Sharp shooting Sharks seal solid Roses success

Sunday 1st December 2024

Super League Basketball Championship

Manchester Basketball 70 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 80

The sharp-shooting B. Braun Sheffield Sharks moved to 4-2 for the Super League Basketball Championship season with a ten point take down of Manchester Basketball. A big third quarter set the tone for the win as the Sharks went up by as many as 24 before easing off the gas and still confirming the victory. Fifteen made three point shots was a key feature of another thrilling performance ahead of a double header home weekend next time out. Prentiss Nixon took the MVP honours but again the whole roster played their respective roles to ensure success.

Starting Fives

Manchester: Madut, Ashton-Langford, Mitchell, Cayo, Delpeche.

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

Key Moments

A 2-13 run in the opening quarter set the tone for a confident-looking Sharks side. Jordan Ratinho’s three on the angle began a superlative night from distance and he was followed by back-to-back Rodney Chatman makes, the second of which came from some delightful ball movement. Ratinho’s second from the corner took the score out to 8-20 and despite Nathan Cayo connecting for the hosts late in the period, the Sharks looked good for their 17-25 lead.

The Sharks didn’t have things all their own way. Manchester’s obvious offensive threat allowed them to take the second stanza by 22-16 and leave the game poised with a two point gap at half time. Cayo went back-to-back from deep and was only broken by a response from Drake Jeffries. South Sudanese international Junior Madut found success from beyond the arc for Manchester and then made the and-one play that closed the gap at 35-38. Former Shark Marcus Delpeche converted his favourite hook shot and then made the final basket of the half with the score at 39-41.

The Sharks win came from a dominant 9-25 third quarter. The three point festival was continued by Jacob Groves and added to by his colleagues Jamell Anderson and Jordan Ratinho as the score eked out to 48-57. The last three makes of the period were all from distance – Rodney Glasgow connected in transition, followed by Drake Jeffries from an inbound and a final Prentiss Nixon splash as the quarter ended at 48-66.

The early part of the final stanza saw the Sharks effectively put the game to bed. A pair of Rodney Chatman free throws took the lead out to 24 at 50-74 as the Sharks eased off the gas with a busy schedule to come. Manchester took advantage as another former Shark Nicholas Lewis hit three treys and Nathan Cayo two but it was a case of too little, too late. Despite Makai Ashton-Langford’s layup in the closing seconds, the Sharks could declare themselves pleased with the 70-80 win.

MVP

The Sharks claimed the battle of the boards by 31-37 but it was 15 successful three point shots from 34 attempts that set the tone for another eye-catching win. Donovan Clay took the hard work of the forward line on his shoulders to finish with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Rodney Chatman again made his work look mesmerizingly effortless to end with another eye-catching statline of 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal. The MVP award went the way of his fellow guard Prentiss Nixon however. His 21 points came on 53% shooting and also featured 5 boards, an assist and 4 steals as the Sharks stay in touch at the top of the Championship standings.

Next game

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Caledonia Gladiators, Friday 6th December 2024, Canon Medical Arena, Super League Basketball Championship, 7.30pm Tip Off

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Adam Bates