LANCASHIRE Spinners slipped to a third-straight defeat, losing 90-76 to Hemel Storm on Sunday.

The Castle Leisure Centre-based club went into the game after back-to-back loses to Manchester Magic in the National Cup quarter-finals and NBL Division One.

Despite seven turnovers in the opening exchanges, the Spinners only trailed 41-38 at half time after erasing an 11-point Hemel lead midway through the second quarter.

Lancashire tied the game at 46 early in the second half before a 9-3 run allowed the Storm to pull away.

“Teams are shooting lights out against us,” said Spinners coach Neal Hopkins, whose team has conceded 90-plus points in consecutive defeats.

Mark Rangeley had a game-high 19 points, and Mike Bernard and Kyle Carey added 13 apiece.

Steven Gayle and Connor Murtagh each finished with 10.

“It’s a really tough loss to take,” said Rangeley, who scored 11 of his points over a four-minute stretch in the second quarter, including two three-pointers.

Bernard converted a three-point play with three minutes remaining in the third quarter to reduce Hemel’s lead to nine but Lancashire would get no closer.

“The second half was all about improving," said Storm coach Dave Allin. "We upped our intensity and our perimeter defence led to our fast breaks, which gave us the edge.”

A three with 5mins 59secs remaining broke the deadlock as Hemel outscored Lancashire 18-4 over the remainder of the third quarter.

Walid Mumuni had a team-high 18 points for Hemel in the win.

“Our confidence is low at the moment,” said Rangeley. “A win at Bradford [Dragons] would lift everyone and have us back playing where we need to be.”

Lancashire return to action on Saturday at Bradford College, tip-off 6.15pm.

Rangeley was two points shy of matching his season-high of 21 points against Hemel, and Hopkins sees the 6ft 6ins forward as a crucial feature in the offence.

“Mark should take away a lot of confidence from his performance but he needs to now bring that into this weekend,” the coach added.

The forward entered the game as the team's fourth-top scorer with 10.4 points per game on a 47.9 per cent shooting ratio.

On Sunday he not only showcased his usual consistency in getting to the rim but also his range, connecting on three 3-pointers, and was scored six from 11 from the field at 54.5 per cent.

“I believe in my ability to score but it is all the little things,” said Rangeley. “I’m happy to score two points and for us to win.”

It was the second time this season Rangeley led the team in scoring – the other coming against Liverpool in October.

Hopkins added: “Mark can be the X-factor for this team and that’s where we need him to be.”