Super League Basketball Championship
Bristol Flyers 77 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 67
The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks moved to fifty percent record following defeat in the South West against Bristol Flyers. In a close game with several highlight plays, it was a 21-12 final quarter that swung the game in the favour of the home side, who were led by Will Yoakum’s 21 points and 9 rebounds. The Sharks, adapting to the departure of Jalen DeLoach, managed to spread the scoring throughout the roster but ran out of steam against Andreas Kapoulas’ side. An immediate chance at redemption presents itself for the Sharks, who entertain Cheshire Phoenix at the Canon Medical Arena on Sunday.
Starting Fives
Flyers: Yoakum, Anderson Z, Holden, Anderson J, Brodie.
Sharks: Williams, Nixon, Chatman, James, Ratinho.
Key Moments
Bristol came out with purpose as Will Yoakum connected from either wing in an 11-2 opening burst. It took Mike Ochereobia to register the Sharks first field goal after fully four minutes of play but once Cam Holden had put the Flyers ahead by 15-5, the Sharks fought back with a 0-10 run of their own. Back to back threes from Rodney Chatman III and Jordan Ratinho were followed by a pair of William Lee free throws as the score became 15-15. Bristol inched back in front through Jonathan Brown but Nick Kern Jr tied up a close first quarter.
The Sharks shaded an equally close second period. The Sharks finally took the lead on a Mervin James left handed lay up at 20-22 but the hosts edged back ahead on Zach Anderson’s euro-step to the hoop. Another 0-9 burst saw Chatman get downhill to make it 28-31 but the game remained tight through threes from Bristol’s Josh Anderson and the Sharks’ Jordan Ratinho. Yoakum’s and-one play in transition took the score to 36-35 but a thunderous two-handed dunk from Kern saw the Sharks in front by 36-37 at the break.
There was also little to choose between the two sides by the end of the third quarter. William Lee acrobatically finished the alleyoop from Chatman’s lob pass and then the same play hit the trey to level matters at 42-42. Three 3 point plays from Josh Anderson saw the Flyers open up a chink of light at 53-44 but a long triple from Prentiss Nixon drew Sheffield back to within two. A pair of Nick Kern baskets saw the quarter end at 56-55.
The Sharks offence dried up in the final stanza that Bristol took by 21-12. Five points from Brown were followed by Yoakum driving the lane to dunk at 65-57. A deep three from Zach Anderson made the gap 11 at 70-59 and he followed that up with another as the Flyers kept the Sharks at arms-length at 73-61. Triples from Rodney Glasgow Jr and Dirk Williams concluded the contest but it was Bristol who had protected home court with the final score at 77-67.
MVP
Every Shark that saw court time contributed on the scoresheet but Bristol dominating the paint by 44-28 and the glass by 45-35 was a key factor to their victory. Dirk Williams added 11 points at a 57% clip and there were 8 assists for Rodney Chatman III. Nick Kern Jr led the Sharks scoring effort but the MVP for the evening was William Lee. He too scored 11 points at the rate of 57% but also contributed 8 rebounds, a steal and 5 blocked shots with a positive plus / minus. Sadly, his efforts didn’t result in a win on this occasion but represented a solid effort in the circumstances.
Next Game
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Cheshire Phoenix, Sunday 8th February 2026, Canon Medical Arena, 4.00pm Tip Off.
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Bristol Flyers
