HAMILTON Hurricanes has fallen just shy of victory against the Terang Tornadoes at Hamilton Indoor Lesure and Aquatic Centre on Sunday, in what was the locals’ first home game of the Country Basketball League (CBL) season, losing 56-61.

Playing against the team that sits atop the CBL ladder, the Hurricanes took the game right up to the Tornadoes and ended with the closest contest of the round.

It was a tight and even first period with both teams feeling the other out in both attack and defence, and the large home crowd was given great entertainment by both teams, with the visitors ahead by two points at the first break, 15-13.

That two-point margin was extended to seven points at the half, as the visitors started to dominate the Hurricanes with some great defence that stifled the home team’s attack with the Tornadoes up, 29-22, at the main break.

The Tornadoes seemingly put the game to bed in the third period, as they returned to the court and completely dominated the Hurricanes by extending their lead to 19 points, 54-35.

There would have been a steward’s enquiry if this had been a horse race, as the Hurricanes returned to the court and played the visitors off the court by outscoring the Tornadoes, 21-7, to just fall short of a come-from-behind upset victory.

The Hurricanes have proved they can match it with the best, as Jakob Greaves led the scoring with 18 points, while Josh Miller (14) and Joel Le Roy (11) also put up double figures to give the side multiple avenues to the hoop.

Round four will see the Hurricanes at home again on Saturday night with tip-off at 6pm.