Basketball: Finger and Cadle banned from showdown

MIKE FINGER, the Birmingham Bullets coach and his London Towers counterpart, Kevin Cadle, may be forced to watch from the crowd next Sunday when their teams face each other in a top-of-the-table Budweiser League encounter at Wembley.

Both have been fined and banned from that game following incidents in separate matches over the past month. Finger has been fined pounds 150 for criticising officials after Bullets lost 90-88 at Thames Valley Tigers, while Cadle was fined pounds 200 for an outburst at the officials after Towers' shock home defeat against the league's bottom club, Watford Royals.

Both have the right to appeal this week, but must be wary that the action by the English Basketball Association indicates a tougher stance this season against abuse and dissent from coaches.

The Manchester Giants' coach, Jim Brandon, has been banned for three games and fined pounds 500 after verbally abusing the referees following the defeat at Chester Jets. His appeal is on Monday.

The England coach, Laszlo Nemeth, has recalled Spencer Dunkley to the England team for the European Championship semi-final group games in Belarus on 25 February and against Israel in Manchester on the 28th.

Dunkley, who plays for Besancon in France, was injured and missed the victory over Denmark in the autumn.