Friday 9th May 2025
Super League Basketball Playoff Semi Final 1st Leg
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 85 Leicester Riders 75
The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks will take a ten point lead down to Leicester Riders on Sunday afternoon for the second leg of the Playoff semi final after an 85-75 first leg win. A second consecutive thirty point plus haul for Rickey McGill, a feat not achieved since Mike Cook scored 37 and 32 in the 2007 playoffs, led the Sharks to the double digit victory after they had led by as many as 20 points at one stage. A three point buzzer beater from Leicester’s Zach Jackson kept the tie in the balance with forty minutes of basketball to follow that will decide who goes to London’s O2 Arena on Sunday May 18th.
Starting Fives
Sharks: McGill, Nixon, Anderson, Ochereobia, Groves.
Riders: Abercrombie, Hunter, Johnson, Jackson, Thompson.
Key Moments
A back and forth first quarter typified the intensity of playoff basketball. Rickey McGill laid down an early marker with a pair of threes that took the Sharks out to 8-4, soon extended by a Prentiss Nixon drive into the paint. It was the Riders turn to rally shortly after. Spencer Johnson sent Leicester into the lead from the top of the key at 10-11 as the sides commenced a series of trades for three and a half minutes. The Sharks closed the quarter strongly. Mike Ochereobia, pressed into a starting role following injury to Donovan Clay, nailed a trademark hook, which was followed by a successful Drake Jeffries trey and a pair of James Reese V free throws as the quarter closed at 26-21.
The Sharks impressed in a 20-11 second period. The Riders only play of note came on a converted Zach Jackson and-one as James Reese’s baseline drive started a run that was finished by a Prentiss Nixon scoop at 37-24. Leicester looked particularly jittery from the free throw line and once again McGill took advantage. A faked hand-off started a 7 point burst that was concluded on an oh-so-casual three point shot and when Reese found the rim in the dying seconds, it was the Sharks who could be satisfied with the 46-32 scoreline.
The Sharks continued the run into the third quarter. A neat Jacob Groves assist to Nixon saw Leicester calling for time with the score at 52-34. Nixon went coast to coast to give the Sharks their biggest lead of the game but that was a prelude to a 2-14 Riders streak. Jaylin Hunter’s triple started the fightback as Ethan Wright weighed-in with 7 points to make the Sharks think it over at 56-48. Leicester kept chipping away as a Duke Shelton three drew them to within four at 61-57. A technical foul call on Jackson saw McGill successful from the line on four occasions as 30 minutes elapsed with the score at 65-57.
The opportunity to put the tie out of reach eluded the Sharks as the Riders made vital late baskets to set up an intriguing second leg. McGill was at his mesmeric best early in the stanza with a pair of huge threes which was followed by totally wrong-footing his opponent on the drive to make it 73-61. Jaylin Hunter kept the gap at ten with a corner three at 78-68 but a pair of Mike Ochereobia free throws pushed the Sharks to a usually-unassailable fifteen point lead at 85-70 with under a minute to go. Zach Jackson’s bucket with 42 seconds to go was followed up an athletic three point finish on the buzzer that ended the game at 85-75 and left everything to play for in Leicester on Sunday afternoon.
MVP
The absence of Donovan Clay from the Sharks forward line meant that the rest of the roster needed to dig deep and Jacob Groves and Mike Ochereobia did that with aplomb. Groves’ 10 point, 7 rebound evening was bettered by Ochereobia, who ended with 11 and 7 as well as dishing out a couple of assists and making a big block. Team of the Season guard Prentiss Nixon contributed a very useful 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists but the MVP award went the way of Rickey McGill. After making 31 points against Cheshire last Sunday, he went one better for 32 against the Riders as well as adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. McGill’s five makes from the beyond the arc as well as five successful free throws were key to the Sharks victory and a similar display will be required in the Midlands on Sunday if another opportunity at silverware is to arise.
Next Game
Leicester Riders v B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Sunday 11th May 2025, Mattioli Arena, Super League Basketball Playoffs Semi Final 2nd Leg, 3.00pm tip off.
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Adam Bates
