Basketball: Costello begins reign well

Scotland’S basketballers got off to a winning start under new coach Danny Costello when they convincingly beat Northern Ireland 85-55 in their opening game of the British Universities Home Nations Championships in Nottingham last night.

Ahead 24-5 after a sizzling first quarter, Scotland were pegged back in the second to lead only 39-25 at half-time. But they regained control in the third quarter to run out easy winners with Mark Reynolds (Aberdeen) top scorer on 28 points and ex-Edinburgh Kings junior Calum Nicol (Glasgow) adding 16.

England demolished Wales 91-34, allowing the luckless Welsh only eight second-half points, while England’s women beat Scotland 85-44.