DERBY Trailblazers produced a Herculean effort to beat Reading Rockets 89-88 in the thrilling finale to a pulsating Division One match.
The win over last season's triple-winning side was only Derby's third on Reading's home court and was a real statement of the Trailblazers' capabilities in the division.
Derby overcame a 15-point second quarter deficit and twice took a nine-point lead in the third only to trail by five late in the fourth.
However, an offensive rebound from Alex Dorr sparked the 11-5 run which sealed a memorable victory.
Dan Watts provided the highlight of an outstanding team display, adding 10 assists and three blocked shots to his game-high 22 points. Chris Shalvoy had 11 assists.
Reading started the game with a dunk from import Deion Turman but a second three-pointer of the night from Watts gave Derby a 12-7 lead midway through the quarter.
However, Reading closed the period with a 19-6 run to lead 26-18 with American Alex Zurn on 14 points.
It got worse for Derby early in the second as Rockets surged into a 37-22 lead but Lee Goldsbrough ended the rout before Raheem May-Thompson produced an emphatic slam dunk to prompt a Reading time-out.
Back came Trailblazers, as Chris Shalvoy knocked down a pair of long-range shots either side of a steal by Watts which led to another score for May-Thompson.
That cut the gap to three points and Derby tied the game at 40-40 with less than three minutes remaining in the half.
Rockets edged 45-43 ahead at the break but an 8-0 run midway through the third saw Derby beginning to dominate with a 64-55 lead, though that was cut to 70-66 going into the final period.
Back-to-back threes from Sergio Guarda Marti and Zurn saw Reading briefly back in front at 72-70 and five straight points from Zurn gave them a 83-78 lead.
Even though May-Thompson made only one of four from successive trips to the line with a minute remaining, Watts hit his fourth three to put Derby 86-85 ahead with 33 seconds to go.
Rockets called for time but turned the ball over and had to foul to stop the clock. Dorr held his nerve to sink a pair of shots for an 88-85 lead.
Reading's final throw of the dice was to call their last time-out with 16 seconds on the clock but Zurn turned the ball over and Dorr was sent back to the line, where he sank one of two to put Derby 89-85 ahead.
There was still time for Zurn to knock down his seventh three-pointer but Trailblazers had done enough and their second win of the weekend left them top of the table.
They are home to Team Northumbria in Division One on Saturday (7.15pm) and away to Manchester Magic in the quarter-finals of the National Cup on Sunday.
