Newcastle Eagles 92 (22,44,69) (Jackson 31, Smith 25, Defoe 10)
Glasgow Rocks 83 (26,53,67) (Livas 18, Davis 17, Harrison 14)
Newcastle Eagles secured second position behind the Mersey Tigers in the BBL Championship thanks to a come-from-behind 92-83 victory over the Glasgow Rocks at Sport Central on Friday evening.

The defeat for the Rocks means that they slip down below the UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders into sixth position in the table and will have to secure a victory in their final game of the season against the Prestige Homes MK Lions and hope that other results go their way in order to secure fifth position in the race for the play-offs.

The Rocks started the stronger and an 11-2 run gave them the lead at 7-15, but the Eagles came right back at their visitors and enjoyed a 7-0 tear of their own to trim the deficit back to a single point at 18-19. The sides traded baskets at the end of the quarter and the Rocks had their noses in front at 22-26 heading into the second period.

A 9-2 run for the Eagles at the beginning of the second quarter tied the game at 31-31, but the Rocks battled their way back in front thanks to a 10-2 burst of their own to take the score out to 39-53. The home side bagged the final five points of the first half to trim the deficit back to nine points at 44-53 heading into the locker rooms at the half.

In the second half the Rocks extended their lead out to 12 points at 49-61, but the Eagles were not to be outdone and they came storming back into the contest, and an 18-4 tear handed them the lead at 67-65 within the final minute of the third quarter and the home side maintained that lead at 69-67 heading into the final stanza of the contest.

In the final period a pair of free-throws from Nick Livas for the Rocks kept the visitors in touch at 73-71, but a 7-1 burst from the Eagles broke the game open and helped the home side open up an eight point advantage at 80-72. The Rocks tried valiantly to get themselves back into the game and got to within four points at 83-79 with 1:19 remaining in the contest, but the Eagles held their nerve and secured the victory from the foul-line in the closing stages.

An impressive showing from Reggie Jackson saw the Eagles man leading all scorers in the game with 31 points, while Livas led the Rocks in scoring with 18 points personal.