Basketball: Scantlebury still enjoys thrill

Peter Scantlebury makes his 118th appearance for England's basketball team against Ukraine at Guildford Spectrum tonight, boosting still further his record haul of caps but feeling the same thrill as on his debut, against Turkey, in 1986.

In fact, the 6ft 5in 33-year-old elder statesman of the current squad took some persuading from coach Laszlo Nemeth to embark on another two- year European Championship semi-final round.

However, knowing he is valued so highly convinced the Newcastle Eagle that he still has the desire for another two years on the international scene, leading up to the European finals in 1999. "I still get the same buzz. I want to play against the best and reach those finals. That's what drives me on," Scantlebury said.

Only a very select band of Englishmen, the 1981 team under coach Vic Ambler, have reached a European finals.