LADY Lumley's School, Pickering's Under-19 basketball team ended up third in the national finals despite beating the trophy winners, writes Hugh MacDougall.

Because of complications earlier in the tournament the finals at Nottingham involved three teams playing each other. Lady Lumley's, playing in the finals for the first time in their history, made a tremendous start by beating Holy Trinity School, from Sussex, 48-47 after having been three down at the start of the second quarter and 37-32 behind entering the final quarter.

England trialist Tom Waddington scored ten points without reply to draw Lady Lumley's level. With twenty seconds to go and Lady Lumley's one point behind, Dave Lawal scored an excellent basket to put them one ahead. Great defence by Scott De-Silvia and Ben Pickles kept Holy Trinity out.

Lawal scored 15 points in the game, Waddington 14, De-Silvia six, Richard Buck five, Oliver Thornton four and Ed Wharton four.

Lady Lumley's played their second game without a break and lost 50-35 to Wycliffe College, Gloucestershire. The Pickering team led 10-5 at the start of the second quarter and went 19-17 ahead but fatigue and cramp saw the players begin to struggle and Wycliffe ran away with the game.

Thornton scored 16 points, Waddington eight, Buck four, Lawal four, Pickles and De-Silvia two each.

Holy Trinity beat Wycliffe and the tournament ended in a three-way tie, each team having won one game. Holy Trinity won the trophy by having the best points difference, with Pickering ending in third place.

De-Silvia and Buck went down with appendicitis the week after the finals.

The illness will disrupt Great Britain junior 400m metre running star Buck's preparations for the new athletics season.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, April 27, 2005