The Roses Clash – Opening Night versus Manchester previewed

BBL Championship

Friday 21^st September 2018

DBL Sharks Sheffield v Manchester Giants

EIS Sheffield, 7.30pm Tip Off

The BBL and the DBL Sharks Sheffield are back! A ‘War of the Roses’ clash provides the setting for opening night as Coach Danny Byrne brings his Manchester Giants across the Pennines to renew one of British basketball’s oldest rivalries.

What to Expect

The Giants have delved deep into the import market to come up with some exciting U.S. talent to go alongside their established players. In come Mike McCall Jr, Willie Clayton and Torry Butler to meet up with returning Giants Callum Jones and Ingus Bankevics. Returning to the fray after a brief hiatus are forward Barry Webster and experienced veteran (and brother of Callum) James Jones with European signing Vlatko Granic making yet another new face. The Giants have beaten USA Select (95-77), Newcastle University (97-60), Liverpool (71-101) and Manchester Magic (86-60) in pre-season, going down to Cheshire Phoenix by 100-85 in their only defeat. Clayton has had several twenty point hauls during pre-season and has excelled along with Butler and McCall.

Shark Watch

The Sharks go into the Roses clash with a 3-1 record from pre-season. An opening 89-76 win over Newcastle Eagles was followed by a 115-54 rout of NBL Division One side Nottingham Hoods. Newcastle took revenge in a pre-season re-match in the North East by 85-75 and the warm-ups were completed with a 79-70 win in Belgium over Limburg United. The Belgian win was all the more impressive for being only the second win in Europe by a BBL team this pre-season, after London City Royals took victory over a Partizan Belgrade side. Once more, the Sharks are playing as a unit, team spirit seems to be very healthy in the camp and they will be looking to begin their BBL Championship campaign in the best possible fashion.

Last Time Out

22^nd April 2018

Manchester Giants         87-83     DBL Sharks Sheffield

Bankevics 28                                      Williams 26

Banks 22                                              Tuck 18

Crook 14                                              McKnight 16

Fans Corner

The Sharks are 19-3 over the Giants since the Manchester side returned to the BBL in 2012. The Giants game marks the first of three consecutive home Fridays for the Sharks. We love our #SharkNation and we’d love to see you in ‘The Tank’ on Opening Night. Like us on Facebook (@SheffieldSharks), follow us on Twitter (@SheffieldSharks), catch us on Instagram (sheffieldsharks) and look out for our game day Snapchat (sheffieldsharks). Tell the world you follow the Sharks with our hashtag, #FearTheFin !!

Tickets

Click the banner for details.

Images: Andy Chubb