REPORT: Sharks sweep Scorchers in St Patricks Day success

Friday 17^th March 2023

BBL Championship

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 75 Surrey Scorchers 70

The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks completed the season clean sweep over Surrey Scorchers with their fourth consecutive league victory. The third encounter in 22 days between the two sides was another tense defensive battle but it was the Sharks who held off a late fightback by the visitors to take an important 75-70 win. The team nature of the Sharks performance was typified by 16 point MVP Jordan Ratinho as his side moved level on wins with sixth-placed Cheshire Phoenix ahead of a visit to league leaders London Lions on Sunday.

Starting Fives

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

Scorchers: Johnson, McFolley, Wang, Dobbs, Steel.

Key Moments

Solid first quarter performances have become a feature of recent Sharks outings and this one was no different. A Sa’eed Nelson drive along the baseline saw the Sharks go up by 7-2 and it took a long two and a trademark three from the free-shooting Josh McFolley to level matters for the visitors. A catch and shoot basket for Sharks skipper Rodney Glasgow was followed by a pair of Kipper Nichols buckets. Glasgow had the final say in a low-scoring first period with an and-one play that saw the Sharks with 16 and the Scorchers with just 8 – the lowest number of points the Sharks have held a side to in the opening quarter this season.

Surrey’s Tayo Ogedengbe reached a career landmark 4000 points with a corner three early in the second stanza and a 2-12 run for the Scorchers ended with Ryan Martin’s three from the top of the key at 21-20. The Sharks took the next burst – a 10-0 spurt ending on Jordan Ratinho’s basket at 31-20. Again, Surrey refused to go away. Shakem Johnson finished the alleyoop assist from Padiet Wang in the final seconds with the score reading 33-27.

The Scorchers fine run continued into the third period. Johnson poured in 8 points broken only by McFolley’s three-plus-one effort as the Sharks called for time at 37-39. Jordan Ratinho got the Sharks moving the right way once more. A second chance basket, a pair of free throws and a trey from the Californian edged the hosts back in front by 44-39 and with Marcus Delpeche claiming the last 4 points of the quarter, it was advantage Sheffield at 50-43 with ten minutes to play.

The lightning-fast Devearl Ramsey opened the final period with a three and a sublime steal and basket as Surrey went into a timeout at 55-43. The Scorchers hung around however. McFolley brought the deficit under ten in typical fashion with a three to make it 68-60 before Ratinho pushed it out to double digits once more. Surrey took an inordinate amount of time to stop the clock thereafter as the Sharks were sent on a series of visits to the free throw line. McFolley’s fourth triple of the evening made it 72-67 with 15 seconds to play and another out of the corner from Ogedengbe closed the gap to four at 74-70. It was too little too late for the Guildford-based side however as Kipper Nichols made the free throw that wrapped up a 75-70 success for the Sharks.

MVP

Every Shark who made the court found the basket in another team display. Making double digits was Kipper Nichols. His 13 points included some crucial baskets as he shot 66% as well as contributing 3 rebounds, an assist and a notable 4 blocked shots. There were 13 points also for Devearl Ramsey. The livewire heart of the Sharks backcourt equalled his season high of 7 rebounds with an assist and a memorable steal to catch the eye once more. The MVP award went to the quietly efficient Jordan Ratinho however. Pressed once again into the power forward role, his 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a blocked shot showed how important he is in a Sharks rotation that has a plethora of talent at the guard position.

Post Game Interview

Sharks Point Guard Devearl Ramsey talked about an important win in terms of the league and momentum post game.

Next game

London Lions v B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Sunday March 19^th 2023, Copperbox Arena, 4.00pm Tip Off.

Image

Adam Bates