Skipper Gaylon Moore has called on his dejected Worthing Thunder side to keep producing the form which took them to the brink of NBL Trophy glory yesterday.

Thunder led favourites Teesside Mohawks by eight points at half-time and 12 in the third quarter before going down 84-78 in another pulsating contest at the NIA.

They were outscored 23-13 in the decisive fourth period and wasted 17 of 30 free throws as a whole to miss out on revenge for last season's humiliation by the same opponents on finals' day.

This was a much better performance than they mustered in the showpiece event at Sheffield a year ago but it cut little ice with Moore.

The Thunder centre, who took ten rebounds in the first half alone and a game-high 14 overall, said: "We played really well for three quarters of the game but it was not enough.

"There are so many things going through my head right now so I really don't know why we lost but those free throws definitely hurt us.

"We were in control for most of the game but we let it slip out of our hands.

"We can take positives from this though. We took steps forward in this game and our main concern now is not to go back. We have got to play like this every time we step on the floor regardless of who we are playing against."

Thunder grabbed an astonishing 16 offensive rebounds in a first half they controlled to the tune of 48-40.

Victory was looking likely when the advantage was stretched to double figures but Teesside cut that to just 65-61 at the final break.

Then Jason Swaine, pinpointed beforehand by Thunder coach Gary Smith as the holders' main threat, found his three-point range as Teesside hit the front.

Thunder were still within four points in the last two minutes but could not grab a defensive rebound when they really needed it.

Ralph Bucci was named MVP, his fourth such award in five years after hitting 11 of his 13 two-point attempts and adding 11 rebounds but Thunder players also shone.

Rani Malik, in his first season at this level, was three-of-four from three-point range, Lavoris Jerry hit the first basket of the contest from long range and added nine boards to his 26 points, Marvin Addy looked much more confident than in last season's final and Daniel Hildreth brought his brand of high-energy hussle back to the big stage.

Thunder: Jerry 26, Moore 18, Malik 12, O'Haraby 7, Hildreth 7, Addy 7, Harris 1.

Mohawks: Bucci 26, Harrison 18, Swaine 16, Perkins 12, Nicholson 10, Efuana 2.