Basketball: Williams powers Towers to victory

One unbeaten record was sure to end at the Brighton Centre last night and home team the Bears lost theirs with an 83-78 British Basketball League defeat against the London Towers, who opened a four-point lead at the top of the table after just four games.

One unbeaten record was sure to end at the Brighton Centre last night and home team the Bears lost theirs with an 83-78 British Basketball League defeat against the London Towers, who opened a four-point lead at the top of the table after just four games.

The Bears, who are signing the England international Steve Hansell on a game-by-game deal on Monday, fought back to lead 64-62 at the end of the third quarter after trailing by seven points at half-time. But London's win was sealed by a last-minute four-point play from Jerry Williams (24 points).

The Thames Valley Tigers have agreed game-by-game terms with Greg Meldrum, who captained the BBL club for the past four seasons but had hoped to land a more lucrative contract with a continental club.

The Canadian international is training with the Tigers and coach Paul James said: "It makes no sense to have Greg just training with us when he has so many years experience under his belt which can improve the team right now."

Meldrum will make his debut in the BBL Cup at Leicester Riders tonight. The Tigers have released Andrew Murdoch.

The Milton Keynes Lions have signed England international Pierre Henry-Fontaine, a 6ft4in guard-forward who played last season for Bossier Community College in Louisiana.