Basketball: Scantlebury looks to end play-off jinx

The domestic season climaxes in the play-offs this weekend at Birmingham's NIA involving 10 clubs from the BBL and EBL.

The domestic season climaxes in the play-offs this weekend at Birmingham's NIA involving 10 clubs from the BBL and EBL.

Today's BBL play-off semi-finals pit Brighton Bears against Chester Jets, while Sheffield Sharks face London Towers. The final is tomorrow.

Sharks' Peter Scantlebury is out to break a personal hoodoo this weekend as despite winning every other title he failed three times in the play-offs as a player. The former England international said: "I wouldn't say it drives me on but when the opportunity comes you have to take it."

Meanwhile, Londoner Luol Deng, who has just completed his first season at America's Duke University, is considering spurning the last three years at college to enter the NBA Draft on 26 June. Deng, who was named a Freshman All-American, has never played senior club basketball in England - and the American-stacked line-ups for today's BBL play-off semi-finals make it obvious why few players bother to try.