Basketball: Nurse looks for home help

The Brighton Bears coach and owner, Nick Nurse, will try to focus on tonight's BBL Cup quarter-final at home to Plymouth Raiders despite facing the threat of a €30,000 (£21,000) fine from FIBA, the sport's international governing body, for withdrawing last weekend from the Europe League.

The Europe League regulations include a fine of up to €30,000 for any team pulling out after the draw has been made. Nurse announced the Bears were withdrawing 72 hours before their opening fixture because of lack of sponsorship.

Nurse will be desperate for success tonight in the Cup as the Bears' BBL Championship title is under severe threat from London Towers who cantered to a 93-70 win over Sheffield Sharks on Wednesday night and are the only unbeaten team in that competition.

Towers, though, were surprisingly knocked out of the Cup by Newcastle Eagles, who are away tomorrow to Chester Jets and hoping to repeat their recent Championship win at the Northgate Arena.

Scottish Rocks face Thames Valley Tigers in another quarter-final tomorrow. They met last season in the semi-finals, which Rocks won by a single point in overtime.