Thunder suffer two defeats

They lost 64-61 at Guildford Heat in the BBL Championship on Saturday before a 88-78 defeat at home to Worcester Wolves in the BBL Cup on Sunday.

Smith signed a two-year deal to return as coach last week and took positives out of the weekend and said: “Things can only get better.

“The weekend has been okay but two losses is a negative. The guys are new to me, though, and I’m new to them.

“We need to play our style of basketball – solid defence and go from there.

“It’s too early to set targets – until we have a full squad and get everyone together. I’m happy with the nucleus we have – it’s a good unit and is very positive.

“We can only get better and I think we will.

“I’d like to add one or two players but we’re getting there.

“There’s a lot to take out of the weekend. People look at the scores and don’t really know what happened – they don’t look at what we have got and who we have played.

“We put ourselves into positions to win. Saturday could have gone either way, but we left ourselves too much of a big hole against Worcester when we were down 17 points at half-time.”

On Saturday, Thunder started well and led 9-6 after five minutes before a Martelle McLemore three-pointer tied the game and David Schneider’s free throw gave the hosts the lead.

Worthing kept in touch, though, and the first quarter finished 18-18.

Thunder started the second quarter with a 13-5 run following a Mansour Mybe three but Guildford rallied to trail by just three points at half-time, 32-29.

Heat won the third quarter to take a 52-47 lead into the last stanza but Thunder then moved ahead, 61-59 in a tense and nervy finale, which was decided in Heat’s favour from the free throw line.

Adam Williams led Thunder’s scoring with 16 points, while Shaun Durant sank 15.

Heat’s Julius Joseph was the game’s leading scorer with 18 points. McLemore added 16 and Schneider 13 for the home side.

On Sunday, Smith felt his side conceded too many points in the first half. They trailed 26-22 at the end of the first quarter.

They led for the only time in the game, 27-26, in the second period but Thunder managed just nine points in that stanza and were 48-31 down at half-time.

The lead had increased to 19 points by the end of the third quarter, 73-54, and although Thunder reduced the deficit to 10 points, 86-76, with three minutes left, missed offensive chances meant Worcester easily saw out the game.

Smith said: “We can’t afford to have 80 points against us and 50 points in a half with the way we play.

“To be down by 17 points at half-time is too many for us, 10 we can afford but 17 is too big a hole.

“We had a comeback and made a little run in the fourth quarter when the defence did great and stopped five successive shots but we missed some gimmes in attack.

“Take nothing away from Worcester, though. They’re a good outfit, well-drilled and are going to be a top four team.”

Thunder’s Mybe topped the game’s scorers with 24 and John Nottley sank 19 and Williams 13.

For Worcester, Justin Dobbins contributed 19 points, David Watts 16 and Aleksas Zimnickas 15.