TROON Tornadoes picked the right game to give their best performance of the season when they thrashed Falkirk Fury 89-65 in the Scottish Cup semi final.

Fury had beaten Tornadoes twice in the league this season but they could not live with a Tornadoes team who played some vintage up-tempo basketball.

Good defense sparked transition basketball and only some missed easy chances allowed Fury to stay relatively close in the first quarter which ended with Tornadoes ahead 21-16. In the second quarter the mercurial Ifadade Thomas took centre stage at the offensive end of the court.

On the open floor his athleticism makes him one of the most difficult players to score and in the second quarter he racked up 14 of his game high 26 points, helping Tornadoes to a 46-30 half time lead.

In the second half Ross Campbell warmed to the task and as the game when on took over at the offensive end and had 18 of his game total of 24 points the second. Although Ifadade and Ross Campbell provided most of the scoring it was the team effort on defense, rebounding and running the floor which sealed the win.

Tornadoes are at home again this weekend as they host Glasgow Storm in the last league game of the regular season.

The game is at the Citadel and tips off at 8.15 pm Tornadoes must win if they are to advance to the Gold section of the play-offs where they would meet Edinburgh Kings and possibly Falkirk Fury. Team: Ashley Holm, Stuart Gallacher, Ally Hornell, Ritchie Martin (14 points), Stuart Ramsey, Euan Campbell (capt), Ross Campbell (24 points), Andy Person, Marco Panagopolous, Josh Crolley, Ifadede Thomas.

Tornadoes cadets gained sweet revenge for a disappointing loss to Perth Phoenix earlier in the season at Perth. After a slow start where they were ahead 22-21 at the end of the first quarter Tornadoes stretched the lead to 36-28 by half time. In the third and fourth quarters Tornadoes again outscored Phoenix 24-16 in the third and 17-11 in the fourth. Tornadoes struggled against the Phoenix zone defense and did not defend the Perth centres very well.

Good defensive pressure on the guards, however, paid dividends and allowed Tornadoes to get down the floor quickly and score. Team: Jordan McIwraith (23 points), Daniel Muir, Sam Jack (23 points), Alastair Anthony, Callum Gwynne, Matthew Scott, Stephen McCallum, Ross Conquer, Rob Loughlin, Grant Gwynne, Connor McQuade, Silas McGilvray Tornadoes Juniors could not emulate they juniors in reversing an earlier loss to Perth Phoenix, Tornadoes won the first quarter 24-13 on the back of pressure defense but turnovers allowed Phoenix back into the game and they levelled the match 36-36 going into the half time break. At the end of the third quarter Tornadoes held a slender 49-48 lead and kept this in the last quarter right up to the last play of the game when a Phoenix player, as they final buzzer sounded, heaved the ball from almost mid court and this went in off the backboard. in scoring - Josh Crolley racked up 25 points, Calum Ayers 10 points, Jordan Thomson 14 points, Stewart Gallacher 11 points and Gregor Anderson 10 points. This weekend Tornadoes Cadets and Juniors are both at home to Dunfermline Reign and Boroughmuir Blaze respectively.