Falkirk High rampaged to a 42-point win over Edinburgh's Portobello High School with some outstanding basketball at the Pleasance.

The victory, on Monday, March 17, also completed a fantastic cup campaign, which saw the girls win all their ties on the way to the final by a minimum of 50 points.

It was also their third final appearance in three years.
During their first year at secondary school the team lost narrowly to Portobello. In their second, a resounding win was recorded over St Maurice, Cumbernauld.

However, this time around, the girls – four of whom play for Clark Eriksson Fury's cadette girls team – completely dominated their opponents from all over Scotland.

In this year's final, guards – and cousins – Kirstie Young and Claire Straiton combined for a stunning 50 points as they literally walked through the Portobello defence.

It was a clinical display by the team, four of whom had suffered a National Scottish Cup final defeat two days earlier with Fury's junior women.

Jenna Beattie overcame an early injury scare and Hannah Murray proved too powerful inside by taking boards at both ends of the floor.

There were also solid displays by Hannah Ritchie and Laura Nimmo – their main sport usually being football. Meanwhile, off the bench, Lisa Clark, Lois Downs and Abby Kemp made valuable contributions as well.

Falkirk High also produced another A cup final team in the open boys age group.

Again, four Fury players featured but they suffered a heartbreaking over-time loss to Mearns Castle by 66 points to 63.

Down 18 with eight minutes to go, the High staged an incredible fight-back – silencing the massive support Mearns had taken through to the capital.

Ending 55 apiece in normal time, a furious five-minute overtime period ensued but it was the Paisley school that ended up with the final shot to claim the silverware.

However, Falkirk's team was one of the youngest in the competition with nearly all their players from fourth year, and 15-year-old Jonny Bunyan led the points with 32 in total.

Fellow Fury stars Craig Roy and Euan Cameron were also in double figures and there were great performances from Steve Lesley, Scott Woodburn and Callum Sharp as well.

Fury head coach John Bunyan, who takes Falkirk High's basketball programme, praised both teams – and the school itself.

"We have a great programme and the support that headteacher Richard Anderson gives to his PE staff, Jennifer McLaren and Ann Smith, is brilliant," he told Heraldsport.

"The girls are among the finest players in the country and the boys, who lost so narrowly in the final, put in a great effort for such a young team.

"School basketball is unlike schools football. Those who play for National League clubs, such as our own, all play in these competitions, so it's very tough to win at the highest level – the A finals.

"It's great that work in the club and schools can be combined. And that has definitely made any Falkirk secondary a power to be reckoned with in Scottish schools basketball."

Falkirk High also reached the semi-finals of the S3 boys plate, Braes High School reached the final of the boys open plate and the semi-final of the S2 girls A cup, narrowly losing by two points.

Larbert High had a fantastic win in the S1 girls plate final and Denny High reached the semi-finals of the girls open A cup final.

- CLARK Eriksson Fury junior men recovered from their National Cup final loss by recording an 88-66 win over Arbroath Musketeers to stay top of the National junior men's league last weekend.

This Sunday Fury's cadet and junior men's teams are away to St Mirren and the senior men – hoping to maintain their second spot in the league – travel to Troon.
Meanwhile, the senior women are away to Lady Gladiators and the cadette girls are also on the road, to Glasgow.

FALKIRK HIGH
S3 GIRLS 89

PORTOBELLO HIGH 47
Scottish Schools
A Cup Final S3 Girls