BBL Cup: Newcastle Eagles and Glasgow Rocks reach final
Last updated on .From the section Basketball
Newcastle Eagles and Glasgow Rocks will meet in the BBL Cup final after semi-final victories over Sheffield Sharks and Bristol Flyers respectively.
Rocks beat BBL newcomers Bristol 77-75 on the road on Friday before Sunday's 84-57 home success secured their place in the final on Sunday, 11 January.
Eagles held a 77-75 lead from the first leg in Sheffield earlier this month.
And last year's Cup runners-up saw off a Sharks fightback to win 85-76 at home on Friday for an aggregate success.
"I just put it down to our togetherness," Eagles forward/centre Darius Defoe said after his side advanced to their fourth straight Cup final.
"When we needed a stop in the fourth quarter and we were able to come together and get those stops. That's what gets you through big games."
| BBL results 12-14 December |
|---|
| Friday, 12 December |
| BBL Cup: Bristol Flyers 75-77 Glasgow Rocks |
| BBL Cup: Newcastle Eagles 85-76 Sheffield Sharks |
| BBL Championship: Leeds Force 81-70 Durham Wildcats |
| BBL Championship: Worcester Wolves 85-80 Manchester Giants |
| Saturday, 13 December |
| BBL Championship: Surrey United 76-65 Leeds Force |
| Sunday, 14 December |
| BBL Cup: Glasgow Rocks 84-57 Bristol Flyers |
| BBL Championship: London Lions 82-96 Newcastle Eagles |
| BBL Championship: Durham Wildcats 63-65 Sheffield Sharks |
| BBL Championship: Cheshire Phoenix 97-86 Worcester Wolves |
Eagles faced another big game on Sunday, and 27 points from the evergreen Charles Smith helped them defeat London Lions 96-82 to re-establish their lead at the top of the BBL Championship.
Worcester Wolves had moved level on points with Eagles by virtue of an 85-80 victory against Manchester Giants on Friday, but on Sunday Paul James's side were beaten 97-86 by in-form Cheshire Phoenix, who moved up to third with the win.
Sharks bounced back from their Cup exit to overturn a 16-point deficit and edge Durham Wildcats 65-63.
But it was a mixed weekend for Leeds Force, who beat Wildcats 80-71 on Friday before losing 76-65 to Surrey United on Saturday.
In the WBBL, Great Britain international Stef Collins inspired Cardiff Met Archers to the National Cup Final with a 30-point display to lift the Welsh side above Barking Abbey Crusaders 99-77.
Archers meet Sevenoaks Suns at Sheffield EIS on Sunday, 25 January after they beat Brixton Topcats 61-50 in the other semi-final.
