BASKETBALL: Thunder injury duo eye return

The point-guard has been sidelined for six games in four weekends by a training fall. He has been talking to his mother, Angela, on the phone in Connecticut, about the setback, which is not set to end in comeback for another fortnight's time.

He recounted: "She and I are very close. I was telling her how not being able to play was getting me down.

"She said to me: 'I'm going to tell you something I've never told you.' And she said that she had named me Sherrad because it means Little Warrior.

"I've only known of two other people with that name and both spelt differently. I figured my name was so different it must mean something. When I found out, I thought it was pretty fitting."

But after former Thunder captain Gaylon Moore became 'The Warrior', Prezzie-Blue, in about the only sport where 5ft 11in means small, may be destined to go into Worthing club history as 'Little Warrior'.

His partner in crime, fellow US first-choice back-court player and injury absentee Reggie Bratton (6ft 4in) already affectionately calls him 'Little Prezzy'.

As well as sharing a house with fellow import players Kadiri Richard (US) and Ville Makalainen (Finland), the pair have been sharing the bench for the last five matches, only one of them a victory.

Bratton is the team's leading scorer and Prezzie-Blue was six of six in three-pointers on his Thunder debut.

Prezzie-Blue, 23 on December 2, said: "It's my off-hand but I'm practising and shooting with my wrist still in its cast and the hospital are going to look at it this week. I think it will be off on Friday."

Bratton began running last week and has practised twice, though staying out on the shooting perimeter. He will be back tomorrow (Friday) away to Milton Keynes, which means four of Thunder's latest five games have been against top-six teams.

His soft-tissue foot injury came, he thinks, when Sheffield opponent Tafari Toney tried to take a charge against him.

Toney fell backwards and Bratton either stood awkwardly, or on Toney's foot.

He explained: "It wasn't painful until I woke up next morning. I hurt the foot once before, on the top, but we've been cautious and trying not to make it worse.

"And it's been pretty hard, knowing we can beat these teams but not having the (fit] personnel to do it.

"Little Prezzy? He's more important to the team than I am. He can handle the ball, score and run the team. It's going to be a big boost when he comes back '“ better than when I do, and I'm being honest."

Prezzie-Blue added: "When we return, it'll bring more firepower and quickness on defence."

Bratton is urgently needed to counteract the scoring of MK Lions and the multi-threat of EJ Harrison, probably the most rounded and experienced of the top BBL guards.

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