MARJON Plymouth Raiders and Milton Keynes Lions are both set to be without their leading scorers in the semi-finals of the BBL Trophy this weekend.

Raiders visit Lions tonight (7.30pm) in the first leg of the final-four match-up before Sunday's second leg at the Pavilions (4pm).

The winners on aggregate, over the two games, will face Newcastle Eagles or Sheffield Sharks, who meet in the other semi, in the final, which will again be contested over two legs at each club's home court.

Raiders are bidding to immediately make another showpiece after losing the BBL Cup final heavily, 115-94 to Eagles on January 15.

That day at the NIA in Birmingham was a low for Raiders this season and they are now driven by the desire to right the wrongs of that contest.

Raiders' top scorer and starting point-guard Jeremy Bell is a real doubt this weekend, after picking up an injury in last Sunday's 85-78 win over Glasgow Rocks at the Pavilions.

Bell finished the game and Raiders coach Gavin Love was unwilling to reveal exactly what the problem is, to avoid giving Lions too much information.

Following 48 hours extra rest, Bell naturally has more chance of playing on Sunday than tonight.

Love said: "We have a big question mark over whether Jeremy's going to play this weekend.

"I don't want to say what the problem is, because that will be like a red rag to a bull, but he hasn't practiced much this week."

If Bell does not play, expect Anthony Martin to start in his spot in Raiders' backcourt and shooting-guard James Jones to move across for spells to help carry the load.

Lions' top scorer and shooting-guard Demarius Bolds, who is leading the league in scoring this season, is set to serve a one-game ban on Sunday.

Bolds was ejected in last Sunday's 83-66 loss at Guildford Heat and is set to play tonight but not on Sunday when his ban kicks-in seven days after the event.

Lions, as is their right under BBL rules, are appealing Bolds' ejection and will discover by the close of business and 5pm today whether they were successful.

If they are, Bolds will play on Sunday, but if, as expected, they are not he will only figure tonight.

"If Bolds doesn't play, that just evens it up a little bit," said Love.

"Obviously we want Jeremy to play, but this is why we have a team and other people will just step up. It will be the same for Milton Keynes.

"If a team is without a Bolds, then sometimes other guys feel more confident, because they've got more opportunity.

"One player doesn't make a good team."

If Bolds is out on Sunday, expect Lions' sixth-man and guard Stefan Gill, who is already averaging 13.1 points in 24 minutes per game this season, to pick up most of the slack.

Lions, bidding to reach a first final in four years, have a lot of style under coach Mike New this season and boast Bolds and the BBL's leading rebounder, centre Daniel Northern.

However, they have struggled to add real substance to that swagger and blown hot and cold in a 7-8 record in the opening half of the league campaign.

But Love rightly remains wary Lions will blow hot over the course of one weekend.

"These two games are huge this weekend," said Love. "Milton Keynes are unpredictable. One day they're bad, the next they're incredible and blow teams out.

"Milton Keynes is a tough place to play and everything they shoot seems to drop there.

"Yes, they're a little bit erratic, but when they get going they're very dangerous.

"That's what worries you as a coach. Milton Keynes can turn it on, no question and are very aggressive."

Love added: "I think you look at the stats and would have to say Milton Keynes are more offensive than defensive minded.

"But you say that and I'm sure they can turn it on at the defensive end if they want.

"And they're such a great offensive team that sometimes it doesn't matter how many points you concede."

Last weekend Lions overcame visitors Durham Wildcats 82-73 before crashing by 27 points at Heat.

Lions were out of it by half-time in Surrey, 43-22 down and badly missed Northern as they were out-rebounded 46-33.

Northern missed both games with an ankle injury and would be a big miss again – perhaps more than Bolds, Love believes – this weekend.

"I think Daniel Northern is huge for them," said Love. "He's a fantastic rebounder and shot-blocker, because he plays with such energy.

"He's very active and very effective without the ball, which makes it much harder for us to shut him down, because he doesn't need the ball, he just goes gets it. Guys like that are a pain."

Raiders are coming off the high of beating Rocks 85-78 at a rowdy Pavilions last Sunday.

Martin came off the bench and, inspired, pulled the strings with 14 assists and seven points in 23 minutes.

However, for the second game running, Raiders only really started to play when they were staring defeat in the face and trailed by 20 points, 68-48 late in the third quarter.

Love said: "There were lots of positives to take out of Sunday, a few negatives, but honestly when I watch the game back it wasn't as bad in the first half as I thought it was.

"We definitely gave Rocks some looks, but they were creating against us and they were hitting shots which were contested.

"The main things we lacked were urgency and intensity.

"We have to work harder off the ball on defence, we have to recover better and we have to communicate better.

"We can't get caught out by being lazy, but that's just individual effort, which we had in the second half. It's nothing tactical we need to change."

Love added: "Urgency has been a big word for us this week, because we've just looked too laid back at times, recently. We've presumed we're going to win.

"We rebounded the ball much better in the second half on Sunday, but with a smaller line-up, which you wouldn't expect. But that again comes down to guys wanting it."

Raiders and Lions have met once previously this season, in the league at the Pavilions back on November 16.

Raiders won on paper comfortably by 16 points, 92-76 but the result was in doubt until late in the fourth quarter after a 10-0 home run broke a tense 73-70 score-line and built an 83-70 lead.

Bolds was held to 16 points on a high maintenance 6/19 shooting, by a combination of Raiders guards' Jones and rookie Michael Ojo.

"Mike and James tonight have to do a good job on Bolds, who is a one-man offensive force," said Love.

"Defensively, Bolds is very good as well. He must be getting six to eight points a game from getting steals and then he's off to the races for easy lay-ups. We have to take care of the ball."

Love added: "I thought Mike did a great job on Sunday and held (Rocks' dangerman) Mychal Green to four points in the second half.

"We've talked before this season about how good Mike is defensively, but he hadn't played like that for a couple of weeks.

"He stepped up on Sunday and when he turns his level up he's great. He can be the best perimeter defender in the league, if he wants it. But he has to want to be."