Worthing Thunder are ready to prove they are more than just a table-topping basketball team.

The multi-national, multi-skilled bunch reckon they have a range of talents with which to impress you.

Now they are putting their abilities and willingness to work, not to mention their height, to good use ahead of their next major away trip.

Players and coaches are auctioning their off-court talents to pay to get to the National Trophy final, being staged in Newcastle on March 4.

Travel and accommodation costs for the trip could come to almost £2,000.

Which is why the team will offer their skills to the highest bidders after they have played Kings Lynn at Worthing Leisure Centre tomorrow.

They have plenty to offer. Head coach Gary Smith will be hands-on as he gives a massage.

Top scorer Alfredo Ott, from New Orleans, is a talented artist who will draw a portrait of the highest bidder for his talents.

Janis Ivanovskis, a 6ft 8in star player from Riga possibly bound for Harvard next season, can provide a lesson in basic Latvian.

Superfit Danny Midgley, who was put through four years of hell as a college basketball player in the States, will return the compliment as your hard-to-please fitness instructor.

Father-of-two Daniel Hildreth will babysit for the evening and gentle giant Okolie Ugbana will take your kids to the park.

At 6ft 9ins, both Pat Bates and just-married Dan Shotton will be handy around the house, getting in those hard-to-reach high places.

As well as reaching the high spots around the home, Pat is willing to be your dinner date.

Local boy James Brame is ready to take on all challengers at tenpin bowling.

Smooth-talking Marcus Avant has a romantic evening in store for his top bidder, though the 6ft 7ins American will also do a few odd jobs if needed.

And Ryan Marrast will pass on his basketball skills, though he is prepared to wash cars too.

Ciaran Burns can provide a Turkish lesson while assistant coaches Chris Mayes and Alan Sweetman-Hicks are getting in on the act by washing cars and ironing respectively.

Thunder, a semi-professional club born when Worthing Bears moved to Brighton in 1999, rely heavily on their loyal fans and team spirit.

They are league champions but have never won a high-profile final, making the trip to Newcastle, where they will play Reading, all the more important.

Chris Richardson, chairman of the supporters club, said: "People travel all over the country following Worthing and it's good the team can give something back.

"The players have been brilliant. They came up with all sorts of ideas, some of which we couldn't use.

"We are sure they will give value for money to the highest bidders."

Bates, a local boy who works as a porter at Worthing hospital, is looking forward to doing his bit.

He said: "I've been racking my brains for what I can do. We're all keen to help out and the more fans we get involved the better."

Tomorrow's game tips-off at 5pm with the auction, which includes a free buffet, due to start some time after 6.30pm.

Tickets for the game, which sees former Thunder big man Hank Rivers return with Kings Lynn, are available at the door priced £6 for adults, £4 for children and £16 for a family of four.

Before that, Thunder face a testing trip to London Capitals today (6pm). Sweetman-Hicks said: "That's a difficult place to go and play but we need to go there confident of getting the result."