AFTER the euphoria of their cup final win Torbay Tigers were unable to sustain a winning performance when they played Exeter Nomads in the league this week and went down 69:80.

The teams stayed pretty close to each other throughout the first half – albeit Nomads holding the advantage throughout.

Tigers found the pace of the game too fast for their liking and struggled to contain the fast break of the Exeter team. They were forced to concede fouls and Nomads did their damage from the foul-line as much as from open play.

Tigers trailed by four at the end of the first quarter (20:24) and by six at half-time. At this stage, not playing well, but holding their opponents to such a slender lead, Tigers approached the second half with some optimism.

This confidence was justified in the short term as Tigers leveled the score in the first few minutes of the second half (41:41) but Nomads hit a purple patch in response and again opened a lead that was to prove decisive.

Twelve points without reply allowed Nomads to gain a 53:41 advantage from which Tigers could not recover. Nomads led 60:48 at the end of the period.

It is not in Tigers' nature to concede and they fought hard to the end, winning the last quarter, but not able to claw back the deficit.

Lloyd Blackler top-scored for Tigers with 25 points. Ed Morrison, making a welcome return to a Tigers' vest on a weekend home, scored 17 and Ryan Pitt 14.

"Exeter College is a difficult court on which to play – cold and poorly lit – but Tigers struggled to find their regular form and have only themselves to hold responsible for the loss – this wasn't our best performance of the season," said coach Norman Waldron.

Nomads were well worth their 11 point win and could now finish in third place in Division One of the Exeter & District League if other results go according to form.

The shock news in the league standings is that Exeter University conceded a league game against North Devon and now seem likely to have handed the championship to Broadclyst Bandits.