Basketball: Rocks roll over plucky kings

Glasgow Rocks booked a place in the quarter-finals of the BBL Trophy with a 72-61 victory over Edinburgh Kings last night, writes Mark Woods.

However, the amateurs from the Scottish League handed their full-time rivals a fright with a battling display at The Pleasance before succumbing in the second half as Gareth Murray racked up a game-high 28 points.

The Rocks, who host Plymouth Raiders in the league today at the Emirates Arena, now face an awkward trip to Sheffield Sharks in the next round but with this season’s final at their home venue, player-coach Sterling Davis will look for improvements.

“I wasn’t surprised by how good they were,” the American claimed. “I knew they’d come out with a lot of intensity. So I’m definitely relieved that we’re still in the competition. We really want to be in that final.”

The hosts, domestic league champions for the past six years, traded leads seven times in the first half with Great Britain Under-20 international Lee Reilly (23 points) superb. Rocks led 33-27 at half-time and although pressure was maintained, Murray sent Glasgow clear for good.