Before the current season started, the Chester Jets were many peoples 'dark horses' for honours this season, and their early season form of eight wins and no losses in the league bears out this belief.

For the Leopards a trip to the Northgate Arena on a Sunday night would be a difficult task, Chester are 'a big side' and they already beaten the Big Cats at Brentwood earlier in the season.

The news that Mo Robinson would be out for up to six weeks with a calf injury further complicated matters for the Leopards, so when the Arena staff decided to wet mop the court during pre match practise time allowing Jason Kimbrough to injure himself, the hard core of Leopards fans who had made the long trip north, undoubtedly felt that the basketball gods were against them.

However the post-American tour Leopards are made of sterner stuff, treating adversity as part of a days work, and so theystarted to set about the Jets.

The early minutes showed that they would not be intimidated by the home court fans who singled out Rico Alderson for particular treatment, but in fact it was Alderson who was instrumental in getting the Leopards into the game.

Alderson and Dave Attewell battled for the boards, and in spite of losing Rashod Johnson who returned to the bench on two fouls, the Leopards moved slowly ahead and led 20-12 at the end of the first quarter.

The court surface continued to cause problems especially for the Leopards who aimed to capitalise on the Jets lack of pace by looking to play fast break on any opportunity.

Indeed on the first play, Rod Brown's feet gave way under him as he rose for a lay-up.

Rashod Johnson was reintroduced by Coach Bob Donewald and made an immediate impact scoring on his first possession to take the Leopards out to a 28-16 lead.

Brought back

Leopards continued to build their lead in a five minute period where the referees decided to "let the players play", calling no fouls.

However the Jets were dangerous from behind the three point line and two "threes" brought them back into the game.

The Leopards responded in the closing minute of the half and two baskets fromAlderson and Attewell ensured that The Leopards headed to the locker room ahead by nine points (43-34).

As the crowd mingled for the half time interval, it was clear that there had been an altercation involving Chester's former NBA player Loren Meyer.

Whatever the incident, he had two technicals awarded against him and so the third quarter started with Kmibrough standing alone on court firing home four free throws, to open up a 13 point advantage.

The third quarter saw the Jets impose themselves around the basket, and the Leopards were out rebounded by the Jets big men of Meyer, Cameron, Hamilton and Gardner.

For the Leopards matters were made worse when Attewell and Alderson both collected their third fouls.

A 6-0 Jets run cut the lead to just five and Attewell collected his fourth foul under the basket.

Quiet game

Enter Kimbrough, the Leopards guard who had had a quiet game from a scoring viewpoint following his pre-game injury, stepped up a drained a long three and when Johnson drew an offensive foul from Jets James Hamilton under the basket, the momentum began to shift towards the Leopards.

When Attewell fouled out with 2.52 remaining in the third quarter, the Leopards were essentially down to the bone, although they were assisted when Jets Meyer following Attewell to the bench on collecting his fifth foul.

The Leopards were hanging on taking a narrow four point lead into the final period.

They tried to pull away at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Jets pulled it back to a two point game when Coach Donewald called a time out.

The final minutes belonged to Kimbrough. The game had entered its final two minutes whenhe drove to the basket and was fouled on his way to scoring.

Points tally

He calmly added the "and 1 " and before the Jets could respond he effectively killed the game with another three point shot, down the stretch the Leopards put the ball in his hands and as the Jets fouled to stop the clock, Kimbrough added to his point tally from the foul line.

The Leopards silenced the Chester crowd and overturned the form book to come away with a seven point victory (87-80).

Leopards now head their pool in the Uniball trophy with two wins from two games, having secured victories against two of the stronger sides in Sheffield and the Jets.

The Leopards look to make it three out of three in the Uniball Trophy when they take on the Brighton Bears at the Brentwood Centre tonight (Thursday). The game tips off at 7.30pm.

Leopards have already secured a league victory against the Bears this season so they will be hoping that their fine post U.S. tour form continues.

Next Monday, (December 4) it's the turn of the Birmingham Bullets to visit Brentwood in a BBL match.

The Bullets have been an inconsistent side so far this season, but in Yorick Williams they possess a Briitish player of real talent and flair.

This game, which tips off at Brentwood at 7.30pm, offers the Leopards the chance to close the gap on the Towers at the top of the Southern Conference.

At present Leopards have a 5-4 record which puts them in equal second place.

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