SBC Scottish Cup Finals: U18 Preview

The two U18 SBC Scottish Cup Finals will see Lady Rocks play Sony Centre Fury in the Women’s Final on Saturday afternoon before City of Edinburgh and Boroughmuir Blaze compete in the Men’s Final on Sunday.

U18 Women’s Final

Lady Rocks began their Cup campaign with a big 97-45 victory over Polonia Phoenix before a closer game at home to Perth Phoenix. For the third time this season Rocks overcame Phoenix, 56-45, to book their place in Sunday’s Final. Sony Centre Fury came out on top in two close encounters on their route to the Final. A 56-53 win on the road to Glasgow city was followed by a one-point victory at Lagoon against St Mirren.

Lady Rocks enter the Final unbeaten throughout 19/20, with a perfect record of 12-0 in the SBC U18 Women’s Division. Fury sit second in the table with a record of 11-3. The team’s losses have come at the hands of upcoming opponents Lady Rocks as well as Perth Phoenix.

The game will be the second meeting between the two sides, with Lady Rocks recorded a 60-39 at Grangemouth back in November.

Looking ahead to the game, Fury’s Kim Flockhart is expecting a tough challenge but believes her players are up to the task:

“We’re up for the game and want to win, we have some experienced players and proven scorers putting up big numbers in our league games, so I know we have the ability to win the game. I’ll not give away anything else!”

“Lady Rocks are unbeaten at this point in time, so there is no doubt this will be a tough game. Lady Rocks are always well organised and ready to go. They have a strong inside presence and always play aggressive, high intensity defence.”

U18 Men’s Final

Blaze picked up a 92-44 win away to Perth in the last 16, earning themselves home ties in the latter stages. A Quarter-Final win over North Lanarkshire, 91-52, set up a Semi against Glasgow Rens, where Blaze again came out on top, 61-57.

City of Edinburgh recording some high-scoring wins on their way to Sunday’s Final. A 136-45 win at home to Flyers saw the team progress to face Glasgow rocks, who they defeated 97-67. In the Semi-Final, a 106-61 victory in Dunfermline booked their ticket to Lagoon.

Blaze currently sit 6^th in the league table with a record of 7-5, although they have games in hand on the rest of the league. City of Edinburgh have an identical record of 7-5, meaning they currently sit second in the NBL Premier North.

The final will be the first meeting between the two sides this season.

City of Edinburgh’s Craig Nicol is expecting Blaze to make it difficult for his team:

“We have an incredibly motivated group of players. The core of the team have been playing together for many years. It was great to win it last year however I think the biggest motivation going into the final is that this is their last few months playing together.”

“Blaze have a young hard-working group of players. I expect them to try to be as disruptive as possible and will try to make it difficult for us to execute. I know their coach well and know that he will have them fired up to play in an Edinburgh derby game.”