Plymouth Raiders coach Gary Stronach admits Newcastle Eagles are favourites to make it an unprecedented four BBL play-off titles in a row this weekend.

Having lost only seven times in 43 starts this season, coach Fab Flournoy's team have been tipped to triumph at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.

However, two of those defeats have come in this season's two previous finals - to Guildford in the Trophy and to tomorrow's semi-final opponents, Milton Keynes, in the BBL Cup.

But Stronach, whose Raiders squad are making their final four debut at the NIA, said: "Newcastle are tough - they can score on you from any position and they are tough defensively.

"They are definitely favourites for the weekend."

His Plymouth side have been probably the steadiest team of the season. The best defensive unit in the league, they have only rarely allowed opponents to break the 80-points barrier and finished the season strongly.

"We're going there full of confidence," he said.

"BBL teams are used to playing back-to-back games.

"If we're going there as outsiders, it doesn't really bother us. We're kind of out on a limb in the south-west.

"We're just trying to get respect for the style of basketball we play and people know all about us now."

Plymouth, third in the seedings, face league runners-up Guildford Heat in tomorrow's semi-final, the first meeting of the sides for almost four months.

"They are star-studded - they showed what they can do at the Trophy final," said Stronach.

"They have a wealth of experience with the likes of Tony Dorsey and Michael Martin. They are 2-1 against us in the season's head to head but we haven't met them for so long."

Milton Keynes, who face Newcastle, are making their first appearances in the play-off semi-finals after 20 largely mediocre years in the league.

The Lions have waited a long time for their breakthrough season and have achieved it with a squad boasting an average age of 32.

That breakthrough came in January, when the Lions shot their way to an unlikely victory over Newcastle in the BBL Cup final, also at the NIA. Their coach, Vince Macauley, will be hoping to once again upset the odds and add the play-offs title to the coach of the year award he won on Tuesday.

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