BUCKNALL'S BOYS NOW IN PLAY-OFF PLACE

Sam Bradley scored an impressive 40 personal points as London Capital upset the formbook again to beat the Sheffield Sharks 97-78 at home. The win moves the Capital into the Play-off positions for the first time in their history.

Nigel Lloyd's Birmingham Panthers now hold bragging rights in the West Midlands after a tense 87-85 overtime victory over the Worcester Wolves.

Elsewhere on Saturday the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks came from behind to beat the Jelson Home DMU Leicester Riders 79-77 - the Riders second defeat of the week. Rob Yanders of the Rocks led all scorers with 23. This defeat sees the Riders drop to 10th place in the BBL Championship Table.

Sheffield Sharks maintained their pursuit of the Newcastle Eagles at the summit of the BBL Championship table with a hard-fought 92-86 victory over the Worcester Wolves at the EIS, Sheffield on Friday evening.

The Sharks jumped out to an early lead, but the Wolves came back into it, as the opening quarter ended with the Sharks leading by two points at 25-23. The second quarter saw the Wolves take an early 30-31 lead before the Sharks hit back with a 9-2 tear to lead 39-33, and maintain that lead at 43-38 going in at the half.

The second half saw the Sharks take a 60-51 midway through the third period, but the Wolves hit a 12-2 tear to lead 62-63, but a Randy 'Chino' George two gave the Sharks a 64-63 lead going into the final quarter, the start of which saw the Sharks open with a 7-0 burst to lead 71-63.

A further 5-0 tear midway through the period took the score out to 78-69. The Wolves valiantly fought back, and a 5-0 burst of their own bought them to within a single point at 84-83 with less than two minutes remaining, but George and the Sharks were able to hold off the fightback and secure the all-important victory.

Justice Graham led all scorers in the game with 31 points for the Sharks going 6 for 7 from the 3-point line, ably assisted by Chino who put up a fantastic double double of 28 points, and 23 rebounds. He also had 2 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocked shots.

Antony Paez led the Wolves scoring with 27 points personal, but it was James Life who caught the eye with 26 points going 6 for 14 from the 3-point line. In the third quarter he nailed 3 crucial 3s to single-handedly demolish the Sharks lead.

Marshall MK Lions picked up their sixth victory of the 2007/8 BBL Championship campaign after a hard-fought 94-90 victory over the Everton Tigers at the Bletchley Leisure Centre on Friday evening.

The Lions jumped out to an early 12-6 lead in the opening minutes of the game, but the Tigers clawed their way back into it, and an 8-2 run to start the second period saw the visitors leap out to a 26-35 lead, but back-to-back three-pointers from Yorrick Williams and Rod Brown to close out the first half saw the Lions only trailing by five points at 51-56.

The second half saw the home side step up their intensity at both ends of the floor, restricting the Tigers to just ten points in the quarter, and a 14-3 tear from the Lions to close out the quarter broke the game open giving the home side a 78-66 lead going into the final stanza.

In the final quarter, the Lions maintained their advantage, but the Tigers attempted to claw their way back into the game, and an 8-0 burst got the scores back to 89-84, but Peter Heizer and Michael New made sure that the Lions held on for the all-important victory.

A combination of Brown and Williams led the scoring for the Lions with 24 points a-piece, while John Simpson led all scorers in the game with 25 points for the Tigers.

The Poujoualt Heat Guildford gave a good account of themselves, and British basketball, in their ULEB Cup debut against Bosnian powerhouses KK Bosna, the British side eventually succumbing to an 84-68 defeat in Sarajevo.

After ending the first ten minutes with a massive 29-11 deficit, the Heat fought back and actually outscored their hosts for the remainder of the game, winning the second quarter in particular by 26-18.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, Head Coach Paul James said, "I'm really proud of the players tonight. It was a steep learning curve in the first ten minutes.It was a baptism of fire - very physical. We missed a lay-up and four free throws in the fourth quarter and that hurt us a lot."

