Worthing Thunder's win over Nottingham Hoods ' a big step in the right direction'

Worthing Thunder's comprehensive win over Nottingham Hoods over the weekend was a massive step in the right direction, says coach Josh Goddard.
Josh Goddard. Picture by Kyle HemsleyJosh Goddard. Picture by Kyle Hemsley
Josh Goddard. Picture by Kyle Hemsley

Thunder beat Nottingham 84-74 in the midlands, Sunday lunchtime, however minor blips allowed Hoods to claw their way back into the game late on, which made life a little rougher than it should have been for Worthing.

But there was no denying Worthing’s superiority though, which Goddard attributes to his side communicating more at both ends of the floor.

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Goddard said: “Our defence was a lot better, we were communicating more and our rotations were a lot better.

“There were lapses at times but it was definitely a big step in the right direction for how we want to be playing.”

SEE ALSO Worthing Thunder breeze past Nottingham Hoods as Owumi stars | Badminton star Wong crowned Sussex champion | Joe Townsend and Teresa Bennett are honoured at Sussex Sports AwardsThunder led from start to finish, racing to a 20-6 lead after one and maintained that lead comfortably throughout.

The win sees Thunder keep second place with just one loss so far this season.

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Solent Kestrels continue to lead the way in division 1 after they beat Reading Rockets on Saturday night.

The individual brilliance of Alex Owumi also stood out, despite taking nearly a quarter of Worthing’s shots overall, he came up with the goods, amassing 30 points and hitting seven three-pointers, shooting 52 percent from the floor.

With Owumi in scintillating form, Thunder didn’t need much in the way of back-up scoring, but still, it was provided as Zaire Taylor added 18 points and six rebounds with Tom Ward getting 12.

Goddard said: “Alex brings everything you want from a seasoned veteran to the team.

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“His skill set combined with his tactical understanding of the game is playing a huge factor in our success so far this season.

“His leadership on the court has also helped get the team together enabling us to have a really cohesive group of already talented players that are getting strong every week.”

Worthing return to the Worthing Leisure Centre this Saturday when they welcome last season’s National League division 1, regular season champions Loughborough Riders. The game tips off at 7:30pm.