Basketball: Full-throttle Kings crush 'naive' Fifers

DUNFERMLINE REIGN coach James Steel labelled his side "very soft and naive" after they were torn apart 126-39 by six-man Edinburgh Kings in their Scottish League game at Queen Anne High School on Saturday.

Despite being below strength - vet student Mike Kirkpatrick was unavailable and "Chopper" Lee Pettett is away to Australia - Kings were 74-21 up by half-time and showed no let-up in the second half as they continued to roast their hosts with classic, fast break basketball.

Steel was without his veteran top rebounder Barry Pringle but admitted that the Fifers were caught far too often on the wrong end of the fast breaks.

Scotland centre Simon Flockhart led the visitors with 30 points, former Scottish cap Kevin Anderson had 29, captain Paddy Campbell 26, Lee Reilly 20, Ed Rekis 13 and Garreth Lodge eight as the champions rotated their small squad.

But Kings are well aware that they face much tougher opposition next Saturday when they play Glasgow University away in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

"This could well prove to be a worthy final," commented Kings coach Danny Costello, after hearing that the students had beaten East Lothian Peregrines 93-42 at home on Saturday.

St Mirren and Stirling Knights, who meet in the other semi at Linwood next Sunday, may have other ideas.

Stirling made it six in a row as they pulled off one of their best wins of the season, pipping Troon Tornadoes 84-82 at Ayr, while Saints, who still have a chance of catching Kings in the league, beat Scottish Rocks 99-76.

Stirling's fast-improving Gary Ferguson must have impressed national team coach Tom Campbell, the Troon boss, as he popped in a season-high 25 against them.

Kings juniors were also in form at the weekend walloping St Mirren 91-49, while Edinburgh Kool Kats and Polonia Phoenix both had good wins in the Scottish Women's League, Kats beating Falkirk Fury 67-39 at Portobello yesterday and Polonia downing St Mirren 61-51 away.

Phoenix juniors also beat Glasgow Rocks 79-65, helped by 26 from Hilary Wood and 23 from Katy Brown, before going down narrowly in overtime 54-50 to Falkirk Fury.

Kats cadettes beat Fury 61-25, led by 17 from Hannah Peacock.

"Kings are well aware that they face much tougher opposition when they play Glasgow University"