Pressure on EU students to reach the semi-finals

Edinburgh University, who have provided much of the resources for the new women's professional basketball team Caledonia Pride, will be under pressure this weekend to produce away wins in the Scottish men's and women's Championship Play-Offs or their domestic amateur seasons will end.

Hannah Robb

EU men, who almost certainly lost their grip on the Scottish Universities title when they went down 74-60 away to Glasgow this week – Glasgow can regain the title if they beat lowly Abertay away on Sunday – face a tough away trip to Paisley’s Lagoon SC tonight to play St Mirren in the Scottish Play-Offs quarter-finals at 8.20pm.

Defeat will mean the end of their season while EU women, essentially the Pride B team, plus some extra non-embargoed players such as Dori Lansbach and Hannah Robb, travel to Broughty Ferry on Sunday to play the Scottish league and cup runners-up Tayside Musketeers in the Play-Offs semi-finals.

Pride have no game in the Women’s BBL this weekend which means that Robb is free to face her old club at Grove Academy.

Edinburgh Kool Kats, who have already won both cup and league without the services of Pride player Kirsten Simpson, would probably have welcomed her help for when they face Falkirk Fury tomorrow in their Play-Offs semi-final at Portobello HS at 3pm.

Fury took Kats to overtime in their last encounter, the match-ups proving tricky for the quick but less lofty champions.

Coach Ben Gunn will be looking for big performances from forwards Nicola McBrierty and Rachel Boyd as well as experienced veteran Tracey Phillips.

The other men’s quarter-finals are, tonight: Falkirk Fury v Dunfermline Reign at the Mariner SC (8pm); Boroughmuir Blaze v Stirling Knights at the Crags SC (8.20pm). Tomorrow: Edinburgh Kings v Glasgow Storm at Portobello HS (7pm).