There’s a big weekend of basketball at the Brentwood Centre as Leopards host Surrey United on Friday and Manchester Magic on Sunday.

Friday’s game tips off at 8pm and will see the Big Cats taking part in the BBL Trophy competition, which is the league cup of the fully professional British Basketball League.

The game will be the first meeting between the two clubs and the Big Cats will be looking to break their duck in a competition they have entered seven times in their 11 year history.

While they will still go into the game as underdogs, this is probably the best opportunity Leopards have had to be giant-killers in the competition as they face a Surrey side who are second-from-bottom in the BBL table with four wins from 19 games.

United exited the competition at the hand of EBL Division One Bristol Academy Flyers – who Leopards finished comfortably ahead of in the final table – while the Big Cats lost against high-flyers Leicester Riders.

Magic will arrive at the Brentwood Centre on Sunday (4pm) having reached the National Cup final and National Trophy semi-final and are joint fourth in the table with a 6-5 record.

It will be the first meeting between the old rivals this season, and last year saw the home team win in both meetings, although it took Magic overtime to defeat the Big Cats in the north west.

Normal admission prices apply for both games, but fans can get 25 percent off Sunday’s game if they bring their ticket from Friday with then. The Big Cats are also offering youngsters the chance to train with a firs team player prior to Sunday’s game, call 07828 470015 to book a place or see www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk The Big Cats had a mixed weekend against Leicester Warriors with a victory in their league game before an appalling performance saw them crash out of the National Trophy against the same opposition.

The Big Cats maintained their perfect record at Harlow Leisure Zone with a 79-68 victory on Saturday and with title rivals Derby Trailblazers losing at home against Worthing Thunder, it was perfect night for Robert Youngblood’s team.

Leopards’ top scorer Dave Ajumobi returned from illness to again lead their scoring with 15 points, five rebounds and three steals. Will Ashby finished with 13 points, including two key three pointers down the stretch, while Lukas Winegarner added 12 points and Albert Margai 11.

A tight first period saw the visitors lead 18-17 but new signing Ladi Brown opened the second period scoring with a trey off Ronnie Baker’s assist to give a Leopards a lead they would never lose.

A 43-38 lead at half-time became 63-52 at the final break, and although the visitors cut the margin to six points with 3:20 on the clock, Ashby Ashby drained from downtown, and although Toms Leiteras replied with a long two, Ashby hit another triple to put Leopards 76-66 ahead with 1:54 on the clock and seal the win.

The following day was little short of a disaster for the Big Cast as they crashed out of the Trophy with a 72-50 loss against Warriors at Brentwood.

It took almost five minutes for the home side to get on the scoreboard, but which time they trailed 9-0, and there was little improvement as they reached the first break 23-10 down.

Scores from Ashby and Ajumobi looked to have got the Big Cats back on track as they hit five points in the first two second period minutes, but they failed to score again in the half as Warriors hit 12 unanswered points to lead 42-15 going into the locker room – a Leopards club record scoring low for a half.

The second half was an improvement for the hosts as they outscored Warriors 19-17 in the third period and 16-13 in the fourth, but the damage had been done.

Matic Zupanc led Leopards with 11 points, with Ajumobi adding ten points as their chance of repeating the 2013 success in the competition ended.