Garcia's arrival boosts Derby's chances

Antonio Garcia, at 6ft 8in the biggest no-show of last weekend's action, finally linked up with Derby Storm this week who hope his debut tonight will bring their first win of the season against Edinburgh Rocks and propel them into the last eight of the NTL National Cup.

Antonio Garcia, at 6ft 8in the biggest no-show of last weekend's action, finally linked up with Derby Storm this week who hope his debut tonight will bring their first win of the season against Edinburgh Rocks and propel them into the last eight of the NTL National Cup.

The Storm coach, Kevin Wall, planned to initiate the Panamanian, last season's leading rebounder in France, during last weekend's demanding double-header against Manchester Giants and Sheffield Sharks but Garcia didn't arrive and Derby lost both. "We were starting to think we would have to look elsewhere," Wall said.

Garcia's arrival adds to the problems of Edinburgh, who lost their opening two games of the season and need a victory to reach the quarter-finals at Aston Villa in a fortnight.

Last weekend John McCord, once a regular in the Rocks line-up, starred for Thames Valley Tigers in their win in Edinburgh and tonight he faces another former Rock, Michael New.

New scored almost half Derby's haul in last weekend's defeat at Sheffield - the title holders who tonight travel to former winners, Thames Valley.

Justin Phoenix, who played for Birmingham Bullets in last season's championship final defeat against Manchester Giants, has also arrived in time for the Cup and lines up for the Giants at Brighton Bears tonight.