Semi-final heartbreak for Reign

Dunfermline Reign’s dreams of more honours are over for this season at least after the league champions had victory snatched from their grasp by City of Edinburgh Kings in a thrilling Scottish Play-Offs semi-final at St Columba’s High on Saturday.

Kings won 77-75 with man of the match Konrad Kartowski and Ali Mackay sinking single free throws in the last 14 seconds to give the visitors a narrow twopoint lead and Kings captain Gareth Lodge partially blocking home captain Craig Ferguson’s last-gasp shot.

Kartowski, a 20-year-old Leith Academy FP who spent two years at top English basketball academy Myerscough College, had easily his best game of the season, perhaps his best ever as a Kings senior, while Reign could point to two strokes of bad luck as they entered the fray.

Captain Kieran Lynch was declared unfit due to a training knock and flying forward Jake Sirrell went down in apparent agony from an injury incurred during the game.

But Sirrell recovered so well that with less than four minutes left he took the court again to score two three-pointers in a row and put Reign 68-66 ahead,

But it was that sort of game with the lead constantly changing hands. Kings led 49-45 in the third quarter only for Reign reserve centre Colin McDonald to score four points in a row and tie the game again.

Starting Dutch student Laurits Juffer threatened to take over at one stage, scoring eight in a row to put Reign 21-20 up after the first quarter, and he and Sirrell both notched 15 points behind the quietly efficient veteran centre Eric Potts who top-scored with 18.

At half-time it was 37-33 for Reign but the defence of former Fifer Calum Nicol, who had 11 points and nine rebounds for Kings, and the 6ft 10in Ali Mackay, who was also close to a “double double,” was making a difference for the visitors.

Kings may just have wanted this win more and they will now play Scottish Cup-winners Falkirk Fury in the final at Oriam a week on Saturday, Fury having taken care of St Mirren at home in the other semi.