Westside story doesn't have a happy ending for Thunder

University of Chichester Thunder 57 London Westside II 70 National division four south The Bishop Otter Campus welcomed London Westside II and with two games in two days, Phillips, Hicks & Hendon-John were drafted into the squad by coach Davies. Westside started the stanza on fire, Buse and Hunte knocking down early threes and enjoying time and space inside. Thunder responded with threes from Green and Johnson, but Westside’s early dominance saw them take an imposing 20-9 lead at the end of the first stanza. After settling down Johnson and Corbin provided Thunder’s scoring threat, Corbin’s long-range three reducing the deficit. Hunte once again stepped up with 11 points in a much closer contest. Thunder thought they had cut the lead to single digits with great defence in Westside’s last possession but Hunte had other plans, knocking down a fadeaway three on the buzzer giving Westside a ten-point half-time lead. Hunte again punished the young Thunder team with a three in the opening possession of the third stanza, but unfazed and helped by Fleming’s six points and Oram’s hard work inside, Thunder never allowed Westside to put the game to bed. But six points from Crabbe ensured Westside had a 16-point lead heading into the last stanza. A spirited Thunder performance inspired by Green’s three consecutive triples reduced the lead to just eight points midway through the stanza. Westside responded through Mensah’s three and Crabbe and Westside held out for victory. Top scorer was Hunte with 25 points. THUNDER: Green 12, Oram 11, Johnson 7, Coxon 6, Fleming 6, Corbin 6, Hendon-John 4, Marshall 3, Gear, Phillips, Hicks, White. Reading University Rockets 91 University of Chichester Thunder 62 National division four south Despite a highly-entertaining first stanza in which 56 points were scored, Thunder slumped to another defeat. This time the damage was done in the second and third quarters where Reading’s defence stepped up and stretched out a 29-point lead. Despite Sam Johnson’s 21 points, Reading ran out 91-62 winners. THUNDER: Johnson 21, Oram 11, Stanley 8, Coxon, Marshall, Corbin, Gear, White, Fleming, Nyathi, Green. Team secretary Sid Fletcher said: “It was a tough weekend. “We’re competitive but at the moment we are struggling to string four consistent quarters together. “With a new and very young squad this was to be expected, but when we do play well we are a match for most teams in this league.”