Essex & Herts Leopards 81 (24,40,60)
Reading Rockets 72 (24,39,54)

Game Photos courtesy of TGS Photos www.tgsphotos.co.uk

Errol Seaman was in superb form as Leopards handed Reading Rockets' their first league defeat of the season, at Goresbrook on Saturday. Seaman finished with 22 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and a block to lead the Big Cats to their fifth straight victory, and repeat their National Cup final victory against Rockets.

Demetrice Williams (24) and Troy Selvey (14) also scored well for the home side, but the win was marred by the ejection of guard Steve Ogunjimi with under a second remaining after disputing a call with the referee.

After Reading had opened the scoring through James Cook, Leopards took the initiative with a pair of Selvey scores and three-pointers from Williams and Dave Jones. Back-to-back treys from Williams saw Leopards extend their lead to 18-8 with six minutes gone, but with Selvey and Sam Salter both picking up two fouls, the visitors fought back, and a 14-4 run saw them grab the lead with 90 seconds of the first period remaining, before scores from Seaman and Williams leveled things at the first break.

The game looked to be slipping away from Leopards as the visitors opened the second period with 10 unanswered points, EJ Harrison and Dan Sandall each scoring five points.

Roger Lloyd broke the run, and as Leopards tightened up their defence a second Lloyd basket plus an Ogunjimi trey helped the Big Cats level the score before taking a one point lead thanks to a James Warwick free-throw. A Peder Madsen free-throw and a basket from former Leopard Lloyd Gardner gave Rockets a two-point advantage, but a trey from Brian Moore sent Leopards into the locker room with a one-point lead.

Back-to-back baskets from Williams kept Leopards ahead in the early stages of the second half, but when the American point guard was clattered in the paint and Jon Burnell collected a technical foul after the incident was ignored by the referees. Harrison converted the free-throws and also scored from the inbound, but a score from Seaman and a Jones three restored Leopards' lead, and although Reading twice leveled the score, the visitors never led again.

A double foul called on Roger Lloyd and Paul Tonokovich caused Rockets more problems for the visitors' big man as he was forced to sit down on his fourth foul, and although Sam Salter picked up his fourth foul for the home side, four points from Selvey sent Leopards into the final break with a six point lead.

Tonkovich halved deficit with an and-one to open the four quarter, but after Brian Moore had drained a three, former Rocket Seaman took the game over with all of Leopards’ points in a 9-3 which put them in control at 75-60 with three minutes remaining.

Selvey and then Seaman extended the lead, and although Tonkovich scored all the Rockets’ points in an 11-2 run, including four foul shots after Ogunjimi’s ejection, to cut the lead, but the Big Cats held on to wrap up another fine victory.

Leopards: D Williams 24, E Seaman 22, T Selvey 14, B Moore 8, R Lloyd 6, D Jones 3, S Ogunjimi 3, J Warwick 1, M Eames, S Salter, E Gregory.