JETS eventually overcame the only side to beat them this season to keep up their solid defence of the trophy.

Coach Robbie Peers said: 'It was an enormous game, we'd lost before to Leicester and if we'd lost again to them teams would think we were beatable.

But we didn't lose and people will now be starting to regard us as the power team in the BBL.

The first half was an even contest as Chester led just 22-20 after the first quarter, and the scores were deadlocked at 44-44 at the break.

Jets looked like they should have been edging ahead, but their shooting, particularly from outside (3/21), was poor.

The highlight of the first half came when James Hamilton levelled the scores at 42-42, after winning back possession just seconds after John McCord had scored.

Soon after the re-start, Pero Cameron impressed when he scored without looking, standing with his back to the basket.

Jets' nerves were soon jangling as skipper Hamilton picked up his fourth foul with almost 18 minutes still left to play, but they edged 71-68 ahead at the three-quarter mark.

The game was won in the final period as Chester rammed home 10 points without reply to take command.

McCord finished off a terrific two-man move as he exchanged half-a-dozen passes with Hamilton, and he had the crowd on their feet after a dunk from Kurt Samuels' assist.

But Jets then received a double blow in the space of 16 seconds as stalwarts Hamilton and Cameron were both fouled out.

Despite losing two of their most influential players, Jets remained on top and with his side now 14 points adrift, Billy Mims sent on his bench with a minute to go.

Peers responded by introducing the Singer brothers and Vijay Ramburuth, and Jets proved to be comfortable winners of a game that earlier looked to be going to the wire.

Jets' scorers: McCord (26); Thomas (21); Hamilton (20); Cameron (14); Davis (13) and Samuels (6).

* Chester Jets opened up a two-point gap at the top of the Northern Conference thanks to a 110-75 success over Derby Storm on Saturday.

The game was tight for 15 minutes before Chester raced into a 53-34 lead with a 17-2 second-quarter tear. They then posted another 17-2 burst in the third period and opened up a 77-41 advantage from where they never looked back.

Jets' Calvin Davis scored a game high 29 points, Thomas added 21 and Hamilton 20.