IT WAS a mixed Sunday for the Brentwood Centre-based Leopards basketball team as they managed to both win and lose on the same day.
The Big Cats received a 20-0 walkover against Brentwood Fire in the first game of their defence of the National Cup before going down 85-71 against Reading Rockets in a hastily arranged Clarendon Cup game at Basildon Sporting Village.
Fire had been reinstated into the cup after Eastside Eagles were expelled for failing to provide valid licence cards for the players in the previous round, but the Division Four side refused to play the game claiming that they couldn't raise a team.
"We're a bit disappointed that Fire wouldn't play us," admitted Leopards' general manager Dave Ryan.
"They had five days notice for a game on their doorstep, non-league football teams manage that kind of thing all of the time and we played a game at Crystal Palace earlier in the season with only a couple of days notice.
"A tough game against Reading was probably better for our team, and we'd like to thank them for stepping in at the last minute, but it was a disappointing way to start our cup defence."
With American big-man Greg Hernandez still missing with an injured foot, the Big Cats produced a disjointed performance against the Rockets.
Simon Cummings overcame a poor shooting night to lead all scorers with 27 points, while Carl Josey scored all of his 19 points in the second half, adding eight rebounds and four assists. Taner Adu finished with 15 points, four boars and three assists.
A poor start to the game saw Leopards concede the first seven points, and they went into the first break 30-14 down.
The Big Cats shaded the early stages of the second period, but trailed 48-31 going into the locker room.
A basket from Adu with 6:43 remaining in the third period made it a nine-point game as Leopards started the second half well, but that was as good as it got for the home side as Rockets led 68-52 at the final break and they could only chip two points off the deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Big Cats return to Basildon Sporting Village on Sunday afternoon when Worthing Thunder are the visitors in the National Trophy, tip-off 4pm.
Admission at Basildon is £6 for adults, £4 for concessions and £16 for a two adult, two child family.
Thunder have lost their opening three Trophy games, and will need to win on Sunday to retain any realistic hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Robert Youngblood's team are also in action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Leicester Warriors for a Trophy game.
The midlands side, who were defeated by the Big Cats in the play-off semi-final last season, have won two of their four games in all competitions, but like Thunder they are still looking for their first Trophy win.
