Basketball: Failing Eagles to sack Hyatt for second time

Jeremy Hyatt's on-off career with Newcastle Eagles will take another twist with the player-coach, Fab Flournoy, set to terminate his contract, after the 6ft 8in American returned to the States at Christmas without the club's permission.

Hyatt returned on Thursday but will not play in tonight's home game against the BBL Championship's bottom club, Worcester Wolves, in which defeat is unthinkable for the troubled Eagles. Hyatt was released by the club halfway through last season following his conviction for motoring offences. But Flournoy and the managing director, Paul Blake, gave Hyatt a second chance after a shaky start to the season, which has seen the mid-table Eagles lose their grip on the Championship and go out of the BBL Cup.

Scottish Rocks may have to make their BBL Cup final debut without the American Sterling Davis tomorrow week when they face Guildford Heat. However, Rocks's German coach, Thorsten Leibenath, said: "We're hopeful of getting Sterling fit," but dismissed speculation that he might sign the former Rock Jean Francois, who trained with the club over Christmas.