Basketball: Sharks `need to win trophy'

DESPITE the advent of Chicago Bulls' 6ft 10in cross-dressing Dennis Rodman, few would still see basketball players as potential bridesmaids but Sheffield Sharks fit the bill.

Since their National Cup and Budweiser League double in 1995 they have been runners-up twice and semi-finalists four times in different competitions.

In the uni-ball Trophy Final at Birmingham's NEC tomorrow, Sheffield's first-year coach Chris Finch faces a London Towers team bidding for the title for a third successive season.

The Towers coach, Kevin Cadle, has won more games than any coach in the league but this season is seeing titles slip from his grasp.

"I know they want to win the trophy but we need to win it."

Sharks are still in contention for the Budweiser League title whose top pair, Greater London Leopards and Peugeot Birmingham Bullets, meet at the NEC tonight.

Leopards lost the initiative to Bullets by losing 88 -81 at home to Derby Storm on Tuesday, then needed an Eric Burks three-pointer nine seconds from time to beat Manchester Giants 97-94 on Thursday.

Leopards have 23 wins from 29 games, Bullets 21 from 26 and Sharks 20 from 26.