SOUTHEND SAINTS.............50

SCORPIONS.........................58

The final undefeated record in the Essex Men's Basketball League sadly came to an end.

Home favourites Southend Saints went down to their local rivals Scorpions in a thrilling encounter that had every one on the edge of their seats.

The game was bound to be close with both teams challenging for league honours. The match held at St Thomas More school saw Navina Oojageer for the Saints seize the initiative from the tip-off with a three pointer.

From this the Saints managed to hold the lead during the opening minutes due to strong inside work from Andy Mathurin.

Scorpions, sponsored by Duck Tape, didn't take long to settle into the game as Lee Higgings recovered some points with three consecutive strikes. Saints suffered as six-foot-ten Jonathan May was absent from the game.

The visitors were allowed to take an eight-point lead by the interval, Damon Cooper scoring in the dying minutes of the half.

In the second period both teams stepped up a gear with Cooper in control for the Scorpions and Gianni Lettieri doing the same for the opposition.

Neither side were able to dominate the play as it remained deadlocked as the teams traded baskets. Scorpions took the lead further out of Saints' reach as they went 12 points ahead with strikes from Cooper and Lee Sutton.

As the pressure mounted the Saints responded and they clawed back six points, but Cooper had the last word as he nailed his last two free-throws, which allowed the Scorpions their eight point lead and time ran out for Saints.

Top scorers for Saints were Mathurin 26, Lettieri 16, Oojageer 11 and Emmerson 10 and for the Scorpions Cooper 33, Higgins 19, Sutton 13 and Edwards 13.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.