the Trailblazers could carry that momentum into the third quarter were quickly
dashed as Loughborough raced out of the blocks with a 10-2 burst which had Derby needing an
early time-out. A turnover from Walker led to Michael Joiner stretching the lead to 55-48 and after
baskets from Walker and Pathmarajah, Ehiorobo responded with a dunk.
A coach technical on Will Maynard allowed Washington to cut the gap to four points, but
Pathmarajah couldn’t take advantage from the resulting possession as his lay-up was blocked by
Dan Hadley.
Campbell and May-Thompson then exchanged triples before a three-point play from Washinton
made it a one-point game with seven seconds left in the third quarter. Campbell then unfortunately
dampened the hope once again by sinking a huge three-pointer from much nearer the half-way line
than the long-distant arc to make it 63-59 heading into the final quarter.
Marsden opened the fourth with a lay-up before May-Thompson stole the ball and was fouled,
giving him the chance to tie the scores. His first attempt span around the hoop before dropping
away and while the second was on target, Derby were still in arrears at 63-62 with 8’44” left.
The closest they came after that was when a 6-nil burst took the score to 74-72 and prompted a
Riders time-out with 4’08” on the clock. The visitors responded with four straight points, one of
which came as the result of a needless bench technical on the Blazers.
With twenty seconds left, Casey Burr stole the ball and fed it to Washington who sank a three-
pointer which trimmed the gap to three points. Could the impossible be about to happen? Sadly
not, as both sides used time-outs to try and force and advantage, but in the end it was only
Loughborough who added to their score as Scott Wylie split a pair of free-throws to seal the win.
Derby: Washington 19, Marsden 18, May-Thompson 12, Walker 12, Burr 8, Pathmarajah 4, Brown 2,
Norman DNP, Lawrence DNP, Pastor DNP, Tallon 0.
Riders: Cook 23. Campbell 22, Joiner 14, Keys 7, Akinsuku 5, Wylie 4, Ehiorobo 2, Hadley 2, Campbell 0,
Nyarko DNP.
The Trailblazers are on the road next weekend as they travel to Yorkshire Dragons on Saturday. In
a change to the original schedule, the game will now be a four o’clock tip at Leeds Beckett University.
Written by Nigel Cash.
Here are other results from around the club…
BLAZERS U16 GIRLS CAP SEASON WITH DOMINANT ROAD WIN
Derby Trailblazers U16 girls wrapped up their season in style today, securing a well-deserved 57 to 78 victory against the Bromsgrove Bears. There was a bit of nervous energy heading into this one for the girls and coaches alike. It had been four weeks since the team last stepped onto the court for a competitive fixture, and with mock exams playing havoc with the training schedule, preparation had been far from ideal.
Those pre-game jitters proved unnecessary, however, as the Blazers girls delivered arguably their finest performance of the entire season. They stuck to the defensive game plan with discipline and looked sharp in transition, keeping the offence mostly tidy and efficient throughout. While a massive 31-point haul from the team’s youngest player provided a significant spark, this was a comprehensive team effort that ensured the win stayed firmly in Derby’s hands.
The Blazers finish the campaign with three wins from twelve games, a record that perhaps doesn’t tell the full story of the season. Looking back at several narrow losses earlier in the schedule, it’s clear that if the team had found today’s rhythm sooner, those results could easily have flipped in their favour.
Ultimately, there is plenty to be pleased about. The progression across the squad has been fantastic, and the chemistry has truly clicked over these final few matches. While it feels like a bit of a shame for the season to end just as everything is coming together, the focus now shifts to next year. With the momentum from this finale, the goal is to keep building, starting with getting at least one more girls’ team out on the floor for the next campaign.
BLAZERS U12S COMPLETE PERFECT SEASON WITH CLINCHING WIN IN LEICESTER
Derby Trailblazers U12s travelled to Leicester for a tough road test, facing off against a resilient Dynamite side. It was a physical, competitive encounter that forced the team to dig deep, but the Blazers stood tall when it mattered most to secure a 69 to 53 victory.
That result marks a momentous achievement for the squad, as they officially finish their National League season with an unblemished 10-0 record. Maintaining that level of consistency over an entire campaign is no small feat, and it is a testament to the hard work and dedication these players have poured into every training session and game.
It is a proud moment for everyone involved with the team. These players have earned every bit of their success this year, and they now have some incredible memories to look back on as the season draws to a close. As the group prepares to go their separate ways for next season, with some staying at the U12 level, others moving into local leagues, and some continuing their journey in the National League, they do so as undefeated champions.
TRAILBLAZERS U14NL BATTLE THROUGH DOUBLEHEADER WEEKEND
Derby Trailblazers U14NL boys faced a demanding schedule this weekend, putting their resilience to the test with two very different encounters across Saturday and Sunday.
The weekend kicked off with a trip to the Warwickshire Hawks. Things started slowly for Derby, as early foul trouble forced an immediate adjustment. After a timeout to recalibrate the help defence, the boys responded brilliantly with a 7-0 run to overtake the Hawks. The momentum stayed with Derby into the second quarter, where a lineup of four bigs and a point guard pushed the lead to ten. However, as rotations shifted, the Hawks clawed their way back to a two-point advantage by halftime.
The third quarter became a defensive grind. The Hawks managed to stretch their lead to nine at one stage, but Derby’s superior bench depth proved vital, cutting the deficit back to four. The main challenge throughout was containing the Hawks’ standout big man; the coach rotated through five different defenders before finding the perfect matchup. Once that defensive lock was in place, the rest of the Hawks squad struggled under Derby’s height and pressure. Two crucial steals and subsequent fast breaks put the Trailblazers back in front with just one minute remaining.
The finale was a nail-biter. With six seconds left and Derby up by three, the Hawks had one final chance. Their big man took the responsibility for a heavily contested three-point attempt, but with two Derby players draped over him, the shot barely grazed the rim. The Trailblazers held on for a gritty 62-65 victory.
The boys returned to the court for the second leg of the doubleheader against the league leaders, Leicester Dynamite. As expected, Dynamite showed exactly why they sit at the top of the table, displaying clinical efficiency on the ball and aggressive play off it.
Derby found it difficult to find their rhythm today, struggling with over-dribbling and a tendency toward individual plays, which unfortunately led to a high number of turnovers. Despite the mounting pressure, the boys stuck with it and showed character to gain the upper hand in the fourth quarter, though the gap was too large to bridge. The game finished 61-118 in favour of the visitors.
