Worthing Thunder miss out on league title by slimmest of margins

Brendan Okoronkwo contributed 10 points. Picture by Kyle Hemsley

Worthing Thunder finally saw their title ambitions fall short by the slimmest of margins last weekend when Solent Kestrels were crowned National Basketball League Division One champions.

Both Solent and Thunder finished the season equal on points at the top of the league and split the head-to-head matches between them but it was Solent who came out triumphant by virtue of the match aggregate scores between the two teams.

Thunder could not have done more over the last three weekends winning tricky games on the road at Loughborough and Derby Trailblazers and finishing their regular season league competition with a visit to Thames Valley Cavaliers. Thunder continued their good run of results beating the home side by 12 points (99-87).

Thunder were slightly slower out of the blocks than their hosts with Cavaliers springing into an early 21-14 lead before Thunder steadied the ship to end the quarter with a 30-25 advantage.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure throughout the second quarter and after a 15-0 lead went into the locker room at half time with a commanding 14 point lead (57-43); However a spirited 16-0 run in reply in the final quarter saw Cavaliers narrow the gap to just five points and it motivated Thunder to up their game again and, as the clock run out, encouraged by Thunder’s numerous and enthusiastic travelling fans, Thunder eventually came out victorious by 12 points.

It was another solid all-round team performance in which Thunder shot 14 baskets from beyond the arc,