Storm’s mixed bag

Ayr Storm basketball teams savoured a double win in Edinburgh but then lost twice at home to Glasgow Rocks.

The U16 men returned to Scottish Basketball Championship action with a 77- 51 away to Boroughmuir Blaze.

Mathew Keegan, Matthew Morrison and Paul Gibbons combined for the opening 18 points as they took the period 12: 20.

Gabriel Lorimer hit a scoring roll as Ayr took P2 16: 18 for a 10 point half- time lead.

P3 was won 6: 27 to allow Storm to try new ideas and give bench players more court time.

Squad: Gibbons ( 11pts), Lang ( 4), Tomba ( 2), Smith, Morrison ( 18), Kerr ( 2) Martin, Keegan ( 23), Pirie, Lorimer ( 17), Bradley, Ferguson.

The U18 men beat Blaze 109- 49. Hamish Abblett and Lewis Dunbar ran riot in the opening period. Debutant Isaac Femi was joined by U16m players Harry Kerr, Paul Gibbons and Mathew Keegan and helped put the game out of sight.

The U16m lost 68: 73 to a Rocks side who had won all previous games by big margins.

Top scorers: Mathew Keegan 41pts, Paul Gibbons 15pts, Isaac Femi 8pts.

It was heartbreak for the U18men who took a double digit lead against Hawks but then faded to lose 81: 85.

Trailing with under seven seconds left, coach Morrison called a timeout and set a final play that was executed perfectly and Ayr went one up – only to foul with 0.7seconds left.

However, Rocks sunk only one of the shots and the game went to overtime where a couple of big threes from the visitors put them in control.