BASKETBALL: Thunder win at home against Capital before sinking to Cheshire

The crowd, an excellent one on a wild-weather night, have yet to tackle even the simplest Greek choreography when the music strikes up.

But with a 92-69 triumph at home to London Capitals undergoing completion, and a three-game losing run broken, the players showed more than willing to get dancing.

And they had something spectacular to crown the win. Veteran Daniel Hildreth, whose only minutes on court were the last three and a quarter, showed his sense of occasion.

His trademark alleyoop pass over the defence, and Kadiri Richard soared in to dunk his only field goal in nine attempts.

The leisure centre rejoiced to see the icing on the kill. It was something they had patiently waited to witness. Hardly any went home when the game, already over as a contest, stopped for 45 minutes at 66-44 to Thunder in the third quarter.

Just after one of Capital's two Lithuanian giants, Giedrius Knysas, had gone off with a deeply gashed head, star centre Ibrahim Gariba ominously lay on court, on his back without moving.

The floor was cleared, Thunder physiotherapists Paul Baskin and Kate Harwood took over, a paramedic was called for a neck injury, arrived within 10 minutes, but no local ambulance was available. One from Brighton took 30 minutes to arrive, and Gariba was wheeled away.

A game tied at 24-24 after a first quarter of six lead changes and six ties was sorted out by Thunder's guards. Worthing had leading scorer Reggie Bratton playing his second game since a four-game injury absence (foot) and Sherrad Prezzie-Blue his first after seven matches missing (broken wrist).

Capitals' back-court was without the testing Santa Ataha, and dangerous Bulgarian international Inanov Dinan arrived late, only to play 18 minutes.

Bratton and Prezzie-Blue combined for 50 points and resurrected Thunder's fast break play, to delight supporters otherwise dismayed as history nearly repeated itself.

When the teams met in London a month ago they produced 67 turnovers (37 by Capitals). This time it was 56 (31 by Capitals) with 13 in an opening 10 minutes that had little to excite, except the Thundercats Cheerleaders.

Meanwhile, Thunder's defending forwards kept the London big men each below 16 points. In total, Thunder converted Capitals' turnovers into 40 points. Capitals contrived 15 from Thunder's handouts.

On Sunday, Thunder's 28 turnovers cost themselves 33 points in a 97-73 defeat at Cheshire Jets. Worthing led 15-5, then, for the last time, 37-36, but out-rebounded Jets and netted the more two-pointers. However, Jets' three-point shooting decisively racked up 39 points.

Thunder centre Kadiri Richard explained: "We played well the first quarter but they went on runs knocking down the three.

"Everybody's back from injury now, though. And we're going to improve, going into the middle part of the season, and we're looking at getting 18 to 20 wins."

Again an opponent ended up in hospital: Jets' Irishman Colin O'Reilly with an ankle injury with two minutes left. Thunder have lost only three times by more than 10 points: by 15 to Milton Keynes but now twice by 24 to Jets.

Worthing go to Essex Pirates tomorrow (Friday), then host Newcastle Eagles on December 5.

CHESHIRE 97: *Marks 24pts 4rb 3ass, *Hamilton 19pts 3rb 4ass 4stl, *Myers 17pts 4rb, *O'Reilly 15pts 3rb (retd hurt), Phifer 8pts 4rb, Gayle 7pts 2rb 3ass 3stl, *Peterson 3pts 2ass 7ass 5stl, Simpson 2pts 3rb, Brandreth 0pts. DNP: Murphy.

THUNDER 72: *Bratton 16pts (8-14 in 2s) 5rb 6stl, *Makalainen 14pts 5rb, *Prezzie-Blue 10pts 0ass 3stl, *Richard 10pts 10rb 3ass, *Cricelli 10pts (3-5 in 2s, 0-0 in 3s 4-4 in FTs) 7rb 3ass, Zafirov 8pts 2-3 1-3 1-2, Hildreth 3pts 2ass, Brame 2pts 2rb, Midgley 0pts 2rb, Marrast 0pts. DNP: Mitchell.

THUNDER 92: *Bratton 28pts 5rb (12-17 in 2s, 1-3 in 3s, 1-2 in FTs), *Prezzie-Blue 22pts (4-4 4-7 2-2) 2ass 6stl, *Makalainen 21pts (5-5 1-2 8-9) 5rb 3ass, *Cricelli 7pts 5rb, Hildreth 4pts 1ass, Marrast 3pts 1rb, *Richard 3pts 9rb 3ass 4blk 3stl, Brame 2pts 3ass, Zafirov 2pts 2rb, Mitchell 0pts, Midgley 0pts 2 ass. DNP: Sunderland.

CAPITAL 69: *Knysas 15pts 8rb (retd hurt), Dinan 14pts (1-1 4-6 0-0), *Gariba 11pts 7rb 3ass 3stl (retd hurt), *Mills 11pts 3rb, Janusauskas 11pts 3rb, *Jivens 4pts 4ass 3stl, *Cadogan 3pts 3rb 5ass 3stl, Chiedozie 0pts, Madike 0pts, Lutaya 0pts. Not present: Ataha.

BBL (P W L Pts): 1 Sheffield 14 11 3 22, 2 Milton Keynes 12 9 3 18, 3= Newcastle & Cheshire 11 8 3 16, 5 Guildford 10 6 4 12, 6 Leicester 11 6 5 12, 7 Everton 10 5 5 10, 8 Glasgow 8 4 4 8, 9 Worthing 12 4 8 8. 10 Worcester 10 3 7 6, 11 Essex 8 2 6 4, 12 London Cap 11 2 9 4. 13 Plymouth 10 1 9 2.

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