Richmond Rockets Collar Pit Bulls, 108-93

By Jean Womack

The Richmond Rockets basketball team got a surprise match with the East Bay Pit Bulls Friday, but nothing the Pit Bulls could do was enough to pull the basketball game out of the fire, as they went down to defeat 108-93.

The victory boosted the Rockets' record to 11-3.

The schedule said that Rockets would be playing the NorCal Bears, but that was decided eons ago. Changes can be made right up to game time, which shows the flexibility of the team and willingness to play against all teams, even big strong guys like the Pit Bulls. 

Lindsay Hughey and Tita Davis were the top scorers just from an eyeball assessment, but Chris Adams, and Joel Smith got their licks in as well.  The Rockets defense overwhelmed the Pit Bulls with skillfull extractions of the ball from the grasp of players close to the net.

It was a fast game with a lot of running.  Another game against the Pit Bulls was scheduled for last night, Saturday, but it's hard to tell for sure who will be there, since last week's games were changed as well.

After the Friday game, Pit Bull player Benny Gibson was asked what he thought of the Rockets in their first season.

"They are a good up and down team," Gibson said. "They play good together and it seems like they are well-coached.  For a new team with a new franchise, they are doing a terrific job."

A small crowd of only about 200 attended the game, perhaps because of a shooting last Monday, not far from the Auditorium, at 22nd and Nevin, in which a Contra Costa College student was killed on his way to school. Richmond's KCRT TV hoped to fill the basketball fans thirst for live action with a promise that the game would be filmed and shown on the internet.

The Rockets were also celebrating the publication of the Rocket Girls calendar, who were present in the Auditorium’s wide hallway, to autograph the calendars.

The Rockets demonstrated seemingly effortless defense ability to take the ball away from the opposing team without anyone falling over backwards and hitting their head on the floor.  The Pit Bull could only stand there looking confused as the ball that had been in his grasp moments before, passed once again into the possession of the Richmond team.  This is known as a turnover or a steal.  The ball also changes hands from an intercepted pass or a rebound.

The Richmond Rockets began in November 2011 as part of the American Basketball Association. They play home games at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza, in Richmond.