Basketball: Chester turn on Heat to kick-start season

Chester Jets, the British Basketball League champions, earned only their third victory of the campaign last night by beating injury-hit Guildford Heat 86-68 at Northgate Arena.

England international Mike Martin led Guildford's scorers with 18 points on his return from injury, but the Heat are still without their American playmaker Brian Dux. Shawn Myers led Chester with 24 points.

Newcastle Eagles' seventh win out of nine - by 90-87 at Milton Keynes Lions - took them to joint top alongside Leicester Riders and Scottish Rocks.

Brighton Bears' coach Nick Nurse has signed the BBL's former Most Valuable Player, Jerry Williams, in an attempt to boost his club's attempt for honours after a disappointing first six weeks of the season.

The Bears, last season's BBL Cup winners, have lost five Championship games out of nine this season and Nurse moved for the 6ft 5in American once he learned Williams had been released by the French club Dijon.