Comets move and hope for change of luck

Basketball

They have the Budweiser League's leading scorer, Russ Saunders, and tonight they open the country's newest arena, but Newcastle Comets are still bottom of the table, writes Duncan Hooper.

The former Sunderland Scorpions put the gloss on their move to the Tyne tonight when the 8,000 seat, pounds 10m Newcastle Arena opens for business with their league game against Doncaster Panthers.

The move will have to do wonders to improve their luck. The Comets finished bottom of the league as the Scorpions last season and they are bottom of the table again with just one win from five games.

Veteran Saunders, the league's all-time leading scorer, is also top of the points stats this season with 154 points from five league appearances at an average of just over 30 points per game.

"The arena is excellent. It's class. If the guys don't get a lift by playing there then nothing will lift them," Saunders said.

Comets have not won a league game since beating Hemel Royals 104-99 on the opening day of the season.

Leicester City Riders have beaten Chester Jets to sign Abe Ahmed, the 6ft 9in former Birmingham Bullets junior.