Worthing Thunder play their final game of 2011 away from the Leisure Centre, as they face Leeds Carnegie on Sunday afternoon, with the Sussex club hoping to make it seven wins in a row and end the year on a high.
Thunder are currently sitting in third place in the EBL Division One table, and could end the year in second position with a win in Yorkshire to a Leeds side who are struggling at the other end of the table with a 2-5 record.
Coach Gary Smith will again not be travelling with the team, as his doctor has advised him to rest following an illness. But Smith has been paying close attention to what’s been going on and is delighted with the progress interim coach James Brame and the team are making.
“I’m incredibly proud and pleased with how James and the team is getting on,” Smith said. “I’ve kind of thrown James at the deep end, but we still talk and still roll off ideas near enough every day. The team is doing great and they are playing the basketball that I want them to play and what James wants them to play also, so we are moving in the right direction heading to 2012.”
For Brame, who will take charge again this weekend, he isn’t taking Leeds lightly, despite their position in the league. The Thunder veteran certainly hasn’t forgotten his side’s 79-73 defeat in Yorkshire in October.
“Leeds may be below us, but we will certainly not be taking them lightly. All teams in this league are more than capable of beating each other,” Brame commented.
“We haven’t forgotten our loss there either. It’s redemption time for us, as we want to keep this winning streak rolling. And we do that by playing the same brand of basketball that we’ve been doing throughout this winning streak. I’m confident though that we will get the job done.”
Tip-off at the Carnegie Sports Hall is at 4.00pm.
