THE first ever Scottish Basketball Championship fixture between Ayr Storm and Dalry-based Ayrshire Tornadoes kept the large support of parents and friends for both sides entertained at Belmont Academy.

Hosts Ayr Storm got the first basket through Mathew Keegan (26 points) but a three-point score from Tornadoes right on the shot clock buzzer was to give the visitors a lead they then stretched in the first period to a comfortable 10-point gap (18-8).

Coach Danny Gibbons reminded his young side in the period break there was still a lot of basketball to go and to remain focussed. A much better 2nd period for Storm did not make any impact on the lead (P2 score 13:14) but the Ayr side went to the break high on confidence they could improve further in the 2nd half.

A stunning defensive effort in the third period limited Tornadoes to just 7 points, while Matthew Mossion (14pts) and captain Paul Gibbons (12pts) found space for quality shots and Gabriel Lorimer (eight points) started to dominate the boards - all helping Ayr to 20pts in the period and taking a 3pt lead into the final quarter.

P4 saw the sides trading baskets with neither able to make a decisive break. With 10 seconds left, Tornadoes had possession and control of the result but Storm forced them to the line where they made one of the two shots.

This gave Ayr a chance for a time out and to setup one final play to try and take the game into overtime. The team found space for Paul to shoot a three but the shot was blocked and it looked over. However he had other ideas recovering the loose ball and getting a second shot awaywhich brought the home crowd to its feet as the basket was made and the full-time buzzer went. Score at the end of regulation time: Ayr Storm 58 Ayrshire Tornadoes 70.

Those fouls to put Tornadoes on the line would haunt Ayr as in the first minute of overtime their captain fouled out the game. It was the visitors who controlled the extra period and ran out winners. Final score: Storm 63 Tornadoes 70.

"It was a great game to be involved in and I am sure all in the hall will remember that final play in the fourth period as a early highlight of our debut season in SBC Division 2 - and a sign of the determination this squad," coach Gibbons said.

He added: "That was a great experience for the boys and will help their development as a squad as we continue through the season".

The next game for the U16men is away to St Mirren, the powerhouse club in the West so will be a good measure of the progress being made in Ayr at this age group.

Ayr Squad: P Gibbons (12pts), C Lang, I Tomba (2), H Smith, B Wheeler, M Morrison (14), H Kerr (1), D Martin, D Pirie, M Keegan (26), G Lorimer (8), B Ferguson

The club's other sections are all training hard in preparation for the start of the SLBA league seasons.

The division four men took part in a pre-season tournament in Paisley and won five of the six games they played, as did the eventual winners Glasgow City, who Ayr actually beat. However as the format meant not all teams played each other, points difference was used to split teams and City took the trophy on that.