BASINGSTOKE Blizzards basketball team returned to winning ways in the Wessex League with a thrilling 66-63 win over visiting Woking Blackhawk Hunters.

The home side had top scorer Rob Gerrard back from injury, but they were soon trailing 10-2 after six minutes. However, with Joe Snelgrove and Gerrard back on court hitting threes and Doug Awad finding his range, the Blizzards soon cut the lead to one point.

Woking surged ahead again to 33-20, but three late baskets from Snelgrove kept the Blizzards in touch and made the half-time score 37-26.

Five minutes into the third quarter the Surrey side pulled clear again to 47-28.

Blizzards coach Marcel Mavronicholas called a time out and his son Tom Mavronicholas, along with Gerrard and Aaron Taylorson, scored. However, with one quarter left the home side still had a lot of work to do as they trailed 55-40.

The Blizzards dominated the first six minutes of the final quarter as they scored 15 points with just one in reply.

This cut the lead to one, but with two minutes left Woking led 61-58.

Gerrard sank two more baskets and Tom Fulford, having been fouled, added another point from the free throw line.

With 12 seconds left Woking took the lead again, but Gerrard scored just before the buzzer to seal the win.

The previous week, the Blizzards suffered their first defeat of the season, losing to Aztec Jaguars despite leading 34-12 at half-time.

However, by the end of the third quarter the Jaguars were back in the game with the score at 39-31.

Taylorson extended the lead to 10 again, but the Blizzards gave away easy baskets on fast breaks and with five minutes to play the scores were level.

Late baskets from Awad and Gerard Grabuleda made it 47-45, but the Aztecs completed their comeback to win 53-49.