Basketball: Flournoy helps devour Sharks to give booster for Heat

BBL Championship leaders Guildford Heat were handed a boost before tomorrow's cup final date with Scottish Rocks, when second-placed Sheffield Sharks lost 90-79 at home to Newcastle Eagles in a league game.

Defeat for the Sharks leaves Guildford two points ahead, with three games in hand. Player-coach Fab Flournoy led Newcastle with 29 points, backed by nine points from Tony Dorsey in the final quarter.

In the BBL Trophy, Leicester Riders lost 78-77 at London United but still qualify for the semis with Newcastle, Sheffield and Plymouth Raiders.

Scottish Rocks coach Thorsten Leibenath is determined to lead out his team against Guildford at Birmingham's NIA, despite being immobilised with back pain since an injury flared up on Wednesday.

Rocks general manager Bruce Cook said: "Thorsten is desperate to make the trip. He's in quite a bit of pain and has numbness in one leg, but he's in better shape than earlier in the week."

The Rocks are already without assistant coach Ross Sutton, who underwent emergency surgery on New Year's Day for appendicitis and will be out of action for 12 weeks.