Basketball: Kings coach Costello warns his reigning champs against a slow start

Coach Danny Costello says Edinburgh Kings must open their bid for a fifth successive Scottish basketball league title in much stronger fashion when they face newcomers Stirling Knights at Portobello High School tomorrow (3.00pm).

"We've had to play catch-up in the last two seasons and we can't afford to do that again," said Costello, whose son Laurie, the Scotland and Kings top point guard, will be out for several weeks while he undergoes rehab for his injured knee.

Kings' Michael Kirkpatrick believes the team have more than enough firepower to cope with the visitors and go on to retain the title: "We've been working very hard and are much fitter and in better shape defensively than we were at this stage last season."

Scotland internationalists Simon Flockhart, Paddy Campbell and Garreth Lodge are all back chasing club success after the disappointment of the Euro C campaign in Malta.

The versatile Latvian forward Edgars Rekis is also back, while Lee Reilly's failure to secure a US scholarship so far is Kings' good fortune as he is still available to join elder brother Craig in the side.

Knights will field the same team as defeated a Grampian Select on their launch night at Stirling's Peak Centre and that means Scotland forward Daniel Donnelly and GB junior point guard Neil Fraser will both feature as will Scotland's 2006 Commonwealth Games forward Mark Duncan

"We're really looking forward to this," says coach Peter Duncan, Mark's brother.

Kings' near neighbours East Lothian Peregrines face a trip to Paisley's Lagoon Centre tonight to face St Mirren in their season-opener. Peregrines have lost ex-Kings junior Eoghan Dover, who is off south on Sunday to Worcester University to continue his education and basketball.

Glasgow University, who visit Falkirk Fury on Sunday, should liven up the league with their entry, one of four new since last season, the others being Glasgow Rocks, Dunfermline Reign and, of course, the Knights.