Basketball: Bullets need late rally to reach the play-offs

Life was breathed into the play-off hopes of Birmingham Bullets with a 93-77 win at eighth-placed Milton Keynes Lions last night, after taking control with an 11-0 run to lead 42-31 at half-time.

Life was breathed into the play-off hopes of Birmingham Bullets with a 93-77 win at eighth-placed Milton Keynes Lions last night, after taking control with an 11-0 run to lead 42-31 at half-time.

Bullets' win means they will take the last quarter-final place if they finish level on wins with Lions. But each club has only four games left and Bullets must win at least two of those even if Lions lose all four.

The Lions lifted their play-off hopes by winning 75-73 at London Towers on Saturday night while the Bullets were losing by over 30 points for the third occasion in a week, this time by 110-79 at home to Chester Jets. John McCord, 30 points, led the Jets romp.

At Crystal Palace, the Towers needed an 11-5 run just to cut Lions lead to 56-46 at half-time, but then closed the third quarter with a 17-5 surge to lead 57-54. Freddie Cole, who scored 10 three-pointers for Lions against Edinburgh Rocks last weekend, hit another hot streak by canning all 14 of Lions points at the start of the final quarter.

A Terrell Myers' three-pointer cut Lions' lead to 74-73 but Stedroy Baker scored a single free throw to clinch the win.

Brighton Bears, beaten 89-76 at home by leaders Sheffield Sharks on Friday night, drew level with them by beating the bottom club Leicester Riders 102-92 on Saturday.

The title should be decided over the next seven days with the Sharks at home to third-placed Chester on Thursday before Brighton's visit to the Sheffield Arena on Sunday.