Basketball: Bears edge title clash over Sharks

Brighton Bears took a huge stride to becoming BBL Champions with an 85-81 overtime win against title defenders Sheffield Sharks on Saturday night, opening a four-point gap over the Yorkshire club.

The Sharks forced overtime at 73-73. But Rico Alderson scored twice for the Bears, before Michael Brown won it from the free throw line. Milton Keynes Lions, lost 96-82 at Thames Valley Tigers on Saturday, but should clinch eighth from Leicester Riders who lost 94-82 to Chester Jets. London Towers are joint third with Scottish Rocks after beating a tired Newcastle Eagles 98-94.

On Friday, the Eagles home game against Thames Valley did not finish until almost midnight after the 12-hour closure of the A1. Eagles won 92-86.

In Division One, Ware Rebels won 91-87 despite having Mark Quashie and coach Jon Burnell ejected in the third quarter, against Teesside Mohawks.