Bullets on top as rivals slip up

Basketball

Billy Ross shot Birmingham Bullets into joint leadership of the Budweiser League, alongside champions London Towers and Sheffield Sharks, with eight three-pointers in their 110-96 win at Worthing Bears.

American Ross scored three in the fourth quarter on Saturday night as the Bullets pulled away from a 70-69 lead.

The Towers lived dangerously at Wembley last night and needed six points in the final 90 seconds, four from Tony Windless, to edge Thames Valley 93-85 after the Tigers had outscored London 15-2.

London, still smarting from last weekend's 82-46 embarrassment at Manchester Giants, began their recovery on Friday night with a 78-73 win at Newcastle Eagles, where Danny Lewis and Karl Brown closed out the game from the free throw line.

The Sharks lost their chance to go clear at the top because of Friday night's 86-84 home defeat against the Leopards, when John White scored three free throws for the Docklands-based club in the final minute.

Last night the Sharks handed Newcastle their second defeat of the weekend, as Voise Winters hit 29 points to lead Sheffield to victory after they trailed 43-37 at half-time.

The former leaders, Chester Jets, dropped to fourth despite last night's 97-88 win over Derby Storm, because of Saturday's 105-87 defeat at Leicester City Riders.