Phil Waghorn today urged his men to learn the lessons which can help them match the high-flyers after their four-game winning run came to an end.

Genesis Brighton Bears earned an A for effort against Steve Swanson's Scottish Rocks at the Brighton Centre last night.

But it was the league leaders who were the masters when it came to defensive organisation, rebounding, ball movement and three-point shooting.

Those qualities were enough to see them through a slightly nervous finale after Julius Joseph and Frank Bennett fouled out.

Bears, trailing 79-67 when Bennett joined his fellow starter back on the bench with 4:16 remaining, edged their way to within five by forcing turnovers and shooting free throws.

But they turned the ball over at key times and could never disrupt Rocks' defensive set-up by hitting three-pointers, making just three of 13.

Rocks lived up to their billing as the best three-point shooting and ball-handling team in the league, coping with Bears' press and setting up open looks to go ten-for-19 from behind the arc.

With the club set to confirm today they will take Dennis Rodman on the road with them to face London Towers next Wednesday, Bears face an important week of preparation before tackling four games in five days.

Bears coach Waghorn admitted: "We lost to a better team.

"We gave them a good run for their money but we needed everybody to be on the top of their form.

"The Rocks are an active team in terms of defence.

"They've got big bodies who can defend and shoot and I don't think we quite came to play to do that.

"I told the guys it was going to be tougher to get the ball inside and I'm not sure we came with that mentality from the word go."

England guard Germayne Forbes made four threes from six attempts and Rob Yanders three from five.

Bears' back court never got such a chance to produce.

Ronnie Baker could not get a shot off and Terrance McGee had a night to forget.

McGee did not score until late in the third quarter and missed his first 13 field goal attempts, eventually going two-for-16 to offset his work at the free throw line, where he missed just once from ten hard-earned attempts.

Steve Parillon led the fight against the club who let him go at the start of last season.

He had 13 first-quarter points as the hosts grabbed a 25-21 lead.

The vistors were 46-41 up at the half and added four threes by the midway point of the third quarter to open a 15-point lead.

Parillon said: "We didn't defend the three, that's it right there.

"Their whole starting five can shoot and we didn't prepare for that.

"They've got a good coach. They run the same offence as us because Swanson coached under Nick Nurse and they beat us at our game."

Martin Yabsley missed the game with a troublesome left knee and, though Demaija Stewart grafted away in his 13 minutes and had a nice rejection of a Lijah Perkins shot, Bears generally struggled close to the basket, especially in the first half. Parillon almost dragged the hosts back into it when he sank three free throws, grabbed a quick steal and scored again from the line to make it 85-80 with 24 seconds left.

He missed his next free throw and Andrew Alleyne seemed to be fouled after rebounding but no call came.

"I thought Drew got assaulted down there and that would have made them still win it," said Waghorn.

"But we can't get ourselves in that position if we want to be consistent."

Final result: Brighton Bears 82 Scottish Rocks 90