BASKETBALL: Titmuss eyes up season defining match

Three-win Worthing take on two-win London Capital four weeks after Thunder came from 20-3 down after a quarter to defeat them 62-50 in a battle in the big city.

Since then, Thunder have not won and even though team top-scorer Reggie Bratton and Sherrad Prezzie-Blue, now out for seven games, both missed that extremely physical clash, Bratton returned after a foot injury on Friday but made no impression on in-form Milton Keynes Lions.

While he ran into the complication of a hand injury, which led to a catastrophically low personal percentage of shots made, the Lions, who led by 20 points in the first half and 25 after three quarters, took their eighth victory running, by 100-85, and remain unbeaten at home to Worthing.

Capital, however, gained their second win, 84-77 on Saturday over Plymouth Raiders.

Titmuss said: "Reggie had a terrible time. He was game-rusty and his foot wasn't fully recovered, so he could not jump well. Pepe (Petroslav Zafirov) needed an x-ray afterwards on a wrist injury.

"Hopefully, Sherrad will practise this week. In terms of us putting things right, Capital have enough to beat us and I'd want to see some carry-over from an important and productive team meeting we had on Sunday, and our three practices this week.

"We've been unlucky. Lions are a stacked team. They're second in the league and you need all your people performing at their best. But we out-rebounded them and out-turned-over them. Our team has an in-built frustration. That's good. If there was apathy, I'd be worried. We're addressing things that'll make us better."

American senior pro Kadiri Richard, who leads the league in blocks, vowed: "We've been a couple of pieces missing. It takes a player who's been out for several weeks two or three games to get back in the flow before he's scoring 25-30 points again. We've been building our confidence and we're holding each other accountable for what we've each been brought here into this team to do.

"My personal goal, for example, is 12-12-4-4: 12 points a game, 12 rebounds, four blocks and four assists. If I produce more, that's great and it's what I bring to the team."

Ville Makalainen and Samuel Cricelli have become prominent during this five-week injury-hit phase.

Titmuss: "Ville's now very consistent. Defensively, he's getting the toughest match-ups and he's probably playing more minutes than anyone else. He's so professional in everything he does and I've been pleased to have that attitude in the group.

"Samuel sprained his thumb in midweek practice and the sprain was slow to heal. The whole team needs the work ethics of these two guys."

Makalainen feels he has come in and worked hard in these weeks, he said: "Somebody has to step up. I've been trying to do my job and give 100 per cent every time I go on court. In Finland, we play twice or three times a week but here I've been able to practise my skills more."

Cricelli added: "Coach Titmuss has asked me to be more aggressive in terms of taking the ball to the basket. After learning to maintain a herniated disc in my lower spine, my game's now all coming back to me."

Richard is now targeting two big performances at the weekend: "We're all going to be on the same page and everybody's getting excited about the weekend. These games, against Capital on Saturday and away to Cheshire Jets on Sunday (5.30pm), are winnable. We're looking at every game as a win and doing our best."

Lions 100: Holmes 28pts, Morris 19, Harrison 18, New 13, Spinks 7, Williams 6, Griksas 3, Pringle 2, Dupuy 2, Sioman 2, Fontaine 0, Forde 0.

Thunder 85: Makalainen 18pts 4ass 3rb 2stl, Cricelli 13pts 8rb 2ass 2stl, Richard 13pts 13rb 3bl 3ass 3stl, Bratton 11pts (4 of 19 in 2s 1 of 4 in 3s) 8rb, Brame 8pts 4ass, Marrast 8pts 2rb 2ass, Midgley 6pts 3rb 2stl, Zafirov 6pts 2 ass, Hildreth 2pts. DNP: Mitchell, Sunderland. Out Inj: Prezzie-Blue.

BBL (P W L Pts): 1 Sheffield 13 10 3 20, 2= Newcastle & M.Keynes 10 7 3 14, 4 Cheshire 9 6 3 12, 5 Leicester 10 6 4 12, 6= Everton & Guildford 9 5 4 10, 8 Glasgow 7 3 4 6, 9 Worcester Wolves 9 3 6 6, 10 Thunder 10 3 7 6, 11 Essex 7 2 5 4, 12 Capital 9 2 7 4, 13 Plymouth 8 1 7 2.

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