THUNDER GO DOWN TO FIRST DEFEAT

Smith said: "This game gives us a chance to measure where we are. I want us to go there, have a good performance and win. I don't want us to be on a downer because we lost at Sheffield.

"At Sheffield, Steve Parillion played well both defensively and offensively, and Sam Mead provided the team with a lot energy when he was on.

"We didn't play well, but Sheffield did and they are a good Basketball side with experienced players.

"We kept getting penalised for technical fouls which did not help, as it gave them free throws and possession.

"I thought a lot of the technical foul calls weren't justified and that made it even harder for us to reduce the deficit

"We now have to push ourselves as a club and a team to get to where we want to be."

At Sheffield, Thunder never recovered from a poor start, but were still just eight points behind at half-time, 50-42.

But that proved too much for Thunder to claw back on this occasion.

Tip-off at Reading on Sunday is 4pm.

It will be lucky November 13 for two Thunder fans when they buy their match tickets for the home game against Coventry Crusaders at the Leisure Centre.

Thunder's sponsors Barkers of Tarring will issue paying fans with a draw ticket and the prizes will be a free DVD player for an adult ticket and a CD player for a junior one.

Managing director of the independent electrical retailers, David Stanbridge, said: "This will introduce us to the Thunder fans and we will also hold similar random draws throughout the season.

"So go along to give your local team support and you may go home with a prize.

"Worthing Thunder have a large family following and have been a great success for the town over the last few years. We sponsored a board last season and I enjoyed watching several games with my family."

Alan Foster of Barkers was a director of Worthing Bears added: "We'll be having other draws on random occasions and probably also some competitions for the fans. We see a deeper involvement with Thunder other than patronage."