READING Rockets star Matt Davis will further his basketball education abroad after earning a scholarship to Murcia University in Spain.

The 19-year-old was part of the Rockets’ Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) at Henley College and completed his A-Levels last year whilst playing for the Under 18s before taking a year out to study Spanish and play basketball full time. 

With the club’s new link to the university and club in Murcia, Spain, through head coach Manuel Pena Garces, the 6ft 5in shooting guard has been offered a scholarship with the university and a place on the team there as well as the club which plays in the EBA league.

A delighted Davis beamed: “I am so happy I have been given an opportunity to go abroad to study but mainly to play the game I love.

 “I have been working so hard and to get the chance to do this I feel is really special. 

"Rockets have been fantastic to me over the last three years and the link with Murcia has come at just the right time.”

He continued: “Our pre-season starts this week and I am now just preparing myself for this and the life in Spain, which I know will be challenging, different, but most of all exciting. 

“I can’t thank enough the people that have helped me over the years because they have played a really important part in my development but I am also really proud of myself because at some points I felt doubtful. I cannot wait to get out there and get started.”

A total of 20 players will be on the AASE programme for the 2015/2016 season at both the John Madejski Academy and Henley College.