The best crowd of the season all but filled the Brentwood Centre on Saturday for the visit of the league champion Chester Jets.

While the Leopards came into the game in buoyant mood following the midweek victory over Milton Keynes, in the back of their minds remained the humiliating defeat inflicted upon them by the Jets at the Northgate Arena soon after Christmas.

In the opening minutes it seemed possible that the Jets might repeat their earlier demolition of the Leopards. The visitors raced out to a 12-23 lead indside the first six minutes of play.

Fortunately for the Leopards two three point shots from new signing Mike Redd and Yorick Williams cut the deficit to just five points at the end of the first quarter.

The start of the second quarter saw the Leopards significantly dominate the game behind the three point line , Yorick Williams hit another long range effort and this was followed by a rare three point shot from David Fisher that gave the Kool Kats the lead.

When Marshall Sanders slammed home an "alley oop" from a Rod Brown pass, the Leopards were ahead 26-23.

In addition this period of the game saw Jets point guard John Thomas collect his second and third fouls

A three point shot from Sly McIntosh extended Leopards lead to five points midway through the second quarter, but the Jets fought back and eventually put together a 6-0 run at the end of the period to ensure that they took a five point (41-46) lead into the second half.

The Leopards narrowed the gap at the start of the third quarter through Rod Brown and with less than three minutes played Jets John Thomas was called for a "reach in" foul on Rod Brown.

The Jets "play maker" would again be forced off court.

A further Yorick Williams three point shot gave the lead back to the Leopards midway through the quarter and from this point the lead yo-yoed between the two sides for the remainder of the period, neither side being to surge ahead.

At the start of the final ten minutes Leopards trailed by just two points (63-65).

The Jets inched further ahead during the opening minutes of the fourth quarter but baskets from Marshall Sanders and Rod Brown tied the game at 71-71 with six minutes remaining.

A confrontation involving players from both sides led to referee Will Jones calling a double foul on Gregory and Williams, and disqualifying fouls on Sanders and Thomas.

Leopards desparate to stop the clock were forced to foul sending Jets players to the free throw line.

As a consequence Jets five point advantage, became ten during the closing minute.

Published Thursday, February 6, 2003

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