Super League Basketball Trophy
A change of competition for the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks this coming weekend as the group stage of the Trophy enters the spotlight. Friday sees the team head north for a swift rematch against Marc Steutel’s Newcastle Eagles and on Sunday, the Caledonia Gladiators visit the Canon Medical Arena for game two of the tourney. A victory by 4 points or more for the Sharks on Friday would deny Newcastle the chance of winning the group after their opening victory over Caledonia last week. Eighty minutes of crucial basketball awaits as all eyes are on silverware – the road to Birmingham begins!
Friday – Eagles v Sharks – Vertu Motors Arena – 7.30pm
Watch - https://www.dazn.com/en-GB/fixture/ContentId:2qz8if34ff4201ud48ypclgc9m/2qz8if34ff4201ud48ypclgc9m
Ones To Watch
Maceo Jack – Capped a fine weekend by adding 26 points to the 28 he poured in against the Sharks on Friday evening. Jack also pulled down 12 boards as Newcastle got their Trophy campaign off to a solid start with a three point win over Caledonia.
Ray’sean Taylor – Produced a very solid game against the Gladiators by being effective in most categories. His 16 point, 3 rebound, 6 assist, 2 steal outing saw the Eagles to a 76-79 success in Scotland.
Sauveur Kande – It’s not always about the numbers! Has seen more court time as Newcastle run with a shortened roster and despite not scoring a point against Caledonia, the Eagles were +20 while ever he was on the hardwood.
Cole Long – Sharp shooting Long hit three big 3 pointers to finish with 12 in total against the Glads. Factor in 6 rebounds, a couple of assists and a couple of blocked shots and the swingman had himself a game north of the border.
Last Meeting
December 5th 2025 – B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 68 Newcastle Eagles 80
Sunday – Sharks v Gladiators – Canon Medical Arena – 4.00pm
Tickets - https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Fixtures?fanStoreType=Fixtures&clubId=216
Ones To Watch
Kyle Jimenez – A point guard very much in the mould of his Head Coach Jonny Bunyan, Jimenez led the Caledonia scoring effort against Newcastle last weekend. His 23 points came on 63% shooting with 3 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal to boot.
Matthew Ragsdale – Dangerous from deep, Ragsdale finished with 19 points against the Eagles. Was only 3 of 11 from 3 point territory but the volume of shots indicates his willingness to try his arm.
Fraser Malcolm – The Gladiators skipper comes from the bench to great effect these days. Was 4 of 5 from deep on his way to 14 points as Caledonia pushed Newcastle all the way in their opening Trophy game.
Malcolm Delpeche – Twin brother of former Shark Marcus, Caledonia’s recent signing picked up 6 boards in only 14 minutes on debut to prove he will be an asset for the Scots moving forward.
Last Meeting
November 7th 2025 – Caledonia Gladiators 65 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 73
Shark Bites
The Sharks and the Eagles have met in 16 Trophy games previously with Newcastle winning 10 of them.
Last season, the Eagles won both Trophy games against the Sharks. In the current campaign, the Sharks are 2-1 in Championship games between the clubs.
The Sharks and the Caledonia franchise have met in 11 Trophy games down the years with the Sharks holding a 6-5 advantage.
Last season, the Sharks won both Trophy games and this season they have won both Championship match-ups between the clubs. Sharks recent record against Caledonia, all competitions included, is 8 wins in the last 9 games played.
SharkNation
The Sharks take a break from Championship action this weekend as attentions turn to the SLB Trophy. Newcastle head up the group after their initial win over Caledonia so two huge games await the Sharks on Friday and Sunday respectively. If you enjoyed the finals vibe last season, then you must get yourself to the Canon Medical Arena this Sunday where we will need all the noise we can muster to see Atiba and the guys over the line. The ticket link is higher up the page – head on up there and claim your seat asap! We got a taste of it in the Cup last season, how about we set our sights on the Trophy as well this time around? For destination Birmingham, it’s time to #FearTheFin!
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Josh Rackham
