ESSEX Leopards’ dreams of retaining their Division One play-off championship crown were cruelly shattered in Manchester as they went down 75-70 in overtime against league champions Reading Rockets.

The Big Cats led for almost all of regulation time before three key calls went against them in the fourth period.

And that infuriated the club’s general manager Dave Ryan.

“It was very frustrating for us,” said Ryan.

“We’ve worked hard all season to get to the finals and to have the same referee make three calls that basically changed the game is very disappointing.

“But we’ve still had a great season.

“With an entirely new team we’ve won the National Trophy for the first time, finished in the top four in the league and reached the Final Fours. Robert (Youngblood), Roger (Malpass) and the team deserve a lot of credit.

“Our crowds really picked up after Christmas and we have a great future ahead of us.

“We’re already preparing for next season, and come September we’ll be ready for another shot at it.”

The most controversial decision saw Hernandez fouled out of the game eight minutes from time.

Before then he had managed 21 points, 10 rebound double-double, with Simon Cummings adding 15 point and four assists.

Carl Josey also had a double-double, finishing with 12 points and ten boards.

But while Leopards may have justified complaints about the refereeing late in the game, they also contributed to their own downfall by missing 10 of their 30 free-throws.

And a foot injury to Cummings — which would have ruled him out of Sunday’s final — clearly limited his effectiveness down the stretch as they let a big lead slip.

There were no such problems early on though and a Tom Martin buzzer-beating three put the Leopards 19-14 up at the first break.

A Hernadez free-throw at the mid-stage of the second period gave them a nine-point lead before a pair of Liam Carpenter free-throws cut their lead to 31-25 at half-time.

That lead became 53-44 at the end of the third period and the Big Cats were still five up when Hernandez returned to the game with 3:41 on the clock and immediately increased that advantage with a hook shot.

But a pair of Luke Nelson threes dragged Reading back into the game and Cummings could only convert one of two foul shots to leave his side up by two points with 26 seconds remaining.

Ryan Lohfink tied the game with a pair at the foul line with 25 seconds remaining, and Cummings saw his last-second shot fall short to send the game into overtime.

Cummings opened the extra period scoring with a pair of free-throws but, after Robb Parker had halved that lead at the foul line, Danny Carter put Reading ahead with 3:35 on the clock and they never trailed again.

Josey levelled the score at 67 with 84 seconds remaining, but a Parker three made it a four-point game, and although Cummings halved that with a drive to the basket, he then missed a pair of free-throws and Nelson ended Leopards’ season at the foul line.