Basketball: Jansson back to bolster Peregrines at Stirling

East Lothian Peregrines head for Stirling in the Scottish Basketball league tonight still reeling from a 66-point reverse at the hands of local rivals Edinburgh Kings at Musselburgh last weekend.

With new club Stirling Knights showing promise in both their first two games, though still chasing their first win in the Scottish League, tonight's game is important for both clubs.

Peregrines however are probably more in need of a boost as the season had been looking so promising after their opening win over Glasgow Storm and they badly missed stalwart Swedish centre Rob Jansson against the Kings.

Jansson's return should bolster the East Lothian defence and attack and free up Peregrines' shooters Grant Gibson, Adam Johnston, Cameron McGrain and John Smith, who had done so well to pip St Mirren in their away opener in Paisley.

Some indication of how good that result was may come at Ayr tonight where Troon Tornadoes, unbeaten in their two openers, host Saints.

Edinburgh Kings head for Scotstoun to play Glasgow Storm on Sunday already looking ahead to their two big league clashes against Troon at home a week tomorrow and Falkirk at Portobello two weeks today.

Coach Danny Costello still has ankle injury worries over guards Michael Kirkpatrick and Craig Reilly, Kirkpatrick having had an x-ray which revealed no break but rather stretched ligaments and Reilly having felt the after-effects of having played last Saturday after being declared unfit at last Thursday's training.

"We should be too strong for Storm despite the fact that they used to be our bogey team," he said.

Dunfermline Reign will have to improve considerably if they are to inflict any damage away to Glasgow University, who, like the Knights, look like being a credit to the league and have won one, lost one so far, with high scoring a feature.

Capital club Polonia Phoenix head West on Sunday to face Glasgow Rocks with coach Stewart Harris, who is also the Sportscotland boss, unavailable to take charge because he is attending the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Assistant Lisa Wilkinson takes charge against a Rocks team who swept the boards last season and who fought back from 12 down to defeat Edinburgh Kool Kats in overtime last week.

Kats meanwhile are away Falkirk Fury in the women's division.