DIGEST

BASKETBALL

GLASGOW Rocks coach Sterling Davis wants his side to round off the British Basketball League’s regular season with a flourish against London Lions today. The Scots will finish third with a win at the Emirates Arena or defeat for Sheffield at runners-up Newcastle. But a fourth successive victory would be the ideal way to gain momentum, Davis said, ahead of next weekend’s play-off quarter-finals. “We want third,” said the American. “But it’s just as important to be playing well.”

CURLING

PERTH’S Kyle Smith scraped through to the final of the European Masters despite losing his last round-robin match in St Gallen, Switzerland, 7-5 to Norway’s Steffen Walstad. Aberdeen’s Tom Brewster was also beaten, 5-3 by Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud, to leave a five-way tie for second place overall. Smith advanced due to a better statistical record and will play Sweden’s Niklas Edin. Brewster will face US skip Heath McCormick in the third place play-off.

GYMNASTICS

ELLIE Downie completed a clean sweep of European Championship medals as she added apparatus silver and bronze to her historic all-around title in Cluj. The Nottingham 17-year-old finished behind Coline Devillard of France in the women’s vault final before tying for third on the uneven bars alongside Elisabeth Seitz of Germany. Courtney Tulloch earned Britain’s first rings medal at a major championship when he took silver behind Olympic champion Eleftherios Petrounias of Greece. There is the prospect of more medals for Downie in today’s beam and floor finals, but sister Becky looks unlikely to be fit to contest the beam after a fall on the bars. James Hall and Dom Cunningham compete in the men’s bar and vault finals respectively.

HOCKEY

THE destiny of the First Division championship took a dramatic twist on the final day with leaders Grange losing 3-2 at home to Western Wildcats and Bromac Kelburne taking advantage to claim the title with a 2-0 win over Edinburgh University. In an early start, Grange, who began the day with a one-point advantage, succumbed to a first-half set-piece double by Adam McKenzie and an open play strike from Roshan Anderson. The unexpected result ensured Wildcats will contest the top-four play-offs.

Knowing they only had to take the three points to win the title, Kelburne were strangely subdued but a goal through a penalty corner strike by Ben Peterson and a cross by Lee Morton that was deflected into the goal by an Edinburgh defender settled the result.

Hillhead and Clydesdale both missed the chance to escape from the relegation play-offs by drawing 1-1, while Watsonians’ escape route was closed when they lost 4-0 to Grove Menzieshill.

Edinburgh University retained the women’s First Division title after thumping Watsonians 6-1, to finish three points ahead of Milne Craig Western.

SHINTY

KYLES Athletic moved to the top of the Marine Harvest Premiership with a 4-1 win over Glenurquhart. The match was deadlocked at one apiece at the break with the Glen’s James MacPherson’s 40th-minute strike cancelling out Martyn MacFadyen’s goal in the 17th minute. However, Kyles took the points with goals from Sandy MacKenzie, Gordon Whyte and Roddy MacDonald.

Kinlochshiel edged past Kingussie 2-0 with second-half goals from John MacRae to move into second after leapfrogging Oban Camanachd who went down 2-1 to Lovat.

Newtonmore moved up to fourth with a 3-0 home win over bottom side Lochaber, while Glasgow Mid Argyll secured a 1-0 win over Kilmallie.