The fightback was led by Danny Gilbert who had 22 points and 6 rebounds on the night, with Brian Dux scoring 15 and adding 5 assists, and veteran of European campaigns Tony Dorsey contributing 10 points. The Heat stepped up on defense after the first stanza, and took the crowd out of the game when they allowed Bosna to score just 11 points in the second period,

"I felt that they were getting shots too easily and all we had to do was dig down a bit deeper and play a little more physical," said James.

The hosts looked rattled as the Heat cut the deficit to single digits twice in the second half, forcing turnovers whilst Bosna were inconsistent from the free-throw line, and Dean Williams cut the gap to 8 at 64-56 to give the Heat a shot, only for the home side to respond with the next 8 points to settle the game.

"I congratulate KK Bosna on winning," said a humble Coach James. "We expected a tough match and hoped to surprise our host, but we were not successful. Though we did not win I am satisfied with the performance of my team. I think we will play even better in the following matches and I am sure that we will not be an easy opponent for any team."

The Heat will be confident that more is to come, especially if their big men can get going offensively. Carlton Aaron shot just 1/6 for 2 points, whilst Mike Martin was 2/9 for 5 points. Martin's significant contribution was on the defensive end as he did a good job of restricting Bosna's star big man Lance Williams in the third quarter. Williams led all scorers with 23 points and also had 10 rebounds.

With one of their biggest tests to come next week, against DKV Joventut Badalona at The Spectrum, Coach James remains defiant after their opening match in ULEB Cup Group A,"We were not embarrassed in any way tonight. We have got a lot more to come yet."

BBL CUP 2nd ROUND DRAW

BBL CUP INFO

PAWS London Capital pulled off the big shock of Sunday as they defeated the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 83-74 at the Plymouth Pavilions in the first round of the BBL Cup.  The Capital now face a trip to Bletchley to face the Marshall MK Lions in the Quarter finals. 

In a close game throughout, the first half was evenly spread, with both sides trading baskets.  It was the Raiders who had the upper hand throughout however, as they went into the half-time break leading by two points at 51-49. 

The second half saw the teams trading baskets again to start the third period.  The game was broken open towards the end of the third quarter. 

The Raiders led 52-47 with three minutes left in the period, but a 16-4 tear stretching across the third quarter break for the Capital took the score out to 63-56 with six minutes remaining in the game. 

The Raiders attempted to get back into the game, but were unable to do so as the visitors secured the all-important victory from the free-throw line. 

Terrence Durham led the Raiders scoring with 16 points, while Sam Bradley led all scorers in the game netting an impressive 28 points for the Capital.

BiG Storage Cheshire Jets had a come-from-behind victory in their quarter-finals picking up a 93-80 victory over the Everton Tigers at the Northgate Arena on Sunday evening.  A close game throughout saw both sides trading baskets throughout the first half, but it was the Tigers who led 50-45 going in at the half-time interval. 

The second half saw the Jets net the first six points of the half to lead 51-50.  The Jets also stepped up their intensity on the defensive end, restricting the visitors to ten points in the third period, and netting seventeen points themselves to lead 62-60 going into the final stanza.

In the final quarter, the teams were tied 71-71 with 6:30 remaining, but the Jets broke the game open with a 17-5 tear to take the score out to 88-76 with 1:40 remaining.  The Tigers tried desperately to claw themselves back into the game, but the Jets held on and secured the victory from the foul line. 

Jayson Obazuaye and Shawn Myers led the Jets scoring with 23 points a-piece, while Chris Haslam led the Tigers scoring also netting 23 points personal.

In Sunday's final BBL Cup game SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks comfortably made it through to the quarter-finals to face the Sheffield Sharks after an 84-55 victory over the Worcester Wolves at the Braehead Arena. 

The Rocks raced out to an early 16-11 in the opening period, and never looked back.  A 10-2 burst to close out the first half saw them lead 46-29 at the half. 

The second half was much the same as what had gone previously, with the home side continuing to extend the lead, and lead by as many as twenty-seven points at 65-38 midway through the third period. 

The Wolves valiantly attempted to get themselves back into the game, but the Rocks held them off to secure the comfortable victory down the stretch. 

Maurice Hampton led all scorers in the game netting 17 points for the Rocks, while Antony Paez led the Wolves scoring with 16.

