Essex Rebels vs Worthing Thunder: BCB Trophy Preview
After a long off-season, the Essex Rebels make their highly anticipated return to the court this Saturday 12th September, as they host Worthing Thunder in the British Championship Basketball Trophy at the Essex Sports Arena.
This marks the Rebels’ first competitive game of the 2026/27 campaign, with Worthing Thunder being their first of four group games in the BCB Trophy before the regular BCB season tips off on Saturday October 3rd.
Joining both the Rebels and Worthing Thunder in their group are the London Cavaliers and Portsmouth Force, with Worthing already having opened their Trophy campaign against Portsmouth last weekend.
Worthing began their Trophy campaign in impressive fashion, with a dominant 104-65 win over Portsmouth Force. This victory saw many of their new recruits make their competitive debuts for Thunder, showcasing their revamped roster that features just two returning players from last season, Justin Hopkins and Alfie Price.
Worthing’s recruits include point guard Joseph Ostrowski and Manuel Hernadez, both of which made an instant impact in their BCB Trophy debut game scoring 17 and 20 points each.
Worthing also added 7’3 centre David Craig during the off-season. Although he did not feature against Portsmouth, Saturday’s clash could be the perfect opportunity for him to make his debut.
The Rebels also bring a refreshed squad into this weekend’s game. Talented forward Aliou Cisse and key playmaker Tre Baumgardner look to make their competitive debuts for the Rebels this weekend. Alongside new signings, the Rebels have also retained key players such as Kyron Martin who had a standout 2025-26 campaign in the BCB, recording 341 points across the season.
Player to Watch: Justin Hopkins
One to keep an eye on for Worthing is returning guard Justin Hopkins. Hopkins joined Thunder last season from Reading Rockets and enjoyed an outstanding debut campaign with Worthing averaging 24.2 points per game, the second highest across all the BCB last season. He has continued this form into the new season, leading all scorers with 26 points against Portsmouth. His ability to score from anywhere on the court and dictate the tempo of the game could be crucial as Worthing look to break down Rebels’ defence.
Ahead of this weekend’s game, Jordan Ashley said:
I’m super excited for tomorrow’s game — first time being in front of the crowd this season means an opportunity to show them what we can do! Worthing Thunder have some quality players, and we know they’ll give us a good test but our focus is on ourselves and putting in a strong performance. We’re really looking forward to getting the season started.
Rebels’ game against Worthing Thunder will tip-off at 6:30pm at the Essex Sports Arena. Tickets are still available on Fanbase – Get yours now!
By Millie Winslett
