This was a disappointing defeat for the BUPA Crusaders, but the Sports Centre crowd witnessed another stirring performance.

Plymouth Raiders showed why they are one of the powerhouses in this league with a thoroughly professional performance.

From the opening, there was going to be no repeat of the previous week's low-scoring game between these two old foes. The scoreboard digits turned incessantly, and by half-time, Crusaders had scored more points than they had in the whole game last week.

Coventry took the game to the visitors with a high-paced attack that was boosted by coach Donaldson's game plan to switch in and out a whole squad of five at a time. This tactic helped provide a sting in the tail throughout the first period.

Iceman Derrick Pope dominated the first half until he was restricted by a dislocated finger just before the buzzer. Treatment during the break did the trick however, and he came out as skilful and powerful as ever. He ended leading all scorers with 36 points, including devastating drives under the rim and trademark bank shots from outside the 3-point arc.

All through the first period, the scores were close, but as the second half opened, Plymouth threatened to get away, opening up a 15 point gap at one stage. This was when coach Donaldson put some fire in his troops' bellies.

He appeared none too pleased with the lapses in concentration that gave away easy points. His squad responded, scrambling back into the game with a venomous defense that forced turnovers out of the usually reliable visitors' offence.

For the second week in a row, the House of Defence screamed the Crusaders back to a 2 point deficit with a minute to go. But it was two points too far.

A drive by Solvason with 10 seconds to go aiming to take the game to overtime, just came up short as the ball slipped from his hand, leaving the captain with the astonishingly low total of 9 points, none in the second half!

After the game BUPA Crusaders players/coach Dip Donaldson said:

"I have to put this team performance down as one of our better ones this season, the other great games were against Solent, the sad thing is that we lost all three of big games by just a couple of points.

"We came back from ten points down, with 8 minutes to play in the second half. That was some mountain to climb, but we just missed getting off the last shot for the tie or the win, this is the story of our season so far. What else can happen that we need to grow from as a team? We are still 7th in the table and that is the good thing."

The BUPA Crusaders are away this coming Sunday at Oxford, Colin Rhoome is set to make his return. The Crusaders need to win in order to keep in the top eight spots.

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