Gary Smith today told his double-chasing Worthing Thunder team: "This is your stage."

League-winning Thunder tackle No. 2 seeds Reading in what promises to be a close-fought English Basketball League play-off final at the NIA in Birmingham tomorrow (3pm).

Coach Smith said: "We work hard, we practise hard and this final is good for the guys. They dig deep and they want to win every game.

"It's nice to go to the NIA and try to win it but we've done the big thing which is winning the league. Don't forget that."

The teams shared more than 450 points in their two league games and free-scoring Thunder will look to run Reading's half-court specialists off their feet.