Scorchers big man Darryl Palmer had yet another inspired performance on Sunday in the Scorchers loss to the Bristol Flyers.
Despite the defeat, Palmer came off the bench and lead the Scorchers with a season-high 18 points on 66% shooting, along with 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
He said: “Our job as the bench is to give the starters some energy and to maintain the tempo. We can’t be negative, we have to be positive from the second we enter the game.”
The Scorchers lead for the entirety of the game, but failed to hold on to the lead in the final moments, ultimately falling 86-85 at Surrey Sports Park.
“We just have to execute.” Said Palmer.
“The importance of ball movement, getting stops and scoring when it matters. We have to lead and to take easy shots, not try and force tough ones.
“We are going to get back to practise and work on the things we failed to do today.”
Standing tall at 6’8″, Palmer has become a fan favourite in Surrey with an array of alley-oop dunks, along with some tough defence and shot blocking.
The 24-year-old has been a valuable asset for the Scorchers all season long, and has made a smooth transition to British Basketball.
He previously played for South Carolina State University in the NCAA. He graduated as the Bulldogs’ all-time leading shot blocker. He then brought his talents to Europe, playing in Turkey, Estonia, and the Baltic League last season.
Palmer finally found a form of stability signing for the Scorchers in the British Basketball League, after bouncing around last season.
“The tempo is very different here, we are constantly running up and down which I like.
“Turkey has much more of a structured style, but I think the much faster style here in the BBL suits my game a lot better.
“The fans are also great here. They always give us that extra push that we need.”
Next up for Palmer and the Scorchers is a trip to the unbeaten Newcastle Eagles on Friday, before returning to Surrey Sports Park to take on the Manchester Giants.
Tickets are available for the visit of Manchester Giants to Surrey Sports Park here!
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