Eagles one win away from a fourth BBL Championship

 NEWCASTLE Eagles are just one win away from a fourth BBL Championship league title after a comfortable victory over the Marshall MK Lions.

Andrew Sullivan notched up 27 points and Charles Smith 26 as the Eagles collected a 121-84 win at the Metro Radio Arena, taking their points tally to 60, level with Sheffield Sharks.

Newcastle however, remain in top spot and are now safe in the knowledge that victory over Glasgow Rocks in their final match of the season will hand them the title.

Sheffield Sharks, who kept the pressure on with an equally comfortable win over basement boys London Capital, will face Worthing Thunder on Saturday but will be forced to settle for second should the Eagles prove victorious.

The Eagles started brightly with a 10-2 run, but the Lions came straight back at them to tie the game up at 13-13. 

But another 12-2 burst, with two three-pointers from Joe Chapman handed the Eagles a ten-point lead which was stretched to 63-43 at the half-time interval.

In the second half, three-pointers from Smith and Andrew Bridge helped Newcastle increase their lead to 30 heading into the final period and a 14-2 run stretched the lead to 108-66.

The visitors did mount a mini-comeback and reduced the deficit to 32 but the Eagles cantered ever closer to the BBL title.

In Sheffield, the Sharks swept aside London Capital as Mike Cook continued his excellent form with 23 points in a crushing 116-63 win.

Michael Tuck chipped in with 18 points and Matt Gorman 16 while Tomas Janusauskas collected 20 for the Capital but it was all to easy for the Yorkshire outfit as the Sharks kept their title hopes alive.

In the other match on Friday, Everton Tigers kept their hopes alive of snatching fourth place with a hard-fought win over the Glasgow Rocks.

Trey Moore was the star performer with 32 points as the Tigers picked up a 97-78 win to move level on points with fourth-placed Cheshire Jets.