BASKETBALL: Matt's the man as Thunder claim win

Matt Yates top scored with 27 points, with good support coming from Jacob Holt and Richard Higgins with 16 and 11 points respectively, while coach Graham Yates made special mention of the defensive work of Jake Barr.

Northants Thunder 70 Coventry Tornadoes 61

NORTHANTS THUNDER got back to winning ways with a victory against Coventry Tornadoes in the Junior Men’s National League (Midlands West Conference).

It was a topsy-turvy game in which both teams were able to put together substantial points scoring runs.

For Thunder, Cameron Samuels top scored with 20 points.

Chris Amanakonah, Zac Kitchen and Ed Wallhead all bagged double figures.

Shropshire Warriors 57 Northants Thunder 92

THE below-par Cadet Boys lost out to the Shropshire Warriors in the Under 16 Boys National League (Midlands West Conference).

A look at the table before the start of this game would have suggested a close encounter, but it turned out to be a one-sided defeat for the Northants team.

After being competitive at the start of the game, Thunder totally lost their way.

Only Connor White and Adam Lewandowski, with 23 and 15 points respectively, made any substantial contribution to Thunder’s final total.

Northants Lightning 73 Leicester Warriors 42

THERE was a morale-boosting victory for Northants Lightning in the Under 16 Girls National League (North Conference).

Against a Leicester Warriors team playing without several key players, the Northants girls recorded an emphatic and well deserved win.

Lightning jumped out to an early 13-2 lead and dominated proceedings from then on, comfortably outscoring their opponents in all four periods of play.

The Lightning scoring was led by Lucy Needham with 17 points, while excellent support came from Poppy Barnett and Maia Chinnick.

Bristol Flyers 105 Northants Thunder 37

THUNDER suffered a heavy defeat in the Under 14 Boys National League (Midlands West Conference).

The Northants side made the long journey to Bristol for an early tip off with a warning to prepare properly for the game.

The Bristol boys showed massive intensity from the opening tip, storming into a 20-0 run.

Thunder were unsettled for the whole of the game, with Flyers doing a good job of disrupting their offence and ultimately claiming a big victory.

Ashley Kitchen proved to be Thunder’s only offensive threat, scoring 23 of the 37 points.

Northants Lightning 67 Leicester Warriors 55

Bucks Hornets 54 Northants Lightning 37

IT was a weekend of mixed fortunes for Lightning in the Under 14 Girls National League (Midland Conference).

The Northants girls started back-to-back games with a fixture against Leicester Warriors.

A close game was expected, and so it proved, although Lightning were guilty of seeing a 20-point lead disappear at the start of the third period of play.

They eventually got the job done, with Hosana Ajayi, Ashia King and Isabella Rinon all making key contributions.

The scoring of Dina Kosnikovska, with 27 points, and Chloe Stevens, with 15, was a crucial factor in the victory.

The following day, Lightning travelled to Aylesbury to take on Bucks Hornets.

They expected a tough game - and they certainly got it.

Kosnikovska contributed 10 points, but scoring remained a problem for the rest of the young Northants players.

Northants Thunder lost all three Central Venue games last weekend.

They were beaten 12-11 by the Condos, 14-13 by Phoenix and 11-10 by Titans.

Fixtures

Saturday, December 2: 9.30am to 11am: Junior Ballers session; 11.30am: Under 14 Girls versus Northamptonshire Titans; Under 14 Boys versus City of Birmingham; 2pm: Under 16 Boys versus West Bromwich Albion; 4pm: Junior Men versus Worcester Wolves; 6pm: Senior Men versus Charnwood (all these games will be played ay the Basketball Centre which is situated at Northampton School for Girls, Spinney Hill Road, Northampton- spectators are welcome and admission is free).

Sunday, December 3: Senior Men travel to Warwickshire Hawks, Under 14 Girls travel to Luton