There's a double dose of action at Harlow Leisurezone this weekend with Levett Leopards facing tough tests in both NBL Division One and the National Cup.

Newly promoted Loughborough Riders are the visitors Saturday's league action (tip-off 7.30pm) before Ipswich visit for a National Cup third round tie on Sunday (3.30pm).

It will be the first time the Big Cats have met either team, with Loughborough having won promotion as Division Two champions last season.

The midlands side lost both their National Trophy games by narrow margins but bounced back to open their league programme with a comfortable win against a Solet Kestrels side who were promoted with them last season.

Sunday sees Steve Ogunjimi's side look to move a step closer to winning the National Cup for a fourth time as they host Division Two side Ipswich.

The Suffolk side, who include former Leopards' big man Leigh Greenan in their line-up, have been one of the top teams in Division Two for several seasons. They split their two games in the Division Two cup competition before reaching the third round of the Cup with an 83-53 win against Chelmsford Lions.

With the National Cup having been revamped this season in an attempt to avoid top flight sides blowing out lower division opponents, the Big Cats will look to take advantage and seal a trip to either Kent Crusaders or London Lituanica in the last 16.

With two home games at Harlow in under 24 hours, the Big Cats are offering cut priced tickets for fans who attend both ties, details on www.leopards.co.uk.

The Big Cats will be looking for improved performances over the weekend as they made a disappointing start to the NBL Division One season as they went down 81-67 at Team Northumbria, on Sunday.

Trips to the North East haven't been kind to the Big Cats in recent years, but a lacklustre third period proved key as their league campaign started with a defeat.

Steve Ogunjimi's side matched the home side in the first half, going into the first break tied at 18 and led 36-34 following a Ladi Brown trey heading into the final minute of the second period before Northumbria hit the final four points to lead by going into the locker room.

That set the tone for the second half as they were outscored 19-12 in the third period to trail 57-48 at the final break and they were down by as many as 20 before a rally by the bench players saw a Brian Nguru and a Justin Hitchin layup cut the lead down the stretch.

Hitchman came off the bench to lead the visitors' scoring with 13 points, with Brown adding 13, Mike Martin nine and Dougie Bennett - making a rare start - eight.