Semi-final is another huge game for Reign

Dunfermline Reign have arguably another “biggest game of the season” so far when they play Falkirk Fury in the Scottish Cup semi-final at St Columba’s HS today at 3pm.

Still unbeaten in Scottish National League and cup this season, after squeezing through 74-68 in their league clash at home to Edinburgh Kings last Saturday, Reign insisted their injured top playmaker Craig Ferguson will be fit to face the Fury.

The Falkirk team has strengthened its bench significantly since losing three early league games and last month recruited Scotland’s Commonwealth Games team guard Bantu Burroughs to boost its ball handlers.

Burroughs was released by the Glasgow Rocks after failing to secure much BBL court time this season from coach Daryll Wood, ironically himself an ex-Reign coach.

However, while fairly low profile for Scotland in the Gold Coast last April, he may still be a grade higher than most Scottish league guards as well as being a lively defender.

Which is why Ferguson’s fitness is so vital.

The other scare for Reign came during last Saturday’s league game with Kings when the basket, which had caused so much concern in the build-up and led to the cancellation of Reign’s previous game with Stirling Knights, again collapsed.

“It only caused a 10-minute delay and we’ve since had it strengthened so there are no issues for this Saturday,” insisted assistant coach John Day.

“Craig rolled his ankle at the Scottish Student Sport team trials last Sunday but he trained here on Tuesday and was fine and is 100% for Saturday,” added Day.

With Reign’s new Dutch signing Lauritz Juffers facing another big test against the likes of two more former Rocks, the Bulgarian Boris Matrokov and Austrian Adam Hammerschmidt, the game is finely poised and home court advantage could be decisive.

The two teams will clash again in the league at Grangemouth Sports Centre six days later in another hugely important game.