2018 ends in defeat for Sharks

Sunday 30th December 2018

BBL Championship

DBL Sharks Sheffield 72 Manchester Giants 101

A fatigued DBL Sharks Sheffield ended on the wrong side of a 72-101 scoreline to close out 2018 as Lancastrian rivals Manchester Giants claimed the spoils at the EIS on Sunday afternoon. Both teams were short-handed but it was Manchester who rode the wave on their way to the win. The Sharks continue to hold second place in the league table and will look to recover some bodies ahead of the visit of Leicester Riders next Friday.

Starting Fives

Sharks: Tuck, Marsden, Alexander, Williams, Collins

Giants: Jones C, Granic, McCall, Clayton, Butler

Key Moments

The Sharks looked fatigued from their overtime win in Glasgow on Friday and that allowed Manchester out to a 2-8 start on Butler’s lay-in. Things soon changed as a one-handed slam followed by an alleyoop from Dirk Williams saw the Sharks back in front by 12-8. Mike McCall’s trey saw Manchester fight back and five more Torry Butler points saw the Giants level at 19-19. A pair from the line from Chris Alexander saw the Sharks take a narrow 21-19 first quarter lead.

An entertaining and high scoring first half continued. Butler went coast to coast to put Manchester up by 25-31 but Mike Tuck’s trey saw the Sharks still in touch at 30-31. Where Butler left off, Willie Clayton took over. His eight points saw the Giants up by as many as the same number but Dirk Williams completed his 21st point to see the half end at 48-51.

The game unravelled for the Sharks in the third period. They managed just eight points as Manchester went on 11-2 and 11-0 runs to close the stanza at 56-75.

McCall’s three early in the fourth gave the Giants a twenty point lead at 60-80. Ten Chris Alexander points in the quarter capped another battling display for the veteran but all six Manchester available players made double figure scoring seal the Sharks fate. Bankevics’ corner three sent the head-to-head the Giants way with the final score at 72-101.

MVP

Anthony Collins dished out another eleven assists but the Sharks scoring effort wasn’t as productive as in recent fixtures. Dirk Williams was explosive in the first half with 21 points but failed to connect in the second as the Sharks scoring stalled, particularly in the third quarter. The MVP award went the way of Chris Alexander, who racked up his now-customary twenty point haul to finish with 26 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.

Quotes

Atiba Lyons conceded that his side hadn’t been at the races and that a greater team effort had been needed. The Sharks remain in second, two wins behind leaders London Lions ahead of the visit of Leicester Riders for the first game of 2019.

Next home game

Image

Andy Chubb