Basketball: Bullets' tough test

Birmingham Bullets begin the return fixtures in the Western Conference of the Champions' Cup against the Portuguese club Oliveirense at Aston Events Centre tonight, with coach Tony Garbelotto admitting there is little room for error.

"I would say this is the most important game so far." he said. "Realisticially, for us to qualify, we have to win this game." Bullets opened the campaign with a 68-63 defeat in Portugal four days before the start of the domestic BBL Championship, in which they have yet to win a game. They then won three European games on the bounce, but last week's 78-65 defeat in France against Dijon threw them back into the mix.

Tenerife lead the Conference with four wins out of five, Bullets are locked in joint second with Mons and Fribourg while Oliveirense have one win in five. The top two qualify automatically for the Pan European Round with the best clubs from the Northern and Southern Conferences.