REPORT: Short-handed Sharks late rally too little in Cup exit

Sunday 27^th November 2022

BBL Cup Quarter Final

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 68 Caledonia Gladiators 77

A short-handed B. Braun Sheffield Sharks made a late rally against Caledonia Gladiators but unfortunately exited the BBL Cup at the quarter final stage. Shorn of Kipper Nichols, Sa’eed Nelson and Nate Montgomery, the Sharks were down by as many as 29 points at one stage but a 20-0 run to the end of the game saw them make a comeback that ultimately fell just short.

Starting Fives

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

Gladiators: Sloan, Jiminez, Onwas, Fraser, Bailey.

Key Moments

The Sharks added England Under 16 international Jamie Bernard to their seven available players and made a buoyant start when Channel Banks’ jump shot took the score out to 6-3. Caledonia’s Jordan Burns capped a 0-10 run as the in-form Gladiators took a 6-13 lead but a Javion Ogunyemi triple from the top of the key kept the Sharks in the hunt. Six points from Caledonia’s Patrick Tape saw the visitors out to 14-26 but a Jordan Ratinho three narrowed the gap on the first quarter buzzer.

Five three point scores helped the Gladiators to a 17-27 second quarter and a 34-53 half time lead. Former Shark Oscar Baldwin started a scintillating spell of shooting for the Scots and back to back triples from Princeton Onwas gave Caledonia their biggest lead of the afternoon before another Onwas bucket concluded the half.

Bennett Koch hit foul trouble at the start of the second half as Caledonia piled on the pressure; another Burns three taking the score out to 39-63. Koch returned to start a Sharks revival with the jump hook at 43-68 and three points from the line by Hensy Sako saw the quarter end at 46-70.

The Gladiators took their biggest lead of the game at 46-75 on a pair of David Sloan free throws but once Patrick Tape’s basket had made it 48-77, their scoring for the afternoon ended. Javion Ogunyemi’s and-one play started a Sharks fightback and a solid finish from the same player on Marcus Delpeche’s assist took the score to 55-77. Some trademark Sharks defence saw Caledonia commit a shot clock violation as Rodney Glasgow made them pay with back to back threes of his own. Channel Banks’ steal fed Ogunyemi for a two handed jam and a trey from the same player capped a 20-0 run for the home side, all in vain as the clock ran out with the score at 68-77.

MVP

Skipper Rodney Glasgow made a season-high 14 points and he was closely followed on 15 by Channel Banks, who made a season-high 3 steals along with 2 rebounds and 4 assists. The MVP award went to a player making his fourth double-double of the campaign so far. Javion Ogunyemi, inserted into the starting five, poured in 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and shot at a decent clip of 61% as his side dipped out of the first knockout competition of the season.

Post Game Interview

Sharks assistant coach Marko Backovic spoke of his disappointment at the defeat after the game.

Next game

Bristol Flyers v B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Saturday December 3^rd 2022, SGS College Arena, 7.30pm Tip Off.

Image

Adam Bates