Worthing Thunder are in great heart for their toughest away weekend of the NBL season.

They led virtually all the way to beat Solent Stars 101-85 in front of a bumper crowd at Durrington on Saturday and keep the pressure on leaders Teesside.

Thunder go to the north east next Saturday and stop off on the way home to take on play-off contenders Reading the following afternoon.

It was a commanding performance by Thunder who led by as many as 22 points at one stage, but a nightmare return to Sussex for Solent point guard Mark Jackson.

The former Brighton Bear fouled out two minutes from the end of the third quarter after picking up two charging fouls in quick succession.

Thunder hit the front after 1min.33secs when Nick O'Harabe sank a jump shot against his old club.

They went on a 12-2 run and were 25-10 up when Daniel Hildreth hit an amazing three-pointer as fell backwards.

Solent got back into the game with a 14-2 surge in the second quarter and were just two points down when Jackson hit his only three-pointer.

Thunder pushed the advantage back out to 48-39 at the half and killed the game off late in the third when Lavoris Jerry scored ten of their last 11 points, including two huge dunks, to make it 70-55.

Former Thunder man Mark Vingoe was the pick of the Solent side, getting a lot of joy inside, but Gaylon Moore responded with ten rebounds and five blocks.