Basketball: Giants toppled again

When Newcastle Eagles' Greg Modzelewski scored a three-pointer from inside his own half on the half-time buzzer, Manchester Giants knew they were in for a bad weekend.

Giants, knocked out of the National Cup quarter-finals 83-74 by the holders, London Towers, on Friday night, were on their way to an 88-77 defeat against the Eagles on Saturday, whose third consecutive Budweiser League win lifted them to joint third position in the table.

Modzelewski's three-pointer, one of 12 from the Eagles, sneaked a 34- 33 interval lead and heralded a second-half 16-point blitz from Newcastle's American, Michael New.

Giants suffered a third blow when Panji Grainger re-injured the wrist which had kept him out of action for most of the season.

Newcastle joined Towers, Sheffield Sharks and London Leopards in the last four of the Cup with a 99-93 win over Birmingham Bullets on Friday, despite a 40-point total from Bullets' Nigel Lloyd, including eight three- pointers.

Tony Windless, omitted from Towers' European Cup line-up, led their scorers with 19 points in the 83-74 win over the Giants. Free throws from Deon Hanes sealed a 103-98 win for Sheffield Sharks over Leicester City Riders, who had trailed 64-43.