Basketball: City's slickers spearhead great weekend for Capital

City OF EDINBURGH basketball club will have four teams in the Scottish Cup finals at Edinburgh University's Pleasance Sports Centre over the last weekend in March after a triumphant weekend of semi-finals.

And they will probably be joined by two more Capital teams as Polonia Phoenix have reached the Scottish cadette women's final, and are odds-on favourites to beat Highland in the still-to-be-decided junior women's semi.

Despite having three away draws, all three City men's teams came through the penultimate stage, the most remarkable success being that of the cadet men, who were tied 60-60 with Falkirk Fury at the end of normal time at the Mariner Sports Centre, then swept the extra five minutes 15-0 for a 75-60 win.

The junior men showed no mercy in a 70-32 demolition of Glasgow Rens, while along the road at the Stevenson Building, Kings seniors snuffed out the much-feared challenge of Glasgow University's Lithuanian-laden line-up 72-45. "That's the best defence we've played all season," commented Kings' versatile Latvian Ed Rekis, who top-scored with 22 points.

The superb Simon Flockhart (15pts) dominated the rebounds while Michael Kirkpatrick had 13 points and Lee Reilly 11.

Coach Danny Costello agreed: "It was one of our best defensive performances ever - I couldn't have been prouder of our effort, application and discipline."

Their student shooters shackled, Glasgow became despondent after turning round 35-24 down and slipping 59-35 behind after the third and Kings cruised through to meet St Mirren, who just held off Stirling Knights 80-73 in the other semi at Linwood yesterday.

Edinburgh Kool Kats likewise took a grip of their semi with Polonia Phoenix at Portobello and were never behind, building up a 20-point lead in both halves before eventually winning 71-63 to qualify to meet holders Glasgow Rocks in a repeat of last year's final.

Polonia cadettes disposed of Glasgow Rocks 56-43 at Cumbernauld to reach their final.