PREVIEW: Early Festive Feast of Hoops for the Sharks this weekend

BBL Championship

Fancy an early Christmas present? How about the gift of basketball? The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks serve up a feast of pre-festive hoops this coming weekend with two massive games in the Tank. Legendary BBL Coach Vince Macaulay brings his Manchester Giants across the Pennines for a Friday evening encounter and on Sunday, there is a swift re-match between the Sharks and Plymouth City Patriots with series nicely poised at 1-1. You do the jumpers, mince pies and eggnog, we’ll bring the dunks, dimes and defence!

Friday – Sharks v Giants – Ponds Forge – 7.30pm

Tickets – B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Manchester Giants – BBL Championship Tickets, Fri 16 Dec 2022 at 19:30 | Eventbrite

Ones To Watch

Tahj Green – Putting up big numbers for the Giants in his first season in the BBL with 20.2 points per game to go with 6.8 rebounds. Already drawn raised eyebrows for that highlight dunk off the backboard!

Dirk Williams – Needs no introduction to Sharks fans. 15.2 points per game already on 41.6% shooting and is deadly if allowed to find his rhythm and range. 11 points and 7 rebounds in Manchester’s last game against London on December 1^st.

Rahmon Fletcher – Former Newcastle point guard legend and two-times league MVP. Made 12 points with 6 assists in the 95-71 loss to the Lions and is dishing out 9.3 dimes per game to continue his pass-first reputation.

Nicholas Lewis – The second of three former Sharks on the Giants roster (Callum Jones being the other). A BBL Trophy winner in his time in Sheffield and again fondly remembered for his time in South Yorkshire.

Last Meeting

September 25^th 2022 – Manchester Giants (Williams 31 Lee 23 Lewis 15) 105 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks (Nelson 31 Banks 17 Ogunyemi 16) 102

Sunday – Sharks v Patriots – Ponds Forge – 4.00pm

Watch – B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Plymouth City Patriots – BBL Championship Tickets, Sun 18 Dec 2022 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

Ones To Watch

Rashad Hassan – Only 11 days since the two sides last met and vet forward Hassan was a big contributor to the Patriots last win against Surrey. 18 points and 6 rebounds on 57% shooting saw the Pats to a 90-83 victory over the Scorchers.

Antonio Williams – The free-scoring guard turned assist-maker in the Surrey success. An 11 point 12 assist double double was coupled with 2 steals and 3 blocks as Williams did it all against a stubborn Scorchers outfit.

Elvisi Dusha – The 28 year old is having a stellar season for the Patriots with 15.4 points and 7.6 assists per game for the Devonians. Deadly from downtown given half an opportunity and shot 3 of his 4 attempts in the Surrey game to claim another important win.

Isa Brandon – Was hugely influential in the Surrey win with possibly his best display of the campaign. Had a perfect shooting night, going 6 for 6 from the field and 2 for 2 from the line for 16 points with 7 rebounds and 5 assists and a mammoth efficiency rating of 28.

Last Meeting

December 7^th 2022 – Plymouth City Patriots (Williams 20 Hassan 13 Dusha 12) 68 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks (Ogunyemi 14 Delpeche 13 Banks 11) 63

Shark Bites

The most recent 102-105 clash between the Sharks and the Giants was the first time in almost 12 years (29^th October 2010) that the Sharks had been involved in a game where both teams reached 100 points.

The Sharks have 15 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw in home games against the Giants in all competitions since they rejoined the BBL in September 2012. The last 9 games in South Yorkshire have been split 5-4 in favour of the Sharks.

Plymouth’s last 6 visits to Sheffield have resulted in 3 wins apiece. In all competitions, 31 games between the clubs in South Yorkshire have seen the Sharks come out with the win 23 times.

The Sharks biggest ever win against Plymouth is by 116-73 on 1^st October 2010 at the EISS. The biggest ever win for Plymouth is by 85-56 on 5^th April 2019.

SharkNation

Holidays are coming, holidays are coming! Get your only home fix of Sharks basketball this side of the big guy in red arriving with two huge home games this coming weekend. Hit the links higher up the page for your tickets to two can’t-miss encounters. Get the ugly sweaters out, break out the mince pies and raise a toast to Atiba and the guys as we look to bring you a couple of early presents and continue our drive up the BBL table. Let’s have some festive fun – bring your sleigh bells if you want – it’s time to #FearTheFin. We are the Sharks! #KnowOurName

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Adam Bates