First and foremost, congratulations to Bath Basketball on their hard-fought victory on Saturday. They battled throughout the game and came out on top. Secondly, credit to Portsmouth Force for their relentless determination, taking the contest down to the final tenths of a second.

However, one thing that both teams and fans seemed to agree on—the refereeing needed to be better. Yes, officials are human, just like the players, but inconsistency should not dictate the flow of the game. Calls were made up, momentum was influenced, and decisions varied wildly. Drives to the basket were met with heavy contact, bodies collided, and arms were grabbed, yet whistles remained silent—until suddenly, a minor hand check was called moments later. Five minutes after that, the same play went uncalled in reverse. No one knew what to expect, making it extremely difficult for either team to play their best.

The game itself was a battle from start to finish. In the opening quarter, both teams traded baskets, finishing level at 21-21. The second quarter followed a similar pattern, with Force edging a narrow 41-39 lead at halftime.

After the break, the game slowed into a low-scoring third quarter, where Bath managed to shave a single point off the lead, bringing it to 55-54 in Force’s favour heading into the final period.

Then, the tempo exploded. The fourth quarter became a physical battle, with both teams racking up more fouls than they had in the entire first half. A bizarre technical foul was even given—seemingly because two Force players high-fived during a substitution.

As the game reached its climax, Bath led 76-75 with just seconds remaining. Force had the inbound under their offensive basket, called a timeout, and drew up their final play. Players fought to get free from hand checks, and the ball was inbounded, but a controversial call for stepping out of bounds in front of the Bath bench handed possession to the home team.

Bath immediately called their final timeout, advancing the ball with 3.5 seconds left. Force was forced to foul to stop the clock, sending Bath to the free-throw line with a chance to seal the win. Under pressure, the shooter missed both attempts, giving Force one last chance. They secured the rebound, but a desperate full-court heave at the buzzer missed the target, confirming a heartbreaking defeat.

While this result has yet to determine the final league or playoff standings, the remaining games for both teams now significantly influence the outcome. As the race to the top intensifies, every possession, point, and second will count.

Be there for the Force’s final home game of the season against Plymouth Raiders on March 8th! Secure your tickets now and cheer the team on—. Click here to book.

Report written by Andy Rowlands.