REPORT: No early Christmas present for the Sharks with Caledonia defeat

Friday 23^rd December 2022

BBL Championship

Caledonia Gladiators 77 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 60

There was to be no early Christmas present for the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, who went down to a seventeen point defeat to Caledonia in Glasgow. The Sharks didn’t lead at any stage as the Gladiators propelled themselves into the top four behind 21 points from influential guard David Sloan. The Sharks now take a brief festive break before returning on December 29^th at home to Cheshire.

Starting Fives

Gladiators: Sloan, Tape, Jimenez, Onwas, Bailey.

Sharks: Nichols, Banks, Ratinho, Glasgow, Koch.

Key Moments

The Sharks were delayed in traffic and as a result, Caledonia got out to an 11-0 start on the back of Kyle Jimenez corner three point score. The early introduction of Hensy Sako gave the Sharks an injection of energy. He showed good hustle to make it 15-6 and converted again at 17-10 on Rodney Glasgow’s assist. Four trips to the line saw the Sharks come up fruitless as David Sloan and Prince Onwas saw the Scots into a 21-12 first quarter lead.

A Channel Banks trey midway through the second period kickstarted a Sharks revival. Two Bennett Koch free throws made it a one point game at 27-26 but a 13-1 run to the end of the half made it advantage to the Gladiators. Three Onwas points and another Jimenez triple saw the score rest at 40-27 at half time.

The opening two and a half minutes of the third quarter saw the Scots make 8 points to the Sharks 2. A Sloan basket in transition took the lead out to 17 at 50-33 and a trademark Johnny Bunyan three pointer extended that at 53-35. Bunyan repeated the feat at 56-38 but Channel Banks, who looked the Sharks greatest scoring threat, made three of his own and converted two from the stripe as the third quarter ended at 57-43.

Kipper Nichols came alive in the latter stages of the contest, opening the final period with an and-one play. Six Jeremiah Bailey points restored a 15 point lead for the home side at 63-48 and as the Sharks slipped into the penalty, Sloan turned the screw to put Caledonia ahead by 71-52. The same player got out on the fast break twice to the end of the contest and although the Sharks put up the final basket through Sako, it was the Gladiators who claimed a 77-60 win on the night.

MVP

Hensy Sako was the only Shark with a positive plus / minus as he contributed a career best 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and a steal with energy from the bench. Kipper Nichols grew into the game with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block and there were 10 points for Bennett Koch. However, the Sharks greatest scoring threat and most efficient player of the night was Channel Banks. His 17 points came with 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals but wasn’t enough to see the Sharks to a much-needed pre-Christmas win.

Next game

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Cheshire Phoenix, Thursday December 29^th 2022, Ponds Forge, 7.30pm Tip Off.

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Adam Bates