Am I writing with Force-tinted glasses on? Yes.
Do I have sour grapes? Probably.
Is there a humble pie next to me? Absolutely.

What could have been a great game was slightly marred by some officiating decisions. But, with my tinted glasses off and the sour grapes set aside—what a game we had today!

First, a big shoutout to the travelling Force fans, who made up almost half the attendance in the gym. Crawley Storm started the game like a hurricane, scoring quickly and forcing the Force offence into difficult situations, pulling out an early 10-point lead. Despite Force’s best efforts, they couldn’t cut into that buffer consistently. Tactical adjustments by Force helped stabilise the game and mount a fightback, but Crawley’s depth allowed them to rotate key players, rest them strategically, and bring them back in at the right moments to maintain their edge. The first quarter ended with Storm leading 31-23.

The second quarter began positively for Force, but Storm’s quality ball movement and dominance on the boards at both ends allowed them to extend their lead. By halftime, the score stood at 48-34, with Crawley firmly in control. The Storm crowd, buoyed by their team’s performance, were loud and proud, prompting Force fans to raise their vocal support to push the team forward in the second half.

With the change of direction in the third quarter and Force playing toward the Storm Ultras, the team came out strong. The Force coaching staff worked tirelessly to make adjustments and keep the pressure on Storm, but the “luck” just wasn’t there. Shots that looked destined to drop rattled out, and foul calls on rebounds—ones that might have gone differently in other games—seemed to go against them (yes, I got a taste of those sour grapes again). Despite their efforts, Force only managed to win the third quarter by a single point.

As the final quarter began, Force faced what seemed to be an insurmountable deficit. However, the team knew there was still a bonus to fight for: the head-to-head point differential. If they could close the gap enough, they’d hold the advantage in a potential tiebreaker later in the season. The players and fans were stunned, though, when a wayward Crawley Storm shot hit the backboard’s support structure—seemingly out of bounds—but was deemed playable by the referee, leading to a Crawley rebound and score.

As the game wound down, Force put everything into cutting into the Storm's lead, but Crawley stayed composed. Their players capitalised on foul-line opportunities, extending their lead to secure a 79-62 victory.

I will say this: Crawley was the better team on the day, and they deserved the win. Fair play to them. They have a fantastic team and the best fan support we’ve encountered this season.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the travelling Force fans. The team greatly appreciates your support, both at home and on the road. Onward to the next challenge!

Now to look towards our next home fixture against Oxford Hoops on Saturday 1st Feb, Tickets available here

Report written by Andy Rowlands.

Portsmouth Force Basketball Club

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