BASKETBALL: Wolves on the chase for play-off spot

WORTHING THUNDER face a relegation battle. Not to avoid dropping out of the BBL. No '“ to avert falling out of the play-off places.

As their six-match run-in hardens, they feel Worcester Wolves stealing up behind. And coach Dave Titmuss is categorical: "It's going to be really tough for us now. Worcester are in a better position than us to take eighth spot. They have two games in hand after beating Guildford, a better run-in than us (meeting only Leicester of the teams above Thunder], they have potentially six wins, and a roster that can better compete."

Thunder go to Everton tomorrow (Friday), Worcester on Sunday, and then receive Plymouth, Milton Keynes and Sheffield, and finally visit Plymouth. Wolves are at Leicester on Saturday, Thunder on Sunday, then, not in date order, they have games at home to Essex and Plymouth and away to London Capital, Essex and Guildford.

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Titmuss lays it out plainly and much depends on his leading points scorer. "If we win games we can take Worcester out of it. But we've got to play really smart and Reggie Bratton's got to have trust in other players. On Friday at Newcastle, they doubled up on him in the second half and he didn't play that situation well. He was forcing it, we were getting turned over or having to take a bad shot.

"We've also got to maximise Sam Cricelli. He's been a revelation after not playing last season. But teams are keying in on us now: we've got to go to the next level. Tempo's going to be very important against Everton. We must share the ball better, run the clock down, get a good shot and take away their break."

As expected, Thunder, after beating Newcastle Eagles twice at home '“ the last team to defeat them, 16 games and two months ago '“ lost away to the leaders and defending champions on Friday. The scoreline of 113-70, though, was a shock without any background knowledge. The 43 points was Worthing's heaviest losing margin.

But missing were a Thunder starter, Ville Makalainen (knee ligament damage) their top-scorer the previous game, a potential starter Janis Ivanovskis (job interview), bench guard Ryan Marrast (working), and Cricelli fouled out after playing only 23 minutes.

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Although they made only 10 turnovers and matched up elsewhere, they were out-rebounded 55-36, and, with Joe Chapman and Charles Smith white hot, Eagles swooped all over them from outside the arc, to the swish of 54 team points from three-point shooting to Thunder's 18.

In Makalainen's first absence this term, "Captain 200", James Brame, excelled as a starter. Titmuss said: "We really missed Ville. His contribution is hard to cover. He always gets the toughest defensive assignment, he does a tremendous job in limiting the opposition's potential and he's scored 25 and 23 points lately for us. But we played so well in the first half."

Thunder won the first quarter by four points after leading 18-9. Eagles led by only three at the half but allowed Thunder only seven points in the fourth quarter. They then won the BBL Trophy Final on Sunday at Guildford, 111-95 over Cheshire Jets.

Newcastle or Sheffield will be Thunder's destination if they keep eighth spot or pinch seventh, maybe, from struggling Milton Keynes. To achieve either will be a laudable triumph for this shoestring Thunder squad.

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EAGLES 113: Chapman 26pts 4rb 5ass, *Smith 25pts 8rb 4ass 2blk, *Sullivan 13pts 5rb 5ass, *Stewart 12pts 11rb 3ass, Defoe 12pts 4rb, *Jackson 10pts 2rb 4ass, *Bridge 10pts 7rb 4ass 2blk, Nielsen 3pts 4rb 2ass, Flournoy 2pts 3rb.

THUNDER 70: *Bratton 25pts (10-28 in 2s, 2-6 in 3s, 3-4 in frees) 6rb (5 offensive), *Richard 16pts (7-9 0-0 2-4) 13rb (6 off), *Prezzie-Blue 14pts (6-15 2-8 0-0) 5rb, Zabas 12pts (3-8 2-5 4-6) 3ass, *Cricelli 3pts 2rb, *Brame 0pts 2rb 2ass, Hildreth 0pts, Midgley 0pts 5rb, Mitchell 0pts.

Quarters: 20-24 27-20 (HT 47-44) 31-19 35-7.

BBL (P W-L Pts): Newcastle 30 25-5 50; Sheffield 20 24-5 48; Glasgow 29 19-10 38; Leicester 30 19-11 38; Cheshire 28 16-12 32; Everton 28 15-13 30; Milton Keynes 28 14-13 30; Worthing 30 14-16 28; Worcester 28 11-17 22; Guildford 30 11-19 20; Plymouth 28 9-19 18; Essex 29 5-23 10; London 25 3-22 6.

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