Basketball: Robinson's class helps Eagles to tame Lions

Newcastle Eagles put aside their stuttering defence of the British Basketball League title to open their BBL Cup defence last night with a 100-74 demolition of Milton Keynes Lions, who sorely missed the league's leading scorer, Tony Windless.

Lions, the League leaders, lost Windless in the opening minutes of their 83-78 BBL Trophy win over London United on Friday night and the Eagles capitalised as Shawan Robinson's 32 points led them to victory.

Sheffield Sharks defeated the Jets 87-69 in Chester last night to draw level with Lions at the top of the table on five wins. Joel Burns scored two three-pointers in a 9-1 run which opened a decisive 49-32 lead.

Also in the championship, the bottom club, Worcester Wolves, newly promoted but under-strength, slumped to their eighth defeat in nine games by 109-69 in Glasgow, where the Scottish Rocks went 23-14 ahead on a 13-0 run and never trailed again. Rob Yanders led their scorers with 23 points.