A week ahead of St Valentine's Day, Edinburgh Kings massacred St
Mirren 80-53 on the under-threat basketball court at Portobello
High School to move another step closer to retaining their
Scottish League title [read more]
A week ahead of St Valentine's Day, Edinburgh Kings massacred St Mirren 80-53 on the under-threat basketball court at Portobello High School to move another step closer to retaining their Scottish League title. Kings owed their success, which puts them three wins clear of Saints and two clear of Falkirk Fury, to their stout defence and, though the opening exchanges were tight - they took the first quarter 22-17 and the second 17-13 for a 39-30 half-time lead - they never needed to call on injured Scottish international centre Simon Flockhart, though the big man suited up. 'We played well, especially in defence,' said point guard Garreth Lodge, who was up against his Stirling University teammates Neil Fraser and Kris Cleary. 'A big factor was the way we shut down danger man Nic Collins, who only scored eight points, and Mike Kirkpatrick hit two big threes at the start of the second quarter which gave us breathing space,' added coach Danny Costello. The third quarter, which Kings took 21-11, proved decisive and they moved into a 60-41 lead which this focussed group were never going to let slip. Latvian forward Edgars Rekis had another fine all-round game, marking Collins and top-scoring with 16 points, Mike Kirkpatrick and Paddy Campbell adding 13 each, Laurie Costello 12 and Liam McCabe 10 while Lodge added eight and Craig Reilly six. Kings' next game is away to near neighbours East Lothian Peregrines who again proved they are capable of upsetting any team in the league if only they can get the job done in the final quarter. Peregrines were tied 59-59 with Falkirk Fury at the end of the third at Musselburgh but went down 85-70. Scottish international and former Italian League centre Roni Gordon hit 27 points for the visitors while another centre Swede Rob Jansson replied with a season-high 24 for East Lothian.
SCOTS TO FACE DANES IN MALTA EURO C CHAMPS - Feb 8, 2010 (by Sandy Sutherland)
TOUGH EURO C DRAW FOR SCOTS MEN IN MALTA
by Sandy Sutherland
Scotland will face the probable tournament favourites Denmark in
their opening match of the 2010 European Basketball C Championship
in Malta on July 5.
The Danish men, who were in division A only three years ago, have
never played in this tournament before and are a surprise entry,
will be formidable opponents for a Scottish team who have never
been higher than third [read more]
TOUGH EURO C DRAW FOR SCOTS MEN IN MALTA by Sandy Sutherland
Scotland will face the probable tournament favourites Denmark in their opening match of the 2010 European Basketball C Championship in Malta on July 5. The Danish men, who were in division A only three years ago, have never played in this tournament before and are a surprise entry, will be formidable opponents for a Scottish team who have never been higher than third. In addition coach Tom Campbell will almost certainly have to do without Scotland's two top players Robert Archibald and Kieran Achara, who are likely to be on Great Britain duty in Europe in August. Scotland, who took the bronze medals in the last Euro C in Edinburgh in 2008, will go on to play San Marino on July 6 and Malta on July 7. In the other group Wales open against Gibraltar and go on to play Moldova, silver medallists last time, and Andorra. The cross-overs are on July 9 and the finals and play-offs on Saturday July 10.
LATVIAN EDGARS REKIS HITS 26 IN KINGS CRUNCH WIN OVER FURY - Jan 19, 2010 (by Sandy Sutherland)
A superb opening quarter by Latvian forward Edgars Rekis, in which
he scored 14 points on his way to a game-high 26-point haul,
helped spark champions Edinburgh Kings to a decisive 74-63 home
victory over their nearest Scottish League title challengers
Falkirk Fury in their first game of 2010 at Portobello High
School [read more]
A superb opening quarter by Latvian forward Edgars Rekis, in which he scored 14 points on his way to a game-high 26-point haul, helped spark champions Edinburgh Kings to a decisive 74-63 home victory over their nearest Scottish League title challengers Falkirk Fury in their first game of 2010 at Portobello High School. That put Kings four points clear at the top of the table and as they have beaten Fury in all three encounters this season, With only one more league clash between the two to come, it means Falkirk must look to other teams to do them a favour. 'Our destiny is in our own hands but we need to keep our focus and not give up silly points as we did at the start of the season when we lost to Troon and St Mirren,' said Kings coach Danny Costello who praised his Latvian forward not just for his shooting but for his all-round play: 'Ed took some big rebounds and his free throws were vital.' The presence of new American shooting guard Eric Olson in the Fury ranks seemed only to spur Kings who came out of the traps early and led 11-2 and 25-15 after the quarter. Laurie Costello made it 42-30 for Kings at half-time. But the game became more scrappy and two Jonny Bunyan threes helped Fury close the gap to four with three minutes left of the third. That was as close as the visitors came however and in the end their challenge fizzled out, despite 21 points from their new man, Olson. Kings' defence was again crucial with Simon Flockhart taking 10 rebounds in addition to scoring 13 points against the combined height of Fraser and fellow Scottish centre Roni Gordon, who fouled out on a technical after scoring only five points. Paddy Campbell added 11 for Kings with Laurie Costello adding nine, Mike Kirkpatrick and Liam McCabe six each and Garreth Lodge three. Ali Fraser had 12, Keith Bunyan 11 and Matt Hoffman eight for Fury. East Lothian Peregrines were still seeking their first win of the season after once again blowing a 59-50 second half lead to go down 98-90 to Troon Tornadoes at Musselburgh. Crucially Peregrines lost their only centre Swede Rob Jansson with a leg injury midway through the third quarter. Cameron McGrain certainly did not give up, scoring seven three-pointers in his 23-point tally and Grant Gibson had four threes in his 27 points, while Eoghan Dover added 16 points.
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