Basketball: Blaze stay joint top after taming Tornadoes

Glasgow had a panicky 81-74 home win over Dunfermline Reign.

B But, with a shortage of referees wiping out Blaze’s game away to Tayside Musketeers yesterday, Falkirk Fury moved clear into third with a 73-67 home win over previously joint third Edinburgh University. EU recovered to beat Edinburgh Kings 58-37 at the Pleasance yesterday.

Crucial in that victory was a heroic display by centre Jac St John who, after missing the Fury game played with a severely bruised knee, a training injury. Perhaps even more vital than the 13 points he scored was his defence.

“That’s the meanest we’ve been in defence all year, we’re normally difficult to score against but to keep them to 37 was a credit to all the boys,” said coach Danny Costello, whose side, now on four defeats, will need some favours from other teams if they are to get back on terms with the top.

Kings, who had easily beaten Tayside Musketeers 72-44 just 16 hours previously at Portobello, and yesterday lost veteran Paddy Campbell with a recurring back injury, must have wished their game had been postponed too.

They led 9-4 but then the students hit them with a 14-0 run which even blew the electronic scoreboard away. After a delay of several minutes while a repair was made, EU resumed their three-point blitz – five in all including three from Brendan Mullan – to lead 23-9 after the quarter. Up 33-20 at half-time and 45-30 after the third, EU never allowed Kings to get close.

Ron Adrian top-scored with 17 points, including three threes, Mullan and St John had 13 each and Ben Warrington 10.

Craig Reilly with 24, including five threes, was the only visitor in double figures.

Unbeaten Edinburgh University women, away winners over Falkirk Fury on Saturday, had a comfortable 63-36 home win over Edinburgh Kool Kats, who recovered to gain revenge over Tayside Musketeers at Portobello yesterday with a 68-62 win.