DESPITE flying two players back from a school trip in Austria, Ellesmere Port Panthers could not carry their season’s form into the end-of-season play-offs.

The Panthers’ under 13s team travelled – helped by a £250 donation from Urenco for a coach – to RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire to take part in the RAF Final Fours, the finals of England Basketball’s national league.

In their semi-final against Essex-based Brentwood Fire, the Panthers fell to a narrow defeat – losing 76-72.

Coach Karl Griffiths had flown out to Austria to bring Jack Griffiths and Dan Bostock, both 12, back from a skiing trip with Ellesmere Port Catholic High to play.

He had originally intended to bring back 13-year-old Joe Hayes as well but the player ended up not travelling for his trip after injuring his leg so he was ruled out.

Having gone to such lengths to field a full-strength squad, the Panthers were at least hoping to win the third/fourth place playoff. But opponents Leeds Tigers just had the edge and won 52-49.

In the final itself, Brentwood lost to Newham All-Stars 72-68.

Karl said: “They all played really well.

“It was difficult for them because the games were so close together and in the second game they were all walking wounded, but in the first game they came back from 20 points down and in the second from 15 points so they can be proud of themselves.”