Worthing Thunder 112 (32,60,83)
Essex & Herts Leopards 92 (32,53,65)

Mark Quashie’s best performance of the season was not enough to prevent the Big Cats slipping to a second defeat of the season against Worthing Thunder. Quashie hit 16 points during an explosive first quarter, and finished with a total of 23, together with four rebounds, two blocks and a steal.

Brandon Kephart again led the Leopards’ scoring, finishing with 25 points, while Laurent Irish and Rodney Alexander each scored 15 in the highest scoring game Jon Burnell’s team have played in this season.

With Scoop Wicker having been forced to return home to America, there was always a risk going into the game that the Big Cats would struggle offensively, but those fears were quickly allayed as they produced their highest first period tally of the season – 32. The visitors opened with seven unanswered points thanks to five from Kephart and a Quashie hook shot, and the pair continued to score freely, each hitting eight points as Leopards led 16-10 at the midway point in the quarter. The problems started for Leopards when Roger Lloyd picked up his second foul, allowing Teon Knox to convert a three point play, and Gaylon Moore gave the hosts their first lead with 4:11 on the clock Despite that Leopards regained the lead with successful and-ones from Irish and Quashie, but a harsh technical foul on Alexander help Worthing level the score at the first break.

Thunder opened the second period with five straight points, but seven points from Kephart and an Alexander trey helped the Big Cats level things up at 42-42 at the midway point in the period.

A long range two from Alexander tied the score at 46, but that was the last time Leopards were on level terms as Thunder hit eight unanswered points. Quashie scored what proved to be his only points of the second period, and Brian Moore drained a three, but back to back scores from Knox helped Thunder open a seven point half-time lead. After such an offensive treat for the travelling supporters, the third period proved to be a disappointment as Leopards were outscored 23-12. One-from-two foul shooting from Quashie ended a season-high run of ten straight conversions from the charity stripe for the Big Cats, and a 7-1 run saw Thunder take the lead out to 15 with just under five minutes of the period remaining – and there was no way back for the Leopards after that, with the hosts extending their advantage to 18 by the final break.

Irish and Moore drained shots to reduce the lead to 15 in the early part of the period, but back-to-back scores from Alexander could only knock Thunder-s advantage down to 14with seven minutes remaining, and that was as close at the Big Cats came during the rest of the game. Ben Stacey converted one-from-two free-throws after a farcical refereeing mix-up to ensure that all eight of Leopards depleted squad were on the scoreboard, but the game again highlighted the Big Cats need for a dominant defensive presence.

Leopards: B Kephart 25, M Quashie 23, L Irish 15, R Alexander 15, B Moore 6, M Eames 4, R Lloyd 3, B Stacey 1.

Juniors
U18s beat local rivals Brentwood 77-65 and the U16 Boys bounce back with an 85-55 win over Gloster.