Sharks edged out in tight Newcastle opener

Friday 27th September 2024

Super League Basketball Trophy Group Stage

Newcastle Eagles 78 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 73

It might not have been the most polished performance on the part of both sides but it was hosts Newcastle Eagles who gritted out a five point win over the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks in the season opener. Fouls and turnovers were a key feature of the game but a close-fought contest played out, shaded by the Eagles in the latter stages by 78-73. The Sharks gave portents of what might become as the season wears on with eye-catching displays from Makhi Mitchell, Prentiss Nixon and eventual MVP Drake Jeffries and will look to build upon the positives in their next game against Cheshire Phoenix.

Starting Fives

Eagles: Llewellyn, Ward-Hibbert, Knight, Delpeche, Allen-Eikens.

Sharks: Jeffries, Nixon, Anderson, Mitchell, Groves.

Key Moments

The Sharks set about their work positively, taking an early 1-5 lead on Jordan Ratinho’s reverse layup. Newcastle fought back through veteran Darius Defoe but a Prentiss Nixon stepback three maintained the advantage at 7-11. The Eagles’ Mike Okauru demonstrated his finishing abilities with a triple and a spin move ‘and-one’ play to level the encounter at 15-15 but a pair of Drake Jeffries free throws saw the Sharks narrowly ahead by 18-19.

The back-and-forth nature of the game continued in the opening stages of the second quarter. A Seneca Knight trey for Newcastle levelled matters once again at 23-23 and it wasn’t until Prentiss Nixon finished his own rebound that the Sharks edged a tight 24-28 scoreline. Five points from the Eagles’ Josh Ward-Hibbert restored their lead but the Sharks replied in kind through back-to-back triples from Jeffries. The former Raptors 905 G League man went coast-to-coast to open up a six point gap at 34-40 but a Jaelin Llewellyn basket on the buzzer saw the sides go in at half time with the score at 38-42.

The third period was an altogether more defensive affair that Newcastle took by 18-12. The Sharks turnover count crept up to 16 as a logo three from Llewellyn made it a one point game at 49-50. Knight shot Newcastle back in front from beyond the arc but a big one hand dunk from Makhi Mitchell restored parity at 54-54. Knight’s bucket inside the final thirty seconds put the Eagles back up by two.

The Sharks opened the final stanza strongly – Jake Groves wide open three and Mitchell’s and-one play giving the visitors a 59-60 lead that was to be their final one of the game. Five quick points from Okauru opened up a six point gap at 70-64 that the Sharks ultimately were unable to close. Newcastle’s Seneca Knight and Darius Defoe headed to the benches on five fouls, as did the Sharks Makhi Mitchell before Prentiss Nixon gave the Sharks a lifeline at 73-72. Another trey from Okauru proved to be a hammer blow and with Jordan Spencer taking the score to 78-73 from the line, the Sharks were unable to connect on a final play, giving Newcastle a hard-fought win.

MVP

It was clear that the Sharks were still looking for their identity in a typically early-season type of performance but a narrow loss was tempered by a number of promising displays. Jamell Anderson looked to be just the type of wise head that the Sharks require with his all round 10 point, 5 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steal and 1 block outing. A hot spell took Makhi Mitchell to 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 3 big blocks before he fouled out late in the encounter. Principal ball-handler Prentiss Nixon revelled in the responsibility for his 17 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists but it was a Sharks debutant who took the MVP honours. Drake Jeffries looked the man most likely to get his side over the line with his 16 points, 5 boards, 2 assists, 4 steals and a blocked shot but sadly it wasn’t to be on this occasion.

Next game

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Cheshire Phoenix, Sunday 29th September 2024, Super League Basketball Trophy Group Stage, 1.00pm Tip Off

Image

Adam Bates