Basketball: Giants try to reverse the slide

MANCHESTER GIANTS and London Towers try to guide their seasons back on course this weekend after dispensing with their coaches in the last nine days.

Following the departure of Jeff Jones, Giants lost their clear advantage at the top with a home defeat against Worthing Bears last Sunday. On Wednesday their hopes of a cup final appearance slipped away in a 21-point home defeat against Thames Valley Tigers in the first leg of their semi-final.

The stand-in coach and club managing director, Rick Taylor, should halt the slide with a win at Sunderland tonight, but needs London's new coach, Charlie Bannerman, to ease the pressure by inspiring an upset at Worthing. Bannerman took over on Wednesday from Mark Dunning after London lost their previous two games.

Guildford Kings yesterday returned from another European Cup drubbing, a 94-55 defeat in Barcelona on Thursday night, but could also influence the title race by beating Thames Valley tomorrow.