Sharks hand out belated Christmas present with thrilling Newcastle road win

Friday 27th December 2024

Super League Basketball Championship

Newcastle Eagles 84 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 92

The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks handed a huge belated Christmas present to their fans with a thrilling 84-92 road win at Newcastle Eagles. The 100th Championship clash between the two stalwarts of British basketball certainly lived up to its billing as the result was still open going into the final twenty seconds. The Sharks win was built upon two outstanding displays, namely from Rodney Chatman, who poured in 23 points and MVP Prentiss Nixon, who took the honours for his 28 point haul. The victory moves the Sharks to 7-3 and an outright hold of second place in the table ahead of a vital home encounter with Surrey 89ers on Sunday.

Starting Fives

Eagles: Ward-Hibbert, Okauru, Knight, Long, Delpeche.

Sharks: Nixon, Chatman, Clay, Anderson, Groves.

Key Moments

Newcastle took a five point lead on Darius Defoe’s mid-ranger but that fired the Sharks into life. Six Rodney Chatman points levelled matters at 12-12  and it was the Eagles who were forced into a timeout moments later after triples from the volume scorer and his colleague Prentiss Nixon. Jordan Ratinho entered the fray from downtown as the Sharks became relentless – Chatman closing the quarter from the line at 15-26.

The Sharks extended that advantage out to 14 early in the second period. Rodney Glasgow Jr came from the bench to great effect with a couple of solid buckets before Donovan Clay’s alleyoop made it 20-34. Newcastle’s riposte came in the shape of Christian James. His four treys kept the North East outfit in contention and it became a single point game on Cole Long’s triple at 41-42. The ebullient Nixon’s three off the glass on the buzzer kept the Sharks noses in front however by the break.

The Sharks took the final two quarters by two point margins to claim a memorable win. A 4-12 run went in the Sharks favour as Jacob Groves converted off Donovan Clay’s free throw attempt to make it 45-57. A resilient Newcastle side fought back with a 15-3 streak of their own. Triples from Josh Ward-Hibbert and Seneca Knight levelled matters once more at 60-60 as another Nixon dagger three and a Mike Ochereobia basket ensured the Sharks took the next streak. Eagles vet Darius Defoe pulled one back from the line but a 63-69 scoreline set up an enthralling final ten minutes.

The final stanza was a defensive affair for fully seven minutes before the must-watch encounter sprung back to life. Threes from Nixon and Drake Jeffries were split by a Christian James make for Newcastle as Clay thundered home a one handed dunk for the visitors. Jeffries threw another down from Nixon’s cheeky backwards flick to make it 77-88 but Newcastle were not finished. De’Sean Allen-Eikens picked the final twenty seconds for his first basket of the game, an outrageously finished and-one play at 84-89 but the Sharks closed out a superb win through Donovan Clay and Jamell Anderson and a memorable 84-92 success.

MVP

The bulk of the Sharks scoring came through two players but there were several notable cameos. Skipper Rodney Glasgow Jr joined the action to great effect despite making only three shots and the 8 boards claimed by Drake Jeffries were also vital in the eye-catching win. Donovan Clay and Jacob Groves added 9 points apiece but the MVP award was a toss-up between two. Rodney Chatman started the Sharks offensive push for another outstanding 23 points, which came with 5 rebounds, 8 assists, a steal and a blocked shot for an index of 27. Just shading that index score by two was eventual winner Prentiss Nixon. His 28 point, 7 rebound, 2 assist and 1 steal outing came with 6 successful makes from downtown to send the travelling Sharks faithful into raptures. Merry Nixmas indeed!

Next Game

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Surrey 89ers, Sunday 29th December 2024, Canon Medical Arena, Super League Basketball Championship, 4.00pm tip off

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Adam Bates