Basketball: Maltese leave battling Scots to fight for minor places

There was heartbreak for Scotland's Capital basketball players when they went down 89-76 to hosts Malta in a gripping final group game in the Euro C Championship, which relegated them to fighting for the minor places.

Edinburgh Kings duo Simon Flockhart and Laurie Costello were in the thick of the action despite injuries which ought to have ruled them out and the 6ft 9in Flockhart shrugged off an eye injury after being knocked to the floor by Malta giant Samuel Deguara to finish second top scorer with 12 points.

It was a cruel end to the Scots' medal hopes, especially as, for a long time, they looked as if they were going to upset their hosts who had so impressed against Denmark.

But the combination of the 7ft 3in Deguara and some red-hot shooting, especially from Darryl Jackson, who had 30 points, gave Malta their first-ever win over Scotland and a place in tomorrow's semi-finals against the other group winners Andorra. Scotland took an early 16-9 lead and were up for most of the first half though trailing 47-44 at the turn.

Australian-born Steve Leven had a terrific game, scoring 34 points and Simon Flockhart did a great job defending the big centre despite being poleaxed at one stage by Deguara and having to be helped off.

Flockhart recovered to score 12 points, the only other player in double figures after Steve Leven, who scored a terrific 34 points despite being singled out for special treatment in a "box and one" defence by Malta.

Scotland fought hard in defence, with Grant Gibson (East Lothian Peregrines) coming on for a bright spell and hitting a big "three" and they were still leading 76-75 with three minutes left when they were hit by a serious of dagger blows from Malta, who finished the game off from the free-throw line for a flattering 13-point margin.

Scotland now play Gibraltar tomorrow and, if they win that, play the winners of Wales versus San Marino on Saturday with fifth place at stake.