REPORT: Battling Sharks season ends with defeat in Leicester

Sunday 30th April 2023

BBL Playoff Quarter Final 2^nd Leg

Leicester Riders 74 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 70 (Leicester win by 153-140 on aggregate)

The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks season came to an end with a 13 point aggregate defeat at the hands of the Leicester Riders in the playoff quarter finals. Characteristically, the Sharks gave everything in a bid to overturn a 9 point first leg deficit but 25 points from Zach Jackson and an 18 point, 11 rebound return for Leicester captain Darien Nelson-Henry saw the Riders progress to the semis. Devearl Ramsey led the Sheffield scoring with 19 and there was a 13 point haul for Rodney Glasgow Jr but the Sharks now head into the summer, looking forward to their move into their new arena for the 2023-24 season.

Starting Fives

Riders: Loving, Whelan, Love, Jackson, Nelson-Henry.

Sharks: Ramsey, Nelson, Pipkins, Ratinho, Koch.

Key Moments

The start would always be key in the eventual outcome of the tie and it was the Sharks who took a 4-6 lead following Jalon Pipkins steal and one-handed throw down. Leicester were unlikely to capitulate however and Patrick Whelan’s three out of the corner was a feature as they reclaimed an 11-6 on the night advantage. The Sharks levelled on Devearl Ramsey’s and-one play but an 11-0 run from the hosts ended on a Zach Jackson basket. Ramsey’s three closed the quarter but it was still Leicester in command by 22-17.

The Sharks kept trying to make in-roads into the Riders lead. Threes from Kipper Nichols and Sa’eed Nelson chipped away at the difference and an outstanding finish from Nelson through traffic not only drew the foul but also levelled the score at 28-28. The Sharks entered the final three minutes of the half still level by 34-34 but an 8-0 zip to half time, concluding on Nelson-Henry’s tip in, saw Leicester ahead by 42-34 with twenty minutes to play.

The Sharks had the blow of offensive threat Jalon Pipkins hitting the four foul mark midway through the third period but this did spark the Yorkshire side into life. A Marcus Delpeche layup started the revival and a running hook from the same player brought the gap down to 56-50. Leicester’s Jubril Adekoya made one point from the line but a coast-to-coast run from Devearl Ramsey ended in a successful and-one as a 15-19 quarter from the visitors saw the scoreboard read 57-53.

With time ticking away, a pair of Rodney Glasgow mid-rangers turned the on-the-night score into 61-60. The number two seeded Riders took the next run however. Four points from Kimbal Mackenzie and five from Patrick Whelan put Leicester ahead by ten at 70-60 as Sheffield hopes slipped away going into the final two minutes. Devearl Ramsey didn’t give up the cause – two sizeable three pointers made it 74-70. The final sixty seconds saw Nate Montgomery and Hensy Sako introduced to the contest but the final game night score remained unchanged with Leicester progressing to the semi-finals by 153-140 on aggregate.

MVP

The Sharks were looking for several sizeable contributions in order to overcome the nine point difference but despite a whole host of honest endeavour, only two players made double-figure scoring. Go-to guys Kipper Nichols and Sa’eed Nelson finished with 7 and 8 points respectively; Nichols adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists and Nelson contributing 5 assists as well to the cause. Devearl Ramsey kept up the intensity right up to the final buzzer. He led the scoring with 19, including two big triples inside the final two minutes but the final MVP award of the campaign went the way of Sharks captain Rodney Glasgow Jr. The Virginia Military Institute grad marshalled his troops in a lead-from-the-front display to finish with 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists as another memorable season came to a conclusion.

Next game

Season 2023-24 – Park Community Arena – October 2023 onwards.

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Adam Bates