Basketball: Crunch time for Lodge as Kings close in on final berth

A BIZARRE injury to Scottish international point guard Garreth Lodge, who had a rival's tooth embedded in his arm during a British Universities tie in Leeds this week, could threaten Edinburgh Kings in their bid to reach an astonishing 12th Scottish basketball Cup final in a row.

Lodge, who had to go to hospital yesterday on his return from Leeds with the vanquished Stirling University team, hopes to be fit to travel north to Aberdeen tomorrow to help Kings face giant-killers Portlethen Panthers at Portlethen High School (4.30pm).

"It was a pure accident," said Lodge, who has been proudly displaying his inflamed arm on Facebook. On paper there is no way the Grampian League side should remotely trouble the holders, who, should they win, will be on course to take the trophy for the fourth year in a row.

But Panthers, by their second round upset 75-74 victory over Kings' National league rivals East Lothian Peregrines, followed by a 77-67 quarter-final success over the Glasgow Rocks' B team, have earned the right to be respected and Kings coach Danny Costello, never one to leave anything to chance, will certainly give them plenty of that.

"Nick Ruta and Heinrich Jasper both scored over 20 points in the win over Peregrines so we shall have to make sure we don't give them the space to find their rhythm against us," he said. "Once again defence will be our major weapon."

Sister club Edinburgh Kool Kats, like Kings the Scottish Cup-holders, have home advantage against Falkirk Fury at Portobello High School tomorrow for their semi-final at noon.

Kats' coach Graham Gunn will be glad to have his most experienced internationalist Charlotte King back on duty to take on the rebounding chores and help combat the threat of the athletic Gillian Baird for Fury.

Kings junior men meanwhile travel to Perth tomorrow (3pm) where they should clinch a final place at the expense of Perth Phoenix.