Saturday 1st March 2025
Super League Basketball Championship
Bristol Flyers 67 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 74
The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks demonstrated their toughness once again, making it 9 wins on the bounce with a come-from-behind victory at Bristol Flyers. The hosts led by as many as 15 points as the Sharks looked a little ring rusty in their first twenty minutes since the international break. However, a 10-25 third quarter reversed their fortunes on the way to a 67-74 success. Rickey McGill, Donovan Clay and MVP Prentiss Nixon combined for 58 of the Sharks tally as they kept up the pressure on league leaders London Lions and collected a vital win ahead of next Sunday's SLB Cup Final.
Starting Fives
Flyers: Johnson, Sherfield, Louis, Robinson, Lewis.
Sharks: McGill, Nixon, Clay, Ratinho, Anderson.
Key Moments
Bristol, having seen action the previous evening, began the game with greater intensity. Every shot made in the opening 4 minutes was from beyond the arc as Kendall Lewis took the Flyers into a 12-6 lead. Rickey McGill broke the trend for the Sharks but another three from Alain Louis showed Bristol’s intent. Three from the line by Prentiss Nixon closed the gap to 15-13 but a nine point run to the end of the quarter, including an and-one from Keddy Johnson, saw the hosts up by 24-16.
Bristol’s hot three point game continued into the second period as Demond Robinson and Jared Sherfield found success with the Flyers now ahead by 35-20. A quick Nixon trey in transition just about saw the Sharks cling on and the hosts display unravelled somewhat on technical fouls for Keddy Johnson and Bristol Coach Andreas Kapoulas; Jamell Anderson clawing the Sharks back into it at 41-30. Alain Louis ensured the Flyers had a double digit lead at 42-32 by the half time break however.
There was no panic from the Sharks and a 10-25 third quarter completely reversed their fortunes. Back to back Rickey McGill scores were matched by Donovan Clay and Nixon’s corner triple brought the deficit down to two at 46-44. McGill’s drive into the paint tied up the game and ended a 0-12 streak that was followed by a series of trades. The returning Jacob Groves was fouled in the key making the basket that gave the Sharks their first lead of the game and a Nixon mid-ranger closed a sparkling quarter with the visitors in front by 52-57.
After Demond Robinson shot the Flyers back in front at 58-57, a series of scrappy plays ensued that saw neither side able to finish their shot. It took 4.34 for the Sharks to make their first points of the stanza through a McGill floater and after Robinson had tied up the game once again, it was another Nixon corner trey that saw the Sharks take a lead they would not lose. McGill dished to Clay to jam home and the roles were reversed when McGill finished Clay’s assist to make it 65-71. Johnson’s pair from the line was in vain as another couple from Prentiss Nixon closed out an ultimately satisfying 67-74 win.
MVP
58 of the Sharks 74 points came from three players as the Sharks proved once more that no situation is impossible. Donovan Clay shot 60% from the field in another energetic display that garnered 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Rickey McGill was as creative as ever in changing the momentum in the Sharks favour. He converted 7 of 10 from inside to finish with an all-action statline of 18 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. An emphatic double-double sent the MVP honours Prentiss Nixon’s way however. Four big three point shots as well as 8 of 9 makes from the free throw line took the guard to 24 points and 12 rebounds and the Sharks to a timely pre-Cup Final victory.
Next Game
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks v Surrey 89ers, Sunday 9th March 2025, Motorpoint Arena, Super League Basketball Cup Final, 3.30pm tip off
Image
Adam Bates
