Southend Saints saw the Mid Essex League Basketball League men's division title go to Colchester Hornets after their opponents from north of the country stung them 117-105.

Saints knew that they could even be beaten in this match and still emerge champions - as long as they did not lose by more than nine points.

Hornets led 62-56 at half-time, but brave Saints pulled back to 91-90 at one stage before finally losing by 12 points.

Although bitterly disappointed at missing out on the title, which went to Hornets for the first time in their history, Saints deserve full credit for the way they played and conducted themselves both during and after the game.

John May led the Saints' points scoring with 30 from Andy Mathurin (26) and Ian Burns (22).

Damon Cooper (38), Justin Edwards (12) and Steve Hurd (10) pointed the way for Southend Scorpions in their 90-66 win over Colchester Highwoods Oaks in a rather low-key affair.

South Woodham Warriors saw off Basildon Blades 82-57. This was very much a tale of three Pauls with Messrs Shears (20), Raymond (17) and Went (16) grabbing the points for Warriors.

The main reply for Blades came from Peter James (14), Darrel Fosh (12) and Kris Spillman (10).

In the women's division, Southend Scorpions failed to ensure themselves a place in the play-offs when they lost to Greensward School, Hockley, based Erkenwald 68-61.

Kerry Smith (19) and Louise Sherry (14) were the Erkenwald shooting stars, while Lyn Peak (15) and Katherine Nice (12) took the biscuit for Scorpions.

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