Gary Smith insisted his Worthing Thunder team were still upbeat for the play-offs, despite Saturday's 100-92 home defeat to old rivals Plymouth.

Thunder are now on course to finish sixth in the NBL Conference, which would mean a two-legged tustle with Solent in the battle to reach the League's end-of-season showpiece event at Coventry.

Smith said: "It doesn't matter who we play in the play-offs. We expect to go in hard and win those games.

"We are upbeat and I am confident we can see of Sutton next week, our last league game.

"Even though we lost on Saturday I still say we are playing better than we were just after Christmas."

Thunder will need to take more care of the ball if they are to progress.

Their trick of moving possession quickly down court through the strong arm of former gridiron quarterback Dwayne Martin was picked off too easily by alert Plymouth on Saturday.

Smith also pinpointed two turnovers late in the game when his side were staging a comeback.

He will be delighted, however, with the form of top scorer Sean Hampton, whose trademark fade-away shot was again highly effective and who completed two three-point plays as the hosts took an early 13-4 lead.

Plymouth were 28-24 up at the first interval and edged back in front at 49-47 when Deng Deng struck right on half time.

Dean Williams had an inspired third quarter for Plymouth, who led by 12 early in the fourth before Thunder stitched together a 12-2 run to put themselves back in the game.

Then came those important turnovers and, though Steve Nelson hit a three-pointer and Marvin Addy produced a huge dunk, Rod Wellington slammed home a couple of spectacular finishes himself to keep Plymouth out in front.

Thunder: Hampton 40, Moore 23, Addy 14, Nelson 9, Martin 4, Brame 2.

Plymouth: Williams 26, Cetnar 23, Samuels 15, Wellington 11, Riley 7, Love 4, Deng 2.