TEAM Solent Kestrels avenged their L Lynch Trophy defeat to Derby Trailblazers as they took a hard fought, 82-76 victory in NBL Division One, writes Jack O'Keeffe.

With the sides having met no less than four times in all competitions this season, the win sees Kestrels improve to 3-1 over the talented Trailblazers outfit.

The visiting Trailblazers jumped out to a 2-8 lead behind some solid jump shooting from their starters, however Luke Busumbru and Elliot Dadds would respond quickly from the foul line and beyond the arc respectively. Derby did momentarily push the lead to eight points after a Malcolm Smith three-pointer but a 9-0 run in reply, capped off by a Cole Gentry four-point play edged the hosts in front 16-15. The sides traded baskets to close the quarter until an 8-3 run from Derby left them 23-27 to the good after one.

Despite the visitors extending the advantage to six early on, a 13-0 run would see the Kestrels take their biggest lead of the first half at 38-31, as Gentry and this time Orlan Jackman cashed in from three-point territory.

Kestrels would maintain a two possession buffer through the mid point of the quarter, but a 7-0 run for the Trailblazers eventually edged them back ahead by one. Jackman would scored the final points of the first half as he converted on a lay up attempt, TSK in front 44-43 at the interval.

Smith and Max Richardson exchanged scores to open up the second half in the same fashion as the first. For the majority of the quarter neither team were able to seize control both finding scoring opportunities, which saw the lead change hands multiple times.

TSK would make the first meaningful run to the tune of 7-0 as Gentry continued to dial it in from distance, sparking a coach Matt Shaw timeout for the visitors, 59-51 Kestrels. Derby would string together a 6-0 response post timeout to trim the deficit to two. However that would spark the Kestrels defence into a reaction that saw them hold the Trailblazers scoreless for the final three minutes of the quarter, whilst steadily re-establishing an eight-point lead, 65-57.

Derby were certainly not done there though and they cut the Kestrels lead to just four points after a Blake Bowman lay up. Jackman would lift the roof off the SSC as he went down the lane for a one handed dunk and when Richardson stroked a triple on the following possession, Kestrels were back in charge 70-61, timeout Trailblazers.

The hosts pushed the lead to 11 post timeout but with three-and-a-half minutes remaining Raheem May-Thompson pulled Derby within seven. Andre Arissol provided some respite as he got to the hoop for two points but when Bowman split a pair of free throws, the lead would sit at six with just under two and a half minutes to play. Gentry responded with a pull up jump shot to restore an eight point advantage and although the visitors got back within four from the foul line, Kestrels would respond in kind to close the game, 82-76.

Speaking after the win, TSK head coach Matt Guymon said: “We have had so many tough games with Derby already this year and we knew this one would be no different.

"They were able to make life really challenging for us in the half court but luckily our defence was able to fuel our offensive production at critical points in the second half.”

Team Solent Kestrels were led by Gentry who had 20 points, five assists and five rebounds whilst Jackman had 18 and Busumbru had 13. Derby’s star American Smith had 23 points with Bowman the only other player to reach double figures with 13.