PREVIEW: Unmissable Playoff home leg this Friday!

BBL Playoff Quarter Final

Playoff time is here! The most thrilling, must-watch stage of the British basketball season begins this weekend. The quarter finals match the seventh seeded B. Braun Sheffield Sharks up against number two seeds Leicester Riders. The format is over two legs on aggregate score. Win and you advance to the semis. Lose and the season is over. It’s time to leave it all out on court for 80 minutes of some of the best basketball you will ever witness!

Friday – Sharks v Riders – Ponds Forge – 7.30pm

Tickets – B. Braun Sheffield Sharks – BBL Playoff Quarter Final vs Leicester Riders Tickets, Fri 28 Apr 2023 at 19:30 | Eventbrite

Sunday – Riders v Sharks – Morningside Arena – 5.15pm

Watch – LIVE BBL! Leicester Riders vs Sheffield Sharks | British Basketball League – YouTube

Ones To Watch

Kimbal Mackenzie – Moved from supporting role to floor general with astonishing effect this season, so much so that Great Britain international honours followed. Made 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting with 5 assists, a steal and a block against Cheshire last Sunday despite understandably limited minutes.

Marc Loving – If you don’t like Marc Loving’s game then you aren’t a basketball fan. Another standout campaign from the do-it-all guy who averaged 16.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the season. Added 25 points in Riders 84-76 win over the Sharks last Friday.

Patrick Whelan – Another whose quality performances have pushed him to GB international honours. Deadly from beyond the arc, where he shoots at a very healthy 45.1% as well as adding a more than useful 13.4 points per game, 4.7 boards and 2.8 assists.

Zach Jackson – The heartbeat of the Leicester roster. Does all the intangibles and efficiently keeps the Riders ticking. Shooting 58% inside and 40% outside tells its own tale as well as an average of 15.8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds. Not to be slept on!

Darien Nelson-Henry – An injury-affected season for the Leicester big man. His retirement announcement last weekend will add another layer of determination to his displays in the playoffs. The Riders skipper is still averaging nearly 6 rebounds per game and is a vitally important force in the paint.

Last Meeting

April 21^st 2023 – Leicester Riders (Loving 25 Jackson 12 Mackenzie 11) 84 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks (Pipkins, Nelson, Glasgow, Delpeche 12) 76

Shark Bites

The Sharks go into their 27^th BBL Playoff quarter final this weekend with 16 wins and 10 losses in their previous ties at this stage of the competition (2001 seeing them seeded directly to the semi finals and 2020 being curtailed due to covid).

This will be Atiba Lyons 14^th playoff quarter final tie as Coach of the Sharks and he has overseen progression to the semi finals 6 times.

The Sharks and Riders have previously met 6 times at the quarter final stage of the playoffs with honours even with 3 wins apiece.

The Sharks have played in 4 draws in their 1279 game history with 2 of them coming at the quarter final stage of the playoffs.

SharkNation

It all comes down to this! Our wonderful SharkNation have filled The Tank throughout regular season and on Friday, we need to see every seat taken. Atiba, Rodney and the guys want a packed house and the volume at ridiculous levels as we look to take a first leg lead down to Leicester on Sunday. Don’t forget, it is the winner on aggregate score over the two legs that will progress into the semi-finals. We can’t afford to rest on our laurels – it is time to leave it all out there on court. We’re on a mission to the big one at the O2 Arena on May 14^th and we can’t do it without you. The ticket link is at the top of the page – demand will be high – come along and see history in the making. We are the B.Braun Sheffield Sharks, you are all part of the SharkNation – it’s time to #FearTheFin #NowYouKnow

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Adam Bates