Worthing Thunder fired down by Reading Rockets – but Barking Abbey are beaten

​The game in Reading was always going to be tough as a very good, physical side hit Thunder hard from the start.

Thunder’s young inexperienced team fought hard all the way but were playing catch-up from early in the first quarter.

Trailing 16-28 after the first ten minutes the result was always going to go one way. Down by 15 points (36-51) at the halfway stage Thunder held firm for the final 20 minutes and lost by 78-95.

Thunder were led admirably by Hafeez Abdul, whose 28 points and nine rebounds were game high scores.

Things might have been different had new signing Daniel Johnson-Thompson not suffered four quick fouls in the first 20 minutes.

With a controversial fifth in the second half, he was restricted to 12 minutes. Fellow newcomer Tola Okiki battled on well to finish with 12 points but victory was never likely.

Sunday at the Thunderdome was to be a different story, though.

Both sides started at a fast pace but unlike Saturday Thunder held their own! With Hafeez causing problems for the Barking Abbey defence the game was always an exciting affair.

Thunder led 22-20 after period one but trailed by single point at the half.

The second half saw Thunder veteran Tom Ward take over the game.

He led Thunder from the front and as he began his tenth season with the club, he hit a game-high 23 points to go with six rebounds and seven assists.

He controlled the final minutes of the game where the lead had changed numerous times.

A big difference from Saturday was the form of Thunder’s big newbie Daniel Johnson-Thompson, who collected 12 points and a massive 14 rebounds in a stellar performance.

It was a great performance in front of an enthusiastic crowd as Thunder won 93-87, keeping up hope of going one better than last year in the Kitking Trophy.

Thunder face Sussex Bears in the final pool game this Sunday (5pm).

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