Troy Selvey’s club record 36 point haul was not enough to prevent Leopards losing an overtime thriller at Wodson Park, on Sunday. All five of the Big Cats starters scored in double figures, but with Arrows’ American due of Noah Brown and Tucker Kain each scoring 38, Garnet Gayle’s team won the rehearsal for Saturday’s play-off game.

After an even start, three pointers from Sam Salter and James Warwick helped the Big Cats into a 14-8 lead. Dave Jones then picked up where he left off in Friday’s win against London United, and his three treys plus a two point effort to finish the quarter sent Leopards into the first break with a 12 point lead.

With Brown hitting five points, the visitors opened the second period with an 12-4 run, Errol Seaman providing Leopards’ points. Kain cut the Big Cats’ lead to five midway through the period, but five points from Jones kept the hosts in front, and a pair of late scores from Selvey sent Leopards into the locker room leading 53-47.

The frantic pace of the first half slowed a little after the break, but Arrows proved to be deadly from behind the arc as they sunk six three-pointers, and despite Salter also scoring from long range, the third period ended with the visitors leading 73-70.

The home side started the fourth quarter strongly, with Selvey, Seaman, Jones and James Warwick all getting on the scoresheet at they opened with a 12-2 run to take an 81-75 lead. Danny Richards broke the run with a three pointer, but with Selvey scoring back-to-back baskets and Warwick hitting a three, Leopards stretched their advantage to 88-80. That proved to be as good as it got for Leopards, and two baskets from both Richards and Kain leveled the score at 88 with three minutes remaining.

Six point from Selvey saw Leopards take a five point lead, and with the Big Cats still leading by two going into the final 20 seconds. Salter sunk a pair of free-throws to double the lead, but Jamie Davidson was left unguarded for an easy lay-up. With eight seconds remaining Salter was again fouled, and he hit the first free-throw before missing the second, and Brown was on hand to sink a three-pointer to take the game into overtime.

The extra period proved to be a bridge too far for the Big Cats, with Brown scoring the first five points, and by the midway stage of overtime the visitors had opened a 107-100.

A pair of Seaman baskets and one from Selvey brought Leopards back within three, but after Warwick was clearly fouled while going to the basket, the referees took not action, and Brown drained a three in transition to win the game and forced Leopards to settle for sixth place in the final table.

Leopards: T Selvey 36, J Warwick 23, D Jones 22, E Seaman 15, S Salter 11, R Lloyd 2, M Eames, M Jarvis, T Christie (DNP), E Gregory (DNP)