National League Div 1: Taunton Tigers 78, Leeds 93.

TAUNTON Tigers started a tough double-headed weekend of home matches by taking on Leeds Carnegie, who were second going into the game.

Taunton got off to an excellent start with Chris Page scoring from outside the three-point arc in picking up 14 first quarter points. Paul Yabsley also looked in good form and he put Taunton comfortably ahead 23-15 with a neat inside move, late in the first period.

In the second, the dynamism and aggression of Leeds’ play started to bring success. Taunton couldn’t find a way to consistently stop strong drives to the hoop and, despite a Simon Kearney three-point shot, they trailed by six at half-time.

At 50-44, the game was still in the balance but Leeds went on an impressive 10-2 run to make the score 60-46. In the final quarter, Taunton gave it their best but could not get on top of a very strong defence and Leeds ran out comfortable winners.

Leading Tigers scorers: Page 20, Kearney 15, Yabsley 13.

National League Div 1: Taunton Tigers 67, Reading 81.

TAUNTON Tigers were desperately hoping to bounce back from the previous day’s disappointment when they took on Reading Rockets on Sunday.

Unfortunately, the exertions of the fast-paced encounter with Leeds seemed to have taken their toll, and Tigers struggled to find any offensive fluency.

A buzzer-beating three-point shot from Sean Clifford kept the deficit down to six points at the first break and scores from Paul Yabsley, Kev Anderson, Tim Clifford and Chris Page, pulled the contest back to 33-32.

However, Reading re-grouped and forced their way to a handy 43-36 lead.

In the third quarter, Taunton’s powerful inside players, Chris Page and Adam Rickwood, found their way to the basket regularly to bring the score to 48-52, only to then see the Rockets respond to lead by a daunting 13 points.

Tigers couldn’t make a dent in that lead in the final period and actually fell 22 behind before a three-pointer from Rickwood stopped the rot.

The defeat still leaves Tigers in the final play-off spot of eighth in the league table.

Leading Tigers scorers: Page 24, Rickwood 18, Yabsley 12.

Women’s National League Div 2: Bristol Storm 51, Taunton Tigers 53.

TIGERS Women upset top-of-the-table Bristol Storm to move into fourth place and within sight of the play-offs.

From the off, a quick inside score and a three-pointer from Hanna Byrne (13 points) opened up a 5-0 lead but the lead was cut to 14-11 by the first break.

In the second quarter, Storm’s American forward Ravn (18 points) caused all sorts of problems with her pace and footwork but the Tigers fought their way back to close to 26-23 by the half.

The third quarter had a similar pattern with Bristol stretching to nine points ahead only to find counter-resistance from the Tigers, particularly Abby Pow and Nicola Hartston, while Emily Farthing and Byrne were finding ways to score.

The fourth quarter belonged to Laura Dyke. Early foul trouble had limited her court-time but come the hour, class and experience came to the fore. Jenny Ridgway was the main provider as Dyke (15 points) provided ten last-quarter points to see the jubilant Taunton finishing off a famous victory.

National League Division 4: Taunton Tigers II 81, University of Chichester Thunder 82.

TIGERS 2nds’ players and coaching staff will still be scratching their heads wondering how they let this vital match slip.

Having been down by as many as 24 points just before half-time, it was to Taunton’s massive credit that they should have won the game, but a stutter right at the end cost them dearly.

What followed though, was the most incredible shift in momentum. Taunton drained six three point shots in the quarter – two each from Joe Mills and Alistair Bird, and the others from Davies and Nolan – to outscore Chichester 33-5, including a run of 28 unanswered points to lead 64-55 up.

However, leading by nine with three minutes left, Tigers didn’t find the basket again and the visitors slowly pegged them back. With just 25 seconds left Thunder nudged into a one-point lead which proved decisive.

The defeat effectively ends Tigers’ chances of making the play-offs.

Leading Tigers scorers: Bird 22, Davies 14, Nolan 14 TIGERS Men’s 1st team will be confident of putting last weekend’s disappointments behind them on Sunday at Somerset College (4pm tip-off) when they play Sheffield Arrows, who are just one place off the bottom of the table.

The Women will be looking to keep their winning form going against Plymouth Marjon at Somerset College (2pm), while the Men's second team face a tough test away to top of the table Team Solent.

At Richard Huish College, the Under-16s play Salisbury Spark at 11am and that game is followed at 1pm by the U-18s match-up against Brixton Topcats.