Basketball: Kings and Kats double up to triumph

You has to go back to the heady days of David Murray's generously sponsored Murray International Metals teams of the 1980s to find a similar feat.

And, with their junior men also winning on Saturday, the Capital club were successful in three out of four finals.

Edinburgh Kings were never troubled in putting St Mirren to the sword 82-57 in the men's final, their third Cup and league success in a row and their first Cup success over Saints in three finals going back to 1999. Edinburgh Kool Kats however did not have things all their own way in the women's final.

After initially building up a 21-9 lead, they had to come from behind to win 75-64 against a feisty St Mirren side who gave a far better account of themselves than the men.

A big performance from Australian Samantha Duff, who scored 24 points, including seven from eight from the line, helped steady Kats, who had 14 from Rebecca Allison and 11 from captain Emma Findlay.

"That was a huge win," said Kings' coach Danny Costello, who brought his own personal tally in charge of the club's Cup finals to five out of nine.

"Our success was based very much on teamwork and our defence was absolutely outstanding in the first quarter."

Kings raced into a 10-0 lead from the start and were 21-6 up after the opening ten minutes and 45-21 at half-time, when it looked "game over".

With Irish cap Paul Cummins having one of his best games in Scotland with 24 points, including five threes, and Laurie Costello coming through strongly for 17, the home side continued to dominate and centre Si Flockhart, who again had a trademark behind-the-back lay-up, added 15 points and 15 rebounds and Garreth Lodge 12.

"We ran the structured offence we've been playing and stuck with it," added coach Costello.

One of the biggest cheers was reserved for skipper Paddy Campbell who came on court with his broken left hand strapped with 30 seconds left. Both Lee Reilly, who played 26 minutes for four assists, four steals and four points and Ali Mackay, who had five rebounds, were big players for Kings having been crucial in Saturday's success in the RAF Scottish Junior Cup.

Kings came from 34-28 down at half-time to defeat Falkirk Fury 61-57 but will have to defeat their close rivals again in a play-off to claim a cup and league double.

Reilly scored 14 points in a full 40-minute shift, while Mackay had 15 points and 12 rebounds in a similar marathon. But the hero of the hour was Calum Nicol who, despite being laid out cold by a flying elbow, top-scored with 20 and added 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks.

Despite 25 points and 15 rebounds from Kathryn Taylor and 23 from Rebecca Allison, Kool Kats could not quite hold St Mirren in the junior women's final and went down 70-61 after being tied at 55-55.