BBL Cup Final 2017: Newcastle Eagles beat Glasgow Rocks for third success

Newcastle Eagles won their third British Basketball League Cup final in succession, despite a late fightback by Glasgow Rocks.

Glasgow hit the first 10 points of the game but were 50-32 down by half-time and on their way to defeat.

Rahmon Fletcher led Newcastle's scoring with 29 points and was named Most Valuable Player, while Rocks opposite number Neil Watson scored 28 points.

Manchester Mystics beat Nottingham Wildcats in the women's final.

The Rocks had not beaten the Eagles in their previous 17 meetings, a losing run that dates back to April 2012, and have now lost their past nine BBL finals since winning the 2003 play-offs title.

Watson and Lewis Thomas gave the Rocks their 10-0 start but Newcastle took the lead 18-17 on a three-pointer from Scott Martin two and half minutes before the end of the first quarter.

It was the second quarter that hurt the Rocks the most. Fletcher, Deondre Parks and Orlan Jackman scored almost at will for Newcastle as they closed out the half 26-8.

After that, the lead grew to 23 points (72-49) by the end of the third quarter before the Eagles took their foot off the gas, perhaps a little prematurely.

The Rocks were allowed to close to within seven points in the last minute, but after a 15-second scramble, the Eagles deservedly secured a third successive Cup win, the fifth in their history.

Newcastle player-coach Fab Flournoy: "I really didn't knew we'd beaten them 17 times in a row [before today]. I think the Rocks and ourselves have a different rivalry to other teams in the BBL. When I first came here they seemed to be beating us a lot and I think that helped to cement our rivalry."

Newcastle guard and game MVP Rahmon Fletcher: "It's different this time because we have more motivation. Last year [when Newcastle won the Cup but then won no other trophy] we were coming off a year when we'd done the sweep. This year it's not about the trophies, it's about being as good as we can be every time we play."

Glasgow coach Sterling Davis: "We pride ourselves on our defence so I certainly didn't like the half-time scoreline [50-32 to Newcastle]. Credit to our guys for not giving up - but that second quarter gave us too much to come back from."