Dave Ryan reports…

Levett Essex Leopards will look to put a dismal National Cup exit behind them when they travel to high-flying Derby Trailblazers, on Saturday.

The Big Cats went down 94-67 at second division Kent Crusaders on Sunday as their hopes of winning the oldest piece of silverware in British basketball were ended, and they will face an even tougher test this week.

Derby have won all their nine games this season to sit top of Division One as well as progressing to the Cup quarter-final stage and the semi-finals of the National Trophy.

All three meetings between the sides last season were thrillers with the Big Cats going down 75-71 in the midlands a week after an 81-71 loss against them in the Cup quarter-final before gaining revenge with a 74-71 win at Harlow Leisurezone.

Leopards’ coach Steve Ogunjimi knows that his team needs significant and immediate improvement if they are to move up the Division One table and into a play-off position:

“Sunday wasn’t acceptable” he said. “We need more energy and more pride in our performance. If that doesn’t happen quickly there are going to have to be changes.”

It was a Halloween horror show for the Big Cats on a cramped court in Gillingham, with Ogunjimi ejected midway through the third period for arguing with the referee in an erratically officiated game.

But the visiting side could have few complaints about the final result as they were outgunned by a young Kent side who chalked up their ninth successive win and took their second top flight scalp of the competition.

Leopards won the tip but that was as good as it got for the away side as they missed their first three shots, with Tosin Oyelese going scoreless at the foul line before AJ Robert finally got them off the mark to make it 4-2 in the hosts’ favour.

Ogunjimi called a timeout at the mid-point of the first period with his side trailing 18-10 but the break made little difference despite a Ladi Brown triple, and despite Kent missing a layup on the buzzer Crusaders went into the first break with a 32-16 lead.

Justin Hitchman opened the second period scoring with a pair of free-throws and Brown sunk another trey but the margin was still 16 halfway through the stanza and Kent pulled away to lead 54-33 at half-time.

Mike Martin  – who led the visitors with 14 points – opened the second half scoring with a long two-pointer but despite the Big Cats getting a rash of calls in their favour after Ogunjimi’s ejection the margin grew to 76-51 at the final break before they were outscored 18-16 in the fourth period.

Brown finished with 12 points while David Ajumobi added 11.

Leopards return to the Brentwood Centre on Friday November 11 when Reading Rockets are the visitors, tip-off 8pm.