BRADFORD Dragons has mixed emotions as they led table-topping Team Solent Kestrels in the final quarter at the Dragons' Den before losing 84-81 in the National Basketball League.

Solent, in only their second season in the top flight, had won 12 and lost three before facing the in-form Dragons, who were bidding for a third straight victory.

The hosts sank the first basket but three minutes in, when Jermayne Laing was called for goal-tending, the visitors were 8-5 up.

At times, the Kestrels sliced through the Dragons' defence like a hot knife through butter and they led 24-14 with a minute of the first period remaining, only for a timely Eisley Swaine three-pointer to make it 24-17 at the initial break.

A three-point basket from Marcus Gooding and a tip-in by Ricky Fetske helped to haul the gap back to four at 32-28 halfway through the second period.

And when Gooding landed another three-pointer with just under a minute of the stanza left, the hosts trailed just 40-38.

Yet the Kestrels then showed why they are leaders, scoring eight unanswered points to lead a clearly frustrated Dragons 48-40 at half-time.

After the break, the sides generally traded baskets, with Solent having a 70-62 advantage going into the final period.

However, there was a baffling decision during that third period, when Swaine was bounced off court in possession of the ball.

The officials gave possession to Bradford but deemed that the contact was not severe enough for a foul to be called.

A rejuvenated Dragons came out in the final quarter and, within three minutes of the restart, tenacious defending and an aggressive offence had given Bradford the lead (71-70) for the first time since the opening period.

Solent responded with four points, at which point Bradford coach Chris Mellor called a time-out.

Immediately on the restart, Fetske popped in a big three-pointer to tie the scores at 74 apiece.

Rihards Sulcs then hit a couple of free throws to put Bradford two up before Solent's big American Hemon Senor II hit a couple of two-pointers to restore their advantage at 78-76.

Up stepped Fetske with yet another three-pointer, before a couple of free throws from Joe Tagerelli edged Solent one up.

Swaine then sank a two-point jump shot to swing the game back in the Dragons' favour, only for Tagarelli to tip things back in the visitors' direction with a two-point tip-in for 82-81.

With 11 seconds remaining, a second controversial refereeing decision incited the home crowd as Kestrels coach Matt Guymon called a time-out – but the officials ruled that he had already used up their allocation.

The home fans were calling out for a technical foul to be awarded in Bradford's favour, which would normally be the case in such situations, but instead the men in charge chose to restart the game with Kestrels in possession.

With a frustrated Bradford now desperate to regain possession, they gave away a series of fouls from which Tagerelli ultimately put the game to bed from the free-throw line.

Fetske topped the Dragons' score charts with 22 points, adding an impressive 18 rebounds for another double-double and earning him the player of the game award.

Fellow American Gooding added 20 points, while Sulcs also registered a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Mellor said: "We played better in the second half defensively but overall the difference was the points they scored in transition off our turnovers.

"We missed some key lay-ups and in the end it came down to an offensive rebound they got and a shot that we missed."

Manchester Magic, beaten at home by Solent the day after, are Bradford's next opponents on Sunday, February 18 at the Dragons' Den (4.15pm).

* The Dragons' under-14 boys lost 93-60 at East Durham Lions.