LEOPARDS made it five wins on the bounce as they picked up contrasting victories in the National Trophy and National Cup over the weekend.

The Big Cats edged out Worthing Thunder 80-76 in a thriller at Harlow Leisure Zone on Saturday before hammering Division Three side Hackney White Heat 95-43 on Sunday.

Against Worthing, the hosts had to do without coach Robert Youngblood for the majority of the game as he was stuck on the M11 for three hours, but Roger Malpass took charge of the team and picked up his first win as play-caller. The Leopards also had to borrow a kit from Harlow Hawks as theirs was stuck with Youngblood.

The Big Cats had trailed by as many as seven points in the third period and were still down by two at the final break before they took control in the fourth period to end Thunder’s perfect start to the season.

Albert Margai led the Big Cats with 22 points, with Dave Ajomobi adding 18, Lawrence Brown 17 and Courtney Van Beest nine.

An 11-0 start to the game put Leopards in charge, but they were limited to just seven point in the remaining seven minutes of the first period to lead as they saw their lead shaved to 18-15 at the first break.

That lead was cut to 35-34 at half-time, and the visitors took control in the third period as Thunder’s lead grew to seven points towards the end of the third before it was narrowed to 55-53 on the third quarter buzzer thanks to a three by Ajumobi.

The visitors began the final period the stronger as buckets by Selby Hind-Wills and Chavis extended Worthing’s lead at 58-53. But a three pointer from Nathan Ashby sparked a strong finish to the game from Leopards and despite a rather strange foul call on Margai, Ajumobi and Margai wrapped up the win at the foul line, Things were a lot easier the following day despite Leopards being forced to concede home advantage due to the non-availability of either of their venues.

Treys from Byron Richards Margai and Andre Allett helped them into a comfortable 27-14 first period lead and Margai scored the final five points of the half as Leopards went into the locker room with a commanding 55-29 lead.

Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly extinguished with a dominant defensive display in the third period as White Heat were held to three points as Leopards took a 75-32 lead into the final break.

Richards caught fire in the fourth quarter, draining three successive treys on his way to a game-high 22 points.

Margai assed 15 points, with Nathan Ashley finishing with 13 points and Allett 12.

Leopards will now face London Lituanica at the Brentwood Centre in the last 16 on Sunday October 26.

The Big Cats face two away games in the Trophy this weekend, visiting holders Reading Rockets on Saturday evening and Kent Crusaders the following afternoon.