Basketball: Bonds helps Sharks tame Lions

Sheffield Sharks opened a four-point lead over their British Basketball League rivals with a 66-60 win at second-placed Milton Keynes Lions last night. But the defending champions Newcastle Eagles slumped to an 81-75 loss at Plymouth Raiders despite the 12-point, 10-rebound debut of Tony Dorsey from just 20 minutes on court.

The Sharks, who went top on Friday night with a 95-75 win over Scottish Rocks, took a tighter grip on their lead last night as Jeff Bonds and the veteran Todd Cauthorn scored 12 each ahead of 11 from Blake Shelton. Three-pointers from Terrell Brown and Dru Spinks cut Sharks' lead to 62-60 before Cauthorn's experience helped him shoot two free-throws and Shelton completed the win by scoring off a steal.

Newcastle's grip on their title was loosened by a fourth defeat in eight BBL games at The Pavilions, where Andrew Lasker's steal sealed their fate in the final seconds. Carlton Aaron led the Raiders with 18 points and 20 rebounds, while Shawan Robinson top-scored for the Eagles with 18.

Guildford Heat edged a fractious finale for a first ever BBL win over London United at The Spectrum by 106-93, as the visitors dropped to sixth in the table in their debut season. Brian Dux led Guildford with 23.