Basketball: Lloyd's Lions leap above Birmingham

Milton Keynes Lions climbed over Birmingham Bullets to fourth place in the Southern Conference by beating them 106-98 at Bletchley last night.

The Lions player-coach, Nigel Lloyd, scored 31 points against his former club, including six three-pointers, while the 6ft 9in Jason Siemon also scored 31 and added 17 rebounds.

The Bullets were without their playmaker, Rob Paternostro, who suffered an elbow injury in Saturday night's 86-80 defeat against London Leopards, who are third in the South behind the leaders London Towers and Brighton Bears.

Paternostro's three-pointer cut Leopards' lead to 80-77, but they won the game from the free throw line to take a firm grip on third place.

Towers and Brighton have already qualified for the play-off quarter-finals, and the last two places from the South will be settled by next weekend's final games.

On Saturday night, Milton Keynes outscored Thames Valley Tigers 14-1 over the final seven minutes to win 79-76 at Bracknell, with Leon Noel hitting two three-pointers and a two-pointer in their match-winning surge.

Also on Saturday, the defending champions, Leicester Riders, won 89-84 at Derby Storm, knowing that one more defeat would cost them a place in the play-off quarter-finals and the chance to defend their title.

Riders will still have to win their final game, at the Northern Conference leaders, Chester Jets, on Sunday, and hope Edinburgh Rocks lose both their remaining games. If not, the Scots will claim the final play-off place from the North. Chester, Sheffield Sharks and Newcastle Eagles have already qualified.