Basketball: Leven show boosts Scots boss Costello

EDINBURGH KINGS coach Danny Costello has praised new cap Steve Leven, who was the star of Scotland's back-to-back basketball internationals against Norway at Stirling.

"He can play," said Costello, who believes that despite their two narrow defeats, Scotland have the basis of a more than useful side for the Euro C Champioinships in Malta in July.

Teesside Mohawk Leven, who qualifies for Scotland through his Edinburgh father, scored 18 points on his debut, though Scotland lost 96-83, and 20 in the second game. Scotland lost the latter 75-69 after being ten up at half-time, but there were also encouraging displays from Kings men Laurie Costello and Simon Flockhart, who both started, and Daniel Donnelly, who hit double figures in both games (10 + 14).

Meanwhile, Oklahoma-based former Edinburgh Kool Kat Rose Anderson has been named in the Great Britain senior women's squad for this season's vital European Championship qualifiers from which GB must come through if they are to have any hope of competing in the 2012 London Olympics.