A NIGHT after booking a spot in next month's British Basketball League Trophy final, Springfield Honda Newcastle Eagles were overpowered 79-72 by Noray Properties London Towers.

For the first time this season the Towers have a healthy roster and it showed as they fought back from a 26-28 deficit to post leads at half time (46-40) and at three-quarter time (67-55).

Newcastle battled bravely in the final quarter to reduce the 12-point margin but Chez Marks was in inspired form to shoot a game-high 26-points and lead the Towers to victory.

Marks was backed up by Lynard Stewart's 18, while TJ Walker led the way for the Eagles on 16.

Meanwhile, the Eagles saw off Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks 82-72 to secure their final berth in the BBL Cup on Friday night.

The reigning Trophy holders got off to a perfect start as 23-13 first quarter lead gave them a ten-point advantage which they would still have at the final buzzer.

However, in between the Rocks made a fight of it as they clawed back a 40-27 half time deficit to trail by just four at 55-51 after two threes from Germayne Forbes and one from Frank Bennett.

Forbes's England international team-mate Andrew Sullivan put the match safe for the Eagles with ten points in a 16-0 run which took the score to 71-51 midway through the fourth quarter.

There was no way back for the visitors after that and despite Forbes, who led all scorers with 26, draining another couple of threes the Eagles' perfect ten margin was maintained.

Sullivan hit 23 for the Eagles with support from TJ Walker on 20 and 13 by a fit again Jeremy Hyatt.

Newcastle Eagles' TJ Walker has won the British Basketball League Player of the Month for December, to add to the BBL Cup Final MVP award that he picked up last month.

Walker's 28 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals inspired the Eagles to an 83-69 defeat of the Noray Properties London Towers at the National Indoor Arena on December 4.

Furthermore, the point guard has also helped his team up to second place in the BBL Championship as they won three of their four games in the month and qualified for the BBL Trophy semi-finals. In the month he averaged 21.67 points, seven rebounds, six assists and 2.5 steals per game.

The award highlights the good season that the three-time league all-star has had so far, as he currently leads the league in assists with 8.38 per game and is second in steals with 2.15 per outing.