Thunder take time to bury Mohawks

WORTHING THUNDER stayed in command of the destiny of their own English Basketball League title on Saturday night. They defeated Tees Valley Mohawks 120-95 to stay top of the table a week ahead of their home match against Reading Rockets next Sunday that will enable Worthing to put one hand on the crown they lifted last season.

Worthing seemed to show fluctuating application towards the job in hand after star Tees Valley guard EJ Harrison had been left out to rest an injury for the games Mohawks they feel they might actually win, in their bid to avoid finishing with the wooden spoon.

Harrison's absence, however, merely released more court time and possession for talented second-string guards Kenny Roberts and Kahinder Roberts and they created a game of it until the interval, when Thunder led 60-50 after two Kenny Roberts drives to the hoop had tied the scores at 39 apiece,

It had all seemed quite easy for Thunder when Ryan Marrast started the game hot as coals to hit 17 in the opening 10 minutes and 26 in the first half. His three three-pointers in Thunder's first 23 points inspired another from Janis Ivanovskis but the Latvian was not in his normally dominant mood under the opposing backboard and, despite Marrast's offensive impact, Thunder won the opening quarter by only six points unavailability absence of head coach Gary "Chicken" Smith and second assistant Alan Sweetman-Hicks.

The third quarter decided Mohawks' fate and Thunder showed in that period their championship credentials. They won it 39-19, despite Marrast shooting an airball to open the restart and barely reaching the rim with his next effort. The flow came instead from point-guard Alfredo Ott with 15 points including back-to-back threes that opened up a 20-point lead at 84-64. Marcus Avant added another and Ott concluded the quarter with another from way out on the left that extended Thunder's lead to 30.

The final quarter included some show baskets, sparked by a Marvin Addy alleyoop from an Ott serve-up. Dan Shotton scored with his first touch after getting married and the bench had some more important minutes on court together in preparation for maybe crucial junctures in closer matches to come.

Get the Herald this week for the build-up to the Reading showdown at the Worthing Leisure Centre on Sunday at 5pm.

EBL, Div 1, Saturday: Kings Lynn 103, Sheffield Arrows 85; Worthing Thunder 120, Tees Valley 95; Coventry Crusaders 74, Reading Rockets 83; Manchester Magic 87, West Herts 79.