BASKETBALL: Colby's set to return for Thunder

The loss decided who finished last of the three in Group four but, unlike Leicester Riders and London Capital, Thunder at least registered a victory in the competition.

But now the resumption of the League Championship brings Thunder straight up against their closest mid-table rivals during the next three games.

Worthing are at Sheffield on Friday, where they won by three points in late October, so will not fear their lengthy M1 trip. But a Bargeman return is vital in this phase of one away game, then three at home, with Guildford on Saturday, and then Leicester and Everton to come on February 7 and 14.

Thunder need now to consolidate their play-offs claim and Guildford will arrive after sweeping all four of their Trophy group games against Lions and Capital.

Worthing's league run of four wins in five games ended narrowly at Guildford after Christmas, when the scoring of Heat's big men proved a trifle too hot for them. But they lost, not so much because Heat were allowed a crucial basket despite a travelling violation, but that coach Gary Smith allowed himself to collect a doubly costly technical foul for his dissent on the issue.

With contests likely to be close in this play-offs quest, such indiscretions at the wrong time could be cripplingly expensive.

Worthing will be looking to pick up at least one victory in the next two games, before facing Leicester in what looks an unpredictable prospect. Riders flunked their Trophy group against Everton and Cheshire Jets yet won 94-76 at Worcester in the kind of humbling of Wolves that Thunder have not managed in four attempts so far.

Thunder led at Worcester by 16 in the second quarter '“ not a gigantic lead in terms of these two teams' previous exchanges '“ but with 6ft 8in Jonathan Woods in foul trouble and 6ft 4in captain James Brame again substituting at power-forward, they spent much time undersized.

Point-guard and playmaker Ryan Patton revealed: "We worked last week in training on a couple of defensive things to slow down Worcester's offence and that actually worked out. We used a little press and we got their shot clock running down so they rushed their shots.

"We got some steals and turnovers (there would have been even more with Bargeman present) but without Colby '“ he's so long-armed and athletic '“ and also Ciaran Burns, who has been putting in good minutes for us off the bench, we were shorthanded. But we still put together a nice little game. It was just a couple of tough calls didn't go our way that turned the match."

Patton was Worthing's top scorer for the sixth time in the last nine games. He has sequenced 21pts, 28, 26, 26, 30, 26 '“ and 15, 25, 26 in the others. The results have been five wins, four losses (two with Bargeman missing), and with Janis Ivanovskis' sterling scoring, it is this combination that is making Thunder competitive in the first instance.

Halfway through his first stay in Worthing, Ohio native Patton, previously with Sheffield Arrows, commented: "There's a good atmosphere in this place, there are a lot of good people. Sheffield was more of a city and it's nice to be here by the sea and seeing the families relaxing.

"In the team, I feel good now in my role. I feel I know where and when our players need the ball. I haven't played before in a league like this. It's got some fantastic players and some hard places to go. I'm learning as I go along and I feel more and more comfortable every time I go out there.

"These are two big games coming up this weekend. But if we can play on top of our game we can beat anyone."

WORCESTER 101: Paez 27, Harker 22, Disy 18, Funn 15, Brown 9, Uzkuratis 5, Williams 5. THUNDER 87 (subject to confirmation): Patton 26, Ivanovskis 19, Woods 12, Wardrope 11, Midgley 7, Hildreth 7, Brame 5.

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