BRADFORD Dragons fell to a gut-wrenching 105-99 overtime defeat to Leicester Warriors on Saturday afternoon in Division One of the National Basketball League.

Hosts Bradford trailed by double digits for long periods of the game, but a late fourth quarter fightback forced overtime.

But the Dragons’ comeback attempt was in vain, as they succumbed to a fourth straight league defeat.

The Warriors made a shocking start to the season, but were looking to build on three wins in their last four league games.

In a cagey opening quarter, both teams traded the lead in the first five minutes, before the Dragons established an advantage.

Great Osobor provided a big spark off the bench, and Dragons sharpshooter Dave Walsh knocked down his first shot back after a spell on the sidelines.

After the first ten minutes of action, Bradford were just about in the ascendency, up 22-19.

Then, a below-par second quarter forced the Dragons into crisis mode, as they looked to stay in the game.

A 15-5 run over the opening three-and-half minutes of the period saw the visitors take a 34-27 lead.

Though Osobor scored four points to close out the quarter, the hosts trailed 48-38 at half-time.

A tight third quarter saw the Warriors retain their double-digit lead, as they outscored the Dragons by a point, and the hosts were still 84-69 behind with less than five minutes of the game left.

But Bradford went on an incredible 19-4 run to close out the game, with the trio of Osobor, Walsh and Andreas Lycoudis combining to score 17 of those points.

Some good defensive work laid the platform, as the Dragons’ attack began to click for the first time all game.

The key moment of the quarter came with Bradford down 86-78, as Dragons stalwart Rihards Šulcs stepped in to draw a charge.

On the next offensive possession, Great Osobor drove into the paint and converted a layup to keep the hosts’ momentum flowing.

The Warriors still led by three with 52 seconds left, but after Walsh missed a game-tying effort, Lycoudis drilled a heavily contested fadeaway three on the buzzer to tie the game.

The ever-impressive Osobor knocked down a three to give Bradford a 93-92 overtime lead, but ten unanswered points for the Warriors sealed the Dragons’ fate.

Bradford did cut that lead from 102-94 to 103-99, but were unable to get any closer.

The defeat ensures the Dragons fall to 5-7 on the season, after a sixth defeat in seven games.

Great Osobor led all scorers with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals.

Coach Chris Mellor shared his frustration with the overtime defeat, saying: “After clawing our way back to force overtime, it was disappointing not to come away with the win.”

Next up for the Dragons is the second of a pivotal three-game home run, as the Derby Trailblazers travel to Nottingham this Saturday, with tip-off at 6:30pm.