Lavoris Jerry treated Worthing Thunder fans to one of the dunks of the season in the defeat of Plymouth.

Now he hopes to provide more moments of magic when Manchester visit in the play-offs tonight (8pm).

Jerry threw down three super dunks in a storming 82-77 win and they got better as they went along.

It was a great way to help turn the game and, in the process, underline the lunacy of this week's edict that Conference teams will only be able to field one American next season.

Had that rule been in operation this season, Jerry would never have arrived on these shores.

That would have been Thunder's loss and also the loss of their fans.

The sort of feats Jerry can produce surely have a highly beneficial effect in inspiring young English players to hone their skills and work on their game.

Thunder officials admit they are infuriated by the new guidelines and will fight them.

Given that they field three English starters, make good use of their bench players and employ a comparitively young British coach, Worthing can hardly be said to be preventing the development of domestic talent.

But such talent thrives on fans paying to watch them and how many have been initially tempted to attend games by the chance of seeing players like Jerry, Gaylon Moore and Sean Hampton in action?

Jerry's one weakness is that he can vanish from games at times.

Five minutes of his magic though can be enough to turn things in Thunder's favour.

As for those dunks, no-one does it better, as he proved last Saturday.

The first, a two-handed reverse, was decent enough, though it came under no pressure as Thunder launched a fast break.

The second, early in the fourth quarter with his side looking to wipe out a 12-point deficit, was superb.

He took the ball wide on the right, attacked along the baseline and reached above the Plymouth defenders to finish.

If that was good, the third bordered on the unbelievable.

He raced to the basket and dunked over Dean Williams in a position where most players would have been pleased to have made a lay-up.

Jerry's feats inspired team mates and fans in a memorable fourth quarter.

He said: "We needed a spark and that provided it.

"I like to improvise my dunks and just do what is right for the moment.

"The second one was a baseline drive, a two-handed dunk and then just swing on the rim and slap the backboard.

"The third was one of the best I have done this year.

"I thought their guy was going to foul me.

"I was expecting contact but the next thing I remember is seeing him going through the bottom of the rim.

"I went a lot higher than him and put it on his head.

"I've got a couple more dunks I've been trying for all year. It just depends on the moment."

Jerry learned his trademark skill when still at middle school in his native Florida.

He said: "We had a volleyball and me and some friends were trying to dunk.

"I got a basketball and I kept missing at first.

"Then we got a basketball goal at my house and somehow I just mastered how to dunk."

That talent has helped him make his name on the NBL circuit though there could be a concern it overshadows his other attributes.

He insisted: "That really doesn't bother me. I know what I am capable of."

So too do his colleagues.

Daniel Hildreth said: "What's great about Lavoris is he is such an exciting player to watch.

"You don't get too many guys like him in the league.

"The Plymouth guy he dunked on is 6ft.2ins and a very good athlete.

"He dunked it on his head, the guy fell over and the crowd love that. It's great to have someone like that on the team."

Thunder will hope for something similar when Manchester Magic visit in the first round of the play-offs tonight.

With Conference teams being forced to re-think on recruitment, it means the end in Sussex is looming for Moore or Jerry or both.

Thunder fans better make the most of them while they can.