The Newcastle Eagles recorded their eighth consecutive win to maintain their position at the top of the BBL Championship table as they beat the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders 87-79 at the MetroRadio Arena.

Richard Midgley led the scoring with 21 points and Charles Smith returned to form with 20 points.  The Raiders, who were condemned to their second consecutive defeat, were led by DeAntoine Beasley's 27 points.

The Team Birmingham Panthers scored their biggest win yet in the BBL, and their second consecutive league victory, in beating the Sheffield Sharks 76-85 at the English Institute of Sport. The Sharks slipped off the pace at the top of the BBL Championship table after their second home defeat in a row.

Daniel Sandell led the victors with 21 points, supported by Hank Rivers who had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Steve Parillon led the Sharks with 17, and Shelby Chaney had a double-double of his own with 15 points and 13 boards.

The teams could barely be separated in the early exchanges as the Panthers held the lead at 15-18, before 4 points from Sheffield relieved them of it. The Sharks stayed in front until a three-pointer with the last play of the first stanza levelled the teams at 23.

After the visiting side added the first 4 points of the second, the Sharks went 15-5 behind 9 points from Justice Graham to lead 38-32. However, former Sheffield player Lekan Popoola was instrumental as he scored 4 points to spark a 14-0 response from Birmingham that saw them snatch the lead back at 38-46; Sandell also added 5 points in that spell.

In the third the Sharks narrowed the gap to 48-52 before the Panthers made a 17-4 surge, with Sandell getting the last 6 of those. The Sharks kept in touch as a Steve Parillon triple on the buzzer made it 55-69 going into the decisive period.

In the final game of Friday evening in the BBL, Everton Tigers won their second Championship game of the season as they overcame the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders 100-84 at the Greenbank Academy.

The Tigers's win was inspired by former Rider David Aliu as he led all scorers with 27 points; Calvin Davis had 16 and Tony Robertson added 14 points for the Tigers.  Leicester's resistance was led by 23 points from Chad McKnight.

The visitors started the game the quicker and led after the first ten minutes by 16-26.  However, Everton took control of the game in the second stanza as they netted a huge 31 points, and restricted the Riders to just 11, to gain a 47-37 edge going in at the break.

The Riders couldn't narrow the gap until the final quarter but the Tigers posted a 16-6 surge late on, capitalising on Leicester turnovers, to run out 100-84 victors.

It was Everton's second consecutive home win and moves them to the verge of the playoff places, just one win behind the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks.

Julius Joseph is looking for the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks to put an indifferent start to their league season behind them on Sunday when they launch their assault on the BBL Cup.

The Rocks welcome the Worcester Wolves to the Braehead Arena in the first round, with the Sheffield Sharks awaiting the winners in the quarter-finals.

The Rocks reached the final of last season's competition, only to lose 81-78 to the Poujoulat Heat Guildford at the National Indoor Arena, and the 31-year-old Londoner wants to go one better this season in a competition that he considers highly important,

"It's definitely special," he said. "We came so close to winning it last season. The whole season is about winning, and every piece of silverware is an opportunity we need to make the most of."

Joseph has picked up four runners-up medals during his three-year spell with the Rocks, and he is desperate to see his team collect some silverware,

"I've got my fair share of losers medals, and I badly want some winner's ones. We always play as hard as we can, but perhaps Cup games make you focus that little bit harder. It doesn't matter who wins the game for you, we all have the same goal in mind, we just want to win."

The Rocks have already beaten the Wolves this season, a 112-71 victory in which Joseph scored 19 points. Despite that, he isn't taking anything for granted,

"The league's been weird this season, and anything can happen. They've won a game, and they've run some teams close. We beat them easily there, but we need to be on our guard. We dropped one against Leicester, and with no disrespe ct to them, when you compare the two teams, we should not be losing to them."

After his team dominated the BBL Championship during the month of October, the Newcastle Eagles' player/coach Fabulous Flournoy has been awarded the Molten Coach of the Month.

The Eagles went a perfect 6-0 and now top the BBL Championship table, having not lost since the opening night of the competition. Flournoy commented, "I'm happy and excited to get the award; but it's down to the guys I have on the team, and a reflection on how they've played. They've been going out there and putting it all on the line. I wish it could be a team of the month award, because they deserve it as much as me."

