NBL1 Preview: Week 22 (12/13 March 2022) - live streams, stats and more

The battle for the D1M league title might be over but there are plenty of battles still to be fought across the rest of the standings.

Just two wins separate second from sixth as things stand and there's just three points to split the bottom three, with two teams facing potential relegation to D2M.

With another nine games scheduled for this weekend, including a much-anticipated NBL Live broadcast between Reading v Derby, means it's all to play for with just three weeks of the regular season remaining.

We take a look at all the weekend's games below, with links to live stats and live streams at the bottom of the page.

Worthing Thunder (16-7) v Thames Valley Cavaliers (16-6)

Second travels to third tomorrow in a huge contest with top four implications.

Despite their lofty positions, neither team comes into this weekend with momentum on their side.

Thames Valley have gone 2-2 in their last four outings, with wins against Oaklands and Reading being book-ended by defeats against the Rockets and most recently Nottingham Hoods last weekend.

Worthing have won just twice in their last seven games, a run that has seen the South coast side tumble from top spot before the mid-season break and back into the chasing pack behind now champs Solent.

Thames Valley's Jakobi Bonner is having a strong debut season in D1M (Luke Simcock)

Worthing made headlines last weekend for the performance of Zaire Taylor in the 120-84 victory over Oaklands.

The veteran scorer went off for an eye-watering 60 point triple-double that unsurprisingly secured the former BBL man with the Rebound Player of the Week award.

Thames Valley will no doubt be on high alert to pay Taylor extra care tomorrow, though they did restrict the Worthing man to just four points on 2-10 shooting when these teams last met in November, with TVC coming out on top 85-66.

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Elsewhere this weekend

The weekend begins with a Midlands derby as Nottingham Hoods (15-6) take a trip to local rivals Leicester Warriors (3-19), with the two teams set to play a back-to-back double-header this weekend.

Team Newcastle University (12-9) are still striving for a top six place, currently sat in seventh, but will want to avoid being caught by Reading who occupy the eighth and final playoff spot.

That final spot will face Solent in the opening round of the playoffs, a tough proposition for any team. The North East side face Essex Rebels (3-19) tomorrow, who need to bounce back after their 119-44 mauling by Solent last Sunday.

Bradford Dragons (9-14) are 1-3 in their last four, a run that appears to have put paid to their playoff aspirations. They take on Loughborough Riders (7-15) in an effort to get their form back on track.

Champions Team Solent Kestrels (20-2) may have the title in the bag but they'll want to keep their momentum going heading into the post season.

A match up with basement side Oaklands Wolves (2-19) should help in that regard, the Wolves haven't picked up a win since early February.

Hemel Storm (14-8) could use a win after some indifferent recent form. 2-3 in their last five, they do still have D1M scoring leader Taylor Johnson (26.7PPG) at their disposal, and forward Greg Poleon made the league's Team of the Week last time out.

Storm take on London Lions II (9-12), who have gone 1-4 across the same span. They have played four of the top five in that stretch, though.

Loughborough and Newcastle both complete double-headers on Sunday, leaving just one game on the weekend as the NBL Live cameras will be at Rivermead Leisure Complex for Reading Rockets (12-10) against Derby Trailblazers (15-7).

Both sides are in good form right now, going 4-1 across their last five games, meaning this should be a great contest for John Hobbs and the team to bring to NBL fans across the country.

This weekend's fixtures:

Saturday 12 March

4:30pm - Leicester Warriors v Nottingham Hoods - LIVE STATS

5pm - Team Newcastle University v Essex Rebels - LIVE STATS

6pm - Team Solent Kestrels v Oaklands Wolves - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM

6:15pm - Bradford Dragons v Loughborough Riders - LIVE STATS

7pm - Hemel Storm v London Lions II - LIVE STATS

7:30pm - Worthing Thunder v Thames Valley - LIVE STATS

Sunday 13 March

1pm - Loughborough Riders v Team Newcastle University - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM

3pm - Nottingham Hoods v Leicester Warriors - LIVE STATS

5pm - Reading Rockets v Derby Trailblazers - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM

Main image credit - Luke Simcock