Thunder go so close to Trophy victory

WORTHING Thunder Basketball Club assistant coach Alan Sweetman-Hicks declared his pride at the team on Friday after their 79-77 BBL Trophy defeat at Plymouth Raiders.

Plymouth’s England international Taner Adu sank the decisive basket with just two seconds left, before Thunder’s Mansour Mybe missed a three-pointer on the buzzer.

Thunder had a team of just seven players as John Nottley had not received international clearance, after playing in Spain last year, Adam Williams had turned an ankle, and their new American player-coach had not arrived.

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If that was not enough of a handicap for Thunder, they then got delayed on their way to Plymouth. The tip-off was scheduled to be 7.30pm but got delayed as Sweetman-Hicks, Shaun Durant, Mybe and Gareth Laws arrived at 7.45pm and they were playing within 20 minutes of stepping out of the car.

Despite that, Thunder started quickly and led 7-2 as captain James Brame sank two early baskets. An 8-2 response gave Plymouth, who were at full-strength, a 10-9 lead and Sam Cricelli then made his first basket for Raiders, against his old club.

Plymouth closed the first quarter 23-17 ahead before the lead changed frequently in the second quarter but Plymouth led 41-40 at half-time.

Adu opened the third quarter with Plymouth’s first three-pointer of the game but three quick scores from Thunder gave them the lead at 47-46. Plymouth hit back, though, and went into the final quarter with a 61-58 lead.

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Brame’s three-pointer gave Thunder the advantage at 67-66 and the teams traded baskets up to the final moments of the game.

Adu sank the decisive basket but Thunder took plenty of positives from the game.

Evaldas Zabas led Thunder’s scorers with 31 points, while Durant sank 17 and Brame 14.

Sweetman-Hicks said: “We really battled against all the odds and to be one basket short felt really disappointing at the time.

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“Having gone there with only seven players, then sitting for the best part of six hours in a car, I was very proud of all the boys for their performance.”

Thunder now head to Guildford Heat in the Trophy on Saturday when Sweetman-Hicks is again expected to take control of the team, although it is hoped the new player-coach will be there.

Sweetman-Hicks said: “We’ve still only got a European line-up, while they’ll have three Americans, but we’ll go there very optimistic after the great team spirit we’ve built up.

“It’s Guildford’s first game in their new venue, so the deck is stacked against us but if we show the togetherness and desire we had at Plymouth, we could be up for the shock.”

Thunder are without captain Brame, who is unavailable.

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