Perhaps the highlight of the month was a thrilling double-overtime victory over their perennial rivals the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks. The Eagles prevailed 110-117 on the road at the Braehead Arena. There were also road wins at Leicester, Plymouth, and against the early pace-setters Sheffield.

At the MetroRadio Arena, the Eagles routed the Everton Tigers by 104-79, and won an emotional encounter against the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, which saw Flournoy score 13 points after presenting a framed shirt to Newcastle legend, and Cheshire's new player/coach, TJ Walker.

Their achievements in the month are even more impressive bearing in mind that the first four of those wins came in the space of a hectic six days that saw them play three consecutive road games. Flournoy and the Eagles now prepare to host the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders this Friday (7.30pm tip-off), whom they beat 69-76 last month.

Three-time BBL All-Star Shawn Myers, of the BiG Storage Cheshire Jets, has scooped the Molten Player of the Month award for October.

Myers missed the first three games of the season but since his arrival he has been instrumental in turning around his team's fortunes and propelling them up to sixth place in the BBL Championship table.

The Jets started the campaign with three defeats. They turned that around with a 69-76 win over the PAWS London Capital, a game in which Myers didn't feature but was on the bench and by which time had begun training with the team.

In his first game back in a Jets' uniform, the 6'6" forward notched 23 points and 14 rebounds as they won 89-76 against the Team Birmingham Panthers. The Jets won three out of the first four games that Myers featured in, and went 4-2 during October. During the month the 2003 Playoff Final MVP posted 22.8 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.

"I haven't been playing for myself, I've been playing for the team," said Myers."It's great to be back in the BBL," he added, "I was in Australia for two years, and I won two trophies there, so I had a 100 percent record. The most important thing is to win, and once you've done that, every team looks at you differently. We want to be a team that no one takes lightly.

"It's been a pleasure to work with TJ and the young players. As a veteran I know what to expect and hope to transfer some of that experience to the younger guys, so that they know what's expected from them."

Honourable mentions also go to Anthony Paez at basement side Worcester Wolves, and Richard Midgley of the league-leading Newcastle Eagles.

Myers is now gearing up for his biggest game of the season so far, as the Jets welcome their North-West rivals the Everton Tigers in the BBL Cup first round on Sunday (5.30pm tip-off).

The PAWS London Capital face a stern challenge as they play their first BBL Cup game on 'Knockout Sunday', looking to overcome the Kularoos Plymouth Raiders for a place in the quarter-finals.

Head Coach Steve Bucknall knows what it takes to win in these types of games, he has two National Cup winner's medals from the 1990/91 and 1995/96 seasons.

Bucknall is in his first season as a Head Coach, having called time on an illustrious eighteen-year playing career. He is a former LA Laker and has scooped eight titles in the BBL and is a five time All- Star.

However, the Londoner has consigned all of that to the history books and is now fully focused on winning some silverware as a play-caller, hence the importance of the impending fixture in his eyes, "It's a cup game, and it's a good opportunity to win something. We need only three wins to reach the final," he said. "I may have won a lot of things as a player, but I want to win stuff as a coach as well.

"I'm enjoying being a coach, but I can see why their hair goes grey. It helps that I have some good guys to work with. They are working hard, listening and trying. That's a big boost."

Bucknall asked for more from his big men last week, and they responded well as Jaromir Fohler scored 10 and had 6 rebounds, whilst Ibrahim Gariba notched 17 points and 6 boards in a tight 96-91 defeat to the Poujoulat Heat Guildford. They had more success on Sunday as they comprehensively beat the Worcester Wolves 89-61, a victory that pleased the coach ahead of their most important game of the season so far,

"At the end of the day, we deserved it especially after I thought we could have won at Guildford on Friday. I was disappointed not to have won that game as well, but on Sunday we really came to play, and we played some good basketball.

"Wes Miller and Sam Bradley are making the difference. I'd seen Sam play before, and I knew he would bring a lot to the table. It's a good start and hopefully it will continue. The guys are putting in a lot of hard work, they played hard and they deserved the win."