Basketball: Kings blow Storm away in third-quarter points blitz

Glasgow STORM have long been one of Edinburgh Kings' bogey teams, though the West side have not actually beaten the basketball champions for several seasons but have rather proved awkward opponents to put away.

Until Saturday that is, when Kings proceeded to cut loose for their biggest win of the season, 114-47, helped by a super 40-11 third quarter at Portobello High School when their running game, so effective against non-league Perth Phoenix in the Scottish Cup two days previously, really clicked into gear.

Yet, strange though it may seem, there was a point midway through the second quarter when Kings, 30-14 up after the first, led only 30-18 having only added a single point in four minutes, and actually looked vulnerable.

But the terrific running of teenage guard Lee Reilly, who scored 20 in the first quarter alone and finished with a 30 point game tally, helped spark another points onslaught. Scotland centre Si Flockhart, deadly on the trail, added another 26 to the 27 he bagged against Perth, Mike Kirkpatrick added 25 including three three-pointers in a row and Garreth Lodge injected a lively 21.

Ahead 55-20 at half-time, Kings were incredibly 95-31 up after the third quarter but, inevitably perhaps, their momentum sagged and they only won the last 19-16.

"Next Friday away to Troon will be a lot harder," warned coach Danny Costello.

With wins for the Kings juniors and cadets over Falkirk Fury it was a satisfactory weekend for the Edinburgh outfit, whose only gripe was the postponement of their senior women's home game with St Mirren.

For the second week in a row East Lothian Peregrines also had a blank, their home game with Stirling being called off because of the weather.

But club skipper Grant Gibson was extremely relaxed about the situation: "We're only two games behind with our fixture schedule."