All Star honour for Chester's Burton: Basketball

Richard Taylor
Friday 14 March 1997 00:02 GMT
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Mike Burton's transformation of the Chester Jets from no hopers to title challengers has been rewarded with his selection as coach for the North in the Budweiser League All Star game, against the South at Sheffield Arena on Monday week.

After five consecutive years in the League's bottom three, Chester are already guaranteed the most successful season in the history even if they do not win another game. Beaten by London Towers in the 7-Up League trophy final earlier this month, they began the week joint second in the League and are pushing for a top-four finish and home advantage in the play-off quarter-finals.

Burton said: "We can still get a title this season and we'll be after the play-off final at Wembley. It's a great honour to coach the All Star team, particularly as I've been voted in by my peers."

The League's coaches named Birmingham Bullets' Nick Nurse to coach the South for the second season. Nurse led them to their third successive win last season to take the series to 4-4.

Burton is one of only five Englishmen taking part in an event dominated by Americans. Sheffield Sharks' Roger Huggins is the only English player in the North's side. Burton's team includes three of his Jets: Russ Saunders, making a record eighth appearance, Hillary Scott and Billy Singleton.

South include three Englishmen - London Towers' Karl Brown, and Peter and Richard Scantlebury of Thames Valley and Crystal Palace respectively.

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