Basketball: Lions aiming to make history

Milton Keynes Lions, who have reached only one final in their franchise history, and Scottish Rocks, beaten in last season's final, face two of the country's most successful clubs in tomorrow's BBL Cup semi-finals at Sheffield's Pond Forge.

Milton Keynes Lions, who have reached only one final in their franchise history, and Scottish Rocks, beaten in last season's final, face two of the country's most successful clubs in tomorrow's BBL Cup semi-finals at Sheffield's Pond Forge.

The Lions play the league champions, Brighton Bears, in the first match of the day, while the Rocks face Chester Jets, winners of the past four BBL Trophies. Unfortunately for the BBL, well-supported Cup holders Sheffield Sharks lostin the first round to the Lions, a fact which makes the Bears' coach, Nick Nurse, wary of tomorrow's opponents. He said: "I don't think my extra experience will be that vital. The outcome will depend on which players perform on the day."

The Rocks will hope to capitalise on the absence of the Jets' injured captain, Calvin Davis. But the presence of Trey Moore, Shawn Myers, DJ Harrison and the experienced Billy Singleton should be too much for a mis-firing Rocks outfit.

Myers, a former Rock, will captain the Jets in the absence of Davis and his coach, Paul Smith, said: "We are as capable as anyone of winning trophies and in Myers and Singleton we have two big time players."

The Lions coach, Barbadian Nigel Lloyd, who was Nurse's assistant at the Birmingham Bullets, said: "This is a chance for us to make a bit of history."