BASKETBALL: Debutant Zabas stars in another shock win for Thunder

It was a more than impressive debut from their pick-up signing a week earlier from the controversial Worcester Wolves explosion '” which was repaired last week with arrival of new coach Paul James, the former Guildford success.

Zabas joint top-scored with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.

He was guilty of no turnovers in a team of strangers, and made a catalogue of things happen when he sped to the basket in the closing stages of another exciting match.

Zabas would have played against Glasgow Rocks, only his transfer papers were unready, but he walked this weekend into a new crisis that he proved tailor-made to solve.

Thunder coach Dave Titmuss found himself yet again without his leading scorer, Reggie Bratton '” a new foot injury, different foot, from the Glasgow game.

On top of this, Titmuss dispensed for good on Friday with Bulgarian forward Petroslav Zafirov.

But when Riders walked into the building without their own leading scorer, Taurean (Tack] Minor, the odds were someway evened up.

It was the sack for the volatile Tack, from last season's coach of the year, Rob Paternostro, and Riders looked understandably underpowered with Minor having been shown the door.

But Titmuss' squad had to cope without Zafirov coming off the bench to replace lost height against the BBL's leading rebounding team.

When centre Kadiri Richard fouled out with 13 points and three blocked shots, 7min 16sec still to go and Thunder only 75-69 up, it left Samuel Cricelli their only big man left standing '” and he was precipitously on four fouls.

Surely, Riders' backboard men would pull them through. But no. The acceleration, courage and speed of Zabas, the coolness of Sherrad Prezzie-Blue, and the characteristically persistent endeavour of Ville Makalainen inspired Thunder to chalk up another triumph for the smaller men. Cricelli crucially avoided a fifth foul, performed vitally damaging deeds himself, and Thunder earned one decisive piece of luck.

After the excellent Daniel Midgley made it 80-73, Cricelli went down injured. The scare evaporated with his return but Bradd Wierzbicki's baseline driving and Jason Johnson's rebounding rallied Riders back to go ahead 87-86 in the 13th change of lead.

Only 46 seconds remained but Titmuss' two time-outs held Thunder steady and focused the mental strength they have begun to develop seriously, as seen in their previous win over Newcastle Eagles.

At this point Paternostro surprisingly, arguably fatally, rested Wierzbicki. At 0:30sec, Makalainen drove at the Leicester basket and Riders' defence ripped the ball from him but out of play.

As Thunder prepared to inbound, baseline, La Taryl Williams pushed an opponent as the teams lined up in a pre-scatter formation. The ball being dead, any foul had to be ruled unsportsmanlike. So Makalainen made both free throws (88-87), then, from the awarded possession Zabas drew Johnson into the foul and made both free throws (90-87 at 0:15sec).

Riders' only hope was to get the ball to Wierzbicki for a last-gasp three-pointer. They did it. Thunder badly allowed Isaac Westbrook to intercept their sideline ball but the Polish American was off balance, falling out of play, and his airball signalled Thunder fans' rejoicings.

Three home wins on the bounce '” just as exactly a year ago. But, unlike last season, something says the best of this Thunder campaign still lies ahead.

Zabbas said: "I tried my hardest and I was pleased how we got the win. We all stepped up as a group and we're going to be a full team for real when Reggie's back.

"Coach Titmuss told us at the end we needed to push the ball at them but play controlled basketball.

"I was brought up in Toronto. Yes, I watched the Raptors and now, at 21, I still feel I could become good enough to play in the NBA."

Paternostro on the unsportsmanlike foul decision: "From a neutral basketball fan's point of view, that kind of referee's decision should not decide a close basketball match.

"I know this kind of call evens out for you down the year (Riders recently won at Essex Pirates in similar circumstances] and the refs had a great game tonight.

"But I think common sense should be applied when it's a one-point game inside the last minute and the ball is under the basket. It gave Thunder two shots and the ball.

"I thought we played well. We made some good decisions down the stretch, we worked the ball well and I thought we had the game.

"Coach Titmuss is doing a wise job. He's got the team playing hard every night and they are going to be tough at the end of the season."

Titmuss said:"Evaldas' work-rate in practice has changed again the work ethos here.

"He gives us a three-way threat around the perimeter now with Sherrad (Prezzie-Blue] and Reggie (Bratton].

"This enables us to stretch teams wide and to be able to work easier through the middle.

"He'll be at the point, Sherrad at the two spot. We'll be playing more a running game now. I want to develop a pushing type of game with outside men. At times tonight we looked pretty quick."

Talking on Zafirov's release, he added: "We've got to maximise the budget resources available to us. It's about production, not about fitting in.

"We needed productivity from him but what we got wasn't expected. He didn't suit the style of play we've been developing. We only had highlight film of him, not a full game, but we thought what we were getting was a European-style inside-outside guy.

"Because we're not a big team, rebounding was a big factor for us. I spoke to Pepe some weeks ago. He's now going to Worcester. A different team, a different club might suit him better."

THUNDER 90: Zabas 20pts 4rb 3ass, Cricelli 20pts, Makalainen 18pts, Prezzie-Blue 15pts, Richard 13pts 4rb 3blk, Midgley 4pts, Hildreth 0pts, Brame 0pts, Marrast 0pts. Out inj: Bratton. DNP: Mitchell.

RIDERS 87: Wierzbicki 24pts, Johnson 23pts, LT. Williams 10pts.

Table (P W-L Pts): Sheffield 18 14-4 28; Newcastle 16 12-4 24; M.Keynes 16 11-5 22; Cheshire 14 9-5 18, Everton 14 8-6 16; Leicester 15 8-7 16; Glasgow 13 7-6 14; Guildford 15 7-8 14; Thunder 16 7-9 14; Worcester 11 3-8 6; Essex 14 3-11 6; London 14 3-11 6; Plymouth 14 3-11 6.

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