Thunder take over outright lead

WORTHING THUNDER went back top of the English League outright on Sunday when they dismissed the fifth-placed team Sheffield Arrows at the Leisure Centre. Early in the second half of their 108-82 victory, they learned that Reading Rockets had beaten Manchester Magic to take their place in the National Trophy Final against Thunder at Newcastle Arena on March 4.

Arrows' three main men could not combine to threaten a Thunder team who always led and whose inside play was unstoppable with Janis Ivanovskis hitting 32 points and centre Pat Bates 26 - with both men tidying up a dozen rebounds a apiece for the defending champions.

Making the play was Alfredo Ott. The Angel of New Orleans had 10 assists and 10 steals as well as 21 points - a treasured triple double - playing at the point-guard spot in which Thunder would rather not employ him.

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Daniel Midgley came off the bench to hand out three assists and pull down seven rebounds.

On Saturday, Ryan Marrast's two late back-to-back three pointers had lifted Thunder finally through to an anxious 111-104 win over London Leopards at Wodson Park.

Ott led all scorers with 29 points, all assists with eight, all steals with four. Recent new starter Marrast made four of his six two-point attempts, all three of his three-pointers and all four of his free throws, to notch 21.

Full report in Thursday's paper and stats on this website. We speak to Ryan Marrast.

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