Kings welcome Knights to Capital as basketball season begins

Last season was a successful one for head coach Craig Nicol’s side as they finished league runners-up to St  Mirren before stunning the Paisley club in the play-off final in March. They had earlier  lifted the Scottish Cup after beating Boroughmuir Blaze in an all-Edinburgh final.

Kings will expect to start their 2018-19 campaign with a win, particularly as they thrashed Stirling 94-72 when they last met in the play-off quarter-finals, but newly-promoted Edinburgh Lions face a baptism of fire tomorrow. Having replaced city rivals Pleasance Basketball Club in the top flight, they could hardly have picked a more daunting opening fixture as they play defending champions St Mirren at Paisley’s  Lagoon Leisure Centre.

Boroughmuir Blaze are also away from home on Saturday afternoon when they travel across the bridge to cross swords with Dunfermline Reign.

In the women’s league,  Edinburgh’s big guns will  have to wait an extra week to make their first appearance. After winning 13 games out of 15 to easily retain their league crown, City of Edinburgh Kool Kats begin their title defence against West Lothian Wolves in Bathgate next Sunday.

Edinburgh University’s ladies were the form team in the second half of last season, going unbeaten since October and clinching a knockout double in the Scottish Cup and Play-Offs. They welcome St Mirren next Saturday.

That leaves Polonia Phoenix as the only capital side on court this weekend. Having endured a miserable time last season, they play 2018 runners-up Lady Rocks in Cumbernauld tomorrow.