Basketball: Jets win tightens Rocks title grip

Chester Jets, the defending British Basketball League champions who have staggered through this campaign at the wrong end of the table, helped Scottish Rocks take a firmer grip on their title with an upset 91-74 win at Leicester Riders on Saturday night.

Philip Gilbert led Jets with 25 points as the visitors ripped into a 32-10 lead. The Riders, missing England veteran Steve Bucknall and American Deginald Erskin, came back on a 15-0 run to 43-37, but were never any closer.

On Friday night Rocks took revenge over the Eagles with an 81-55 win in Newcastle eight days after the Tynesiders beat them in the BBL Trophy semi-final. Eagles' defeat allowed Sheffield Sharks and London Towers to draw level with them in joint third on Saturday night. Sharks won 81-63 at Guildford Heat, taking control with an 11-0 run to lead 40-22.

Sterling Davis led their scorers with 21 points. Towers opened the fourth quarter in Brighton with an 11-2 run on their way to a 100-87 win over the Bears.

Birmingham Bullets are now four points adrift at the foot of the table after a 91-74 defeat at Plymouth Raiders, who climbed off the bottom with their third win of the new year.