Phil Waghorn has told his Genesis Brighton Bears to build on the positives of two frustrating defeats in the north.

Bears followed Friday's narrow reverse at Newcastle by losing 96-92 at BBL leaders Scottish Rocks last night.

The visitors led 47-44 at half time and were in the match until the final seconds but could never get the stop they needed to move within one shot of their hosts.

Waghorn said: "The guys played pretty well throughout the weekend. If we can build on this it will have been a very positive trip.

"We had a chance of winning in the last two minutes of each game against two of the best teams in the league but not pulled it off. That sums up where we are at the moment."

Point guard Terrance McGee top scored for Bears with 24 points after coming through yesterday's game with no problems having suffered a hand injury at Newcastle.

Bears scorers: McGee 27, Alleyne 23, Parillon 18.

Worthing Thunder got another dose of the third-quarter blues as they missed a chance to end the last unbeaten record in EBL division one.

Barkers (Tarring) Thunder went down 111-105 at home to Reading Rockets on Saturday having led for much of the way.

They were 54-45 clear at halftime but were outscored 38-22 and saw power forward Jon Woods foul out in a catastrophic third period.

Reading had runs of 11-0 and 10-2 late in the third period to help turn a 69-60 deficit into an 81-74 lead.

Steve Gayle kept driving to the rim to drag Thunder back within two points in the final period but that was as close as they got.

While Woods self-destructed, front court partner Pat Bates saw his big night fizzle out rather less spectacularly as he lost momentum after a fantastic first quarter in which he scored 15 points and dominated.

Bates finished with 13 rebounds and five blocks but Reading's Paul Tonkovich gradually took over the battle of the giants and Richard Wellings offered outside menace, sinking nine of 12 three-point attempts despite being one of many players to hit foul trouble.

Thunder won 92-84 at Essex and Herts Leopards yesterday having taken command late in the third quarter.

Bates had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Gayle 22 points and Woods 20 points and 9 rebounds.

Thunder scorers (v Reading): Gayle 31, Bates 22, Ott 20, Vear 16, Woods 15, Burns 1.