Basketball: Sharp-shooting Lithuanians scare Kings at Portobello

Scottish basketball's Lithuanian-inspired shock team Glasgow University came close to another upset when they led Scottish champions and league leaders Edinburgh Kings by a point, 39-38, at half-time at Portobello High School on Saturday.

Thanks to their superb outside shooting - they scored 11 three-pointers in all - they were still in the game late in the final quarter, though Kings eventually won 86-74.

Some people are now tipping the students to win the Scottish Cup and, as luck would have it, they will almost certainly be at home to the Capital side in the semi-final next month.

Both teams have to fulfil quarter-final ties first, Glasgow at home to city rivals Glasgow Storm tonight and Kings hosting Lothian League side West Lothian Wolves at Portobello on Thursday.

Kings led 21-13 after the first quarter on Saturday, but were then rocked back by the sharp-shooting visitors, who hit seven threes in the first half to lead 39-38 at half-time.

But Kings tightened their defence in the third quarter to take it 25-14 and regain control.

"The game turned out to be as difficult as I thought it would and they shot the lights out but I'm delighted with the attitude we had right from the start and we defended very well on the inside," said coach Danny Costello.

Two Lithuanians had eight threes between them; Julius Kainietis, brother of their national team's point guard, scored five in a 19-point haul while Aistis Keliauskas had three and English guard Steve Archer two.

Simon Flockhart bounced back with 20 points for Kings and Lee Reilly, back from injury, matched that, while Ed Rekis had 16, Mike Kirkpatrick eight, including two threes, and Garreth Lodge six.

Polonia Phoenix travelled to Inverness, Aberdeen and Arbroath to complete an away treble over Grampian Flyers (senior), Highland (junior) and Tayside Musketeers, reaching the semi-finals of all three cups.