High-flying Kestrels leave Worthing Thunder beaten

Thunder were disappointed by defeat when they took the short journey along the south coast to face league champions Solent Kestrels.
Howard Crawford couldn't save Thunder from defeat against Kestrels / Picture: Kyle HemsleyHoward Crawford couldn't save Thunder from defeat against Kestrels / Picture: Kyle Hemsley
Howard Crawford couldn't save Thunder from defeat against Kestrels / Picture: Kyle Hemsley

They went full of hope that they could defeat the league’s top dogs but that hope was cruelly extinguished as the hosts played some delightful eye-catching ball to blow Thunder away in the fourth quarter for a big victory.

Thunder started slowly and the Kestrels hit the floor running, steadily scoring as they built up a ten-point lead by the first break – showing Thunder the team basketball everyone was afraid of.

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Thunder were poor in comparison looking totally out of sorts. It was 21-11 at the first break.

Thunder showed some improvement in the second quarter as they tried hard to get back into the game! Pulling it back to five points midway through the period it looked as if they still had a chance to get a shock victory.

This was however as good as it got as Solent dug in to take a nine-point lead into the half time break at 41-32.

The third quarter was much the same with the hosts controlling the game as a disjointed Thunder huffed and puffed.

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Behind by 62-48 at the final break it was looking desperate for the visitors.

The final period saw the Kestrels put the game to bed as they piled in 30 points to Thunder’s 19.

The game finally finished at 92-67 for yet another win for the champions.

For Thunder this game was terribly disappointing as the team play of previous games had disappeared.

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It is one to forget and they now need to concentrate on the upcoming games in the hope that the magnificent form they know they possessed in previous games will return.

They start with a double home game weekend at the Thunderdome.

Saturday sees the visit of in-form Derby Trailblazers, tipping at 7.30pm, then on Sunday for the third time this season it is London Lions twos who step on court, that at 5pm! A large, noisy home crowd should lift Thunder.

Following Sunday’s game, Thunder stage a social night in the Shaftesbury Room which includes the auctioning of the pink jerseys the team wore in October in aid of breast cancer awareness.

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