Basketball: Campbell in the soup as injury strikes

PADDY CAMPBELL'S Scottish Cup injury jinx has struck the Edinburgh Kings stalwart for the third year in a row.

A back injury means the 6ft 4in Scottish basketball internationalist is a doubtful starter for tomorrow night's final against Falkirk Fury at Edinburgh University's Pleasance Sports Hall at 6.45pm.

Two years ago Campbell suffered a broken nose and had to play wearing a mask and last season he broke a bone in his hand the weekend before the final and came on just 30 seconds from the end when the game was won before picking up the trophy.

Kings, already league champions again, are bidding for their fourth National cup and league double in a row and will be hoping at the very least that he can join them on the bench.

"It's really terrible luck for Paddy – he's been a key player for us all season," said coach Danny Costello, who may ask junior star Lee Reilly to stand by to take Campbell's place if he does not respond to treatment today.

Reilly, himself an injury victim for much of the season, has the junior final to worry about against Fury on Sunday, the order of games having been changed round this year with both senior finals on tomorrow, the women's between holders Edinburgh Kool Kats and newly-crowned league champions Glasgow Rocks tipping off at 4.30pm.

Reilly's elder brother Craig is in the Kings line-up tomorrow and will be hoping to get the chance to prove that his form against Fury in the team's last clash with their rivals was no fluke.

But Kings are likely to be facing a height disadvantage against a Falkirk side which includes the 6ft 10in Roni Gordon and the 6ft 8in Ali Fraser and is likely to be bolstered by former captain Marek Pawlak and Frenchman Walter Lubeigt.

While Kings have beaten Fury in all four league encounters this season, Kool Kats have lost all four of their league games to the new Glasgow Rocks, who are also chasing a league and cup double.

The other Capital coach much involved in the weekend is Bobby Merrilees, whose Edinburgh Spartans men's team have reached tonight's final of the Scottish Chairman's Cup against Glasgow University after thrilling wins over Dunfermline Reign and Boroughmuir Blaze on the way. Merrilees also coaches Pentland Star who face Highland Bears in the women's final on Sunday.