Sharks tough their way to Surrey victory

Thursday 9th November 2023

British Basketball League Regular Season

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 81 Surrey Scorchers 78

It was a scrap and a battle but the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks toughed their way to an 81-78 victory over Surrey Scorchers. A 15-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter looked to have sealed the win for the home side but a pair of Josh Steel triples brought the Scorchers back to within one point inside the final thirty seconds. Kipper Nichols iced the free throws that took the Sharks to a 7-5 record and back up to fourth in the standings.

Starting Fives

Sharks: Ramsey, Pipkins, Ratinho, Nichols, Koch.

Scorchers: Mohamed, Jamison, Wang, Steel, Cooper.

Key Moments

Six Bennett Koch points set the tone for the Sharks. A 9-3 lead also included a Jalon Pipkins steal and reverse dunk and all looked rosy at the Canon Medical Arena. Quin Cooper’s corner three began a night where Surrey poured in eleven shots from beyond the arc and when former GB Olympian Andrew Lawrence followed suit, it was the Scorchers with a 16-20 advantage. A pair of Saiquan Jamison buckets saw the visitors on the high side by 21-29 after the opening ten minutes.

Two further Cooper treys took Surrey into their biggest lead of the game at 26-35 but the Sharks began to chip away at the difference. Kipper Nichols made a big shot from the top of the key and an astonishing step-away three from Devearl Ramsey closed the gap to two at 39-41. Basket interference increased the total by three on Pipkins attempt and a Koch free throw saw the sides go in level at half time by 43-43.

The Sharks tried as they might to break free in the third period, Ramsey and Jubril Adekoya opening up a five point hole at 55-50. Again Surrey went to their three point shot with Lawrence and Elliot Bailey making the scores that put the visitors ahead by 57-58. Pipkins defied gravity to make it 61-58 but the sides couldn’t be separated by the buzzer with the score at 61-61.

A more familiar Sharks side opened up the fourth quarter. Six Parker Stewart points set the trend on the back of some solid defence and by the time Ramsey had made his second step away triple, the lead had grown to 13 as a result of a 15-2 run. Game over? Far from it, as a 0-10 streak was ended by a big Josh Steel trey. Steel repeated the feat with 36 seconds to go and the result in the balance at 79-78. The Scorchers had no option but to foul as the time ticked away and it was Kipper Nichols who iced a pair from the charity stripe to see the Sharks to a hard-fought 81-78 success.

MVP

Surrey played a brand of basketball that belied their 2-8 record and it took a display of typical Sharks fayre to get the win over the line. Co-Captain Bennett Koch just missed out on a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds and there were also 11 points for Kipper Nichols, who also claimed 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Jordan Ratinho shot 66% from the field for his 12 point, 5 rebound outing and going one better was Jalon Pipkins with another highlight tomahawk dunk to boot. The MVP influenced the game in a variety of ways, much as he has done all season long. Devearl Ramsey’s 14 points came with 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals as the honours deservedly went his way for an influential stint out on court.

Next game

Caledonia Gladiators v B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Saturday November 11th 2023, Playsport, 8.00pm Tip Off.

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Adam Bates