Sharks survive Manchester rally to go four unbeaten

Sunday 20th October 2024

Super League Basketball Trophy Group Stage

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 89 Manchester Basketball 77

The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks survived a late rally by visitors Manchester Basketball to record their fourth straight win by 89-77. The Sharks had led by as many as 26 points at one stage but toughed out a 16-27 final quarter from the visitors to move to 4-2 in the Super League Basketball Trophy group stage. Drake Jeffries lit up the early stages with some scintillating three point shooting but the MVP for the afternoon was Rodney Chatman, who contributed 21 points. The Sharks now require a win by six points or more over Newcastle Eagles on Friday evening to qualify for the semi-final stage of the competition, provided Cheshire win one of their remaining two games.

Starting Fives

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

Manchester: Madut, Mitchell, Moore, Cayo, Lewis.

Key Moments

The opening quarter began as a surefire shootout. Manchester went up by 0-7 on a Nicholas Lewis triple and the Sharks replied with an 8-0 run concluded by a Drake Jeffries corner three. Jeffries got the hot hand, draining two more from the same corner before switching wings and repeating the feat twice more to make the score 26-15. Manchester’s Donovan Mitchell continued the theme with a dagger three in reply and a Nathan Cayo mid-ranger on the buzzer ended a high-scoring first 10 minutes at 32-22.

The second period was somewhat more restrained but the Sharks looked extremely comfortable at 50-35 by half time. Jordan Ratinho’s drive into the paint brought about a successful and-one play at 41-32 and six points from Rodney Chatman emphasised the difference in the sides at that point. A tough three point make from Jacob Groves on the buzzer saw the Sharks to their half-century.

That lead extended to 26 early in the third quarter on a Chatman basket with the score at 62-36 as Manchester’s new recruit Makai Ashton-Langford opened his account for the franchise with 6 quick points. Jeffries showed that his mid-range game was equally adept at 68-47 before hitting his sixth trey of the night from the top of the key to conclude the quarter at 73-50.

Expectations were that the Sharks would push on to a big win but Manchester to their credit had other ideas. A 3-16 run was commenced by Isaih Moore and concluded by a Cody John trey as the gap narrowed to 79-70. The nerves were calmed by a downhill run from Chatman and it took a pair of Prentiss Nixon free throws and a Jordan Ratinho bucket on the buzzer to see the Sharks to an 89-77 victory.

MVP

The ever-efficient Jordan Ratinho made his 12 points on 5 of 9 shooting. Prentiss Nixon, now firmly established at the point, contributed another consistent 16 points with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal but it was a tough call between two players for the MVP of the afternoon. Drake Jeffries lit up the early stages of the game with some breath-taking shooting to end with 21 points and 5 rebounds as well as hitting six of his eleven attempts from beyond the arc. He was just shaded by recent recruit Rodney Chatman. His 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals produced an efficiency rating of 29 and it was his basket down the stretch that confirmed a deserved Sharks victory.

Next game

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Newcastle Eagles, Friday 25th October 2024, Canon Medical Arena, Super League Basketball Trophy Group Stage, 7.30pm Tip Off

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Adam Bates