Victory over Surrey closes 2024 for the Sharks

Sunday 29th December 2024

Super League Basketball Championship

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 82 Surrey 89ers 77

The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks won the war of attrition against a useful Surrey 89ers side to complete a double victory weekend. The Guildford-based side led until deep into the third quarter, whereupon the Sharks chipped away at the deficit to claim a 13th consecutive win in South Yorkshire over their visitors. It was the Sharks inside game that carried them to the dub with MVP Donovan Clay just missing out on a double-double for his 19 point, 9 rebound display. The Sharks now move to 8 wins in the Championship season, level with leaders London Lions, who have suffered one fewer defeat.

Starting Fives

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

89ers: Gooden, James, Steel, Ray, Adelekun.

Key Moments

Surrey impressed in the previous encounter between the sides and were equally as eye-catching in another tight game. Josh Steel’s corner three gave them their first lead after a couple of minutes of play and it took a Rodney Chatman reply in-kind to put the Sharks back in front at 13-11. Surrey edged back in front through Dame Adelekun and six points from Mervin James opened up a slight gap. Prentiss Nixon scored high off the glass to keep the Sharks in touch at 22-24 but a Jalen Ray three on the buzzer capped a solid opening for the visitors.

That gap crept out to 11 points as Jordan Hunt, Nedas Cholevinskas and Jalen Ray all connected from deep to make it 27-38. The 89ers hitting the penalty with fully five minutes until half time worked in the Sharks favour. Prentiss Nixon, Rodney Glasgow Jr and Jacob Groves all had successful trips to the line before Di-Jani Parkinson nailed another trey with the score at 36-46. In the dying seconds of the half, Donovan Clay and Jalen Ray made quick baskets before Prentiss Nixon sent the teams in at the break with the score at 43-48.

The Surrey lead lasted until the final minute of the third period as the Sharks pressurised and chipped away at the 89ers advantage. A behind the back assist from Nixon saw Jacob Groves land an exquisite triple at 48-52 and the same player’s cut to the hoop brought the gap down to 2 at 56-58. A Nixon drive to the rim finally saw the Sharks ahead at 59-58 and a Donovan Clay mid-range effort capped an 18-10 quarter with the score at 61-58.

With a stranglehold on the game, the Sharks increased the intensity, forcing Surrey into a shotclock violation with some tough defence early in the fourth quarter. An open three from Rodney Glasgow Jr sent the 89ers into a timeout at 69-60 but back to back triples from Jalen Ray kept things in the balance at 73-68. The Sharks came again with Groves making the putback that opened up a double digit gap at 80-70. Surrey weren’t finished however. A 0-7 burst finished on a Josh Steel hook shot but a Rodney Chatman bucket put the full stop on a Sharks victory with the score at 82-77.

MVP

The Sharks usually-effective three point game was less so on an afternoon where they made 4 of their 16 attempts. However, they shot at 62% from inside to take a tough win over a belligerent Surrey outfit. Rodney Chatman hit some key shots from his 13 point, 6 rebound, 6 assist afternoon and the versatile Jacob Groves shot at an impressive 86% for his effective statline of 16 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist. Prentiss Nixon wasn’t too far off a double-double of his own for his 17 point, 8 assist display but it was the dominance of Donovan Clay in the paint that rightly earned him the MVP honours. He shot 9 of 13 from inside as well as ripping down 9 boards and making 2 blocked shots in amongst his 19 points to show that this bunch of Sharks have a variety of ways to win ball games.

Next Game

Manchester Basketball v B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, Friday 3rd January 2025, National Basketball Performance Centre, Super League Basketball Championship, 7.30pm tip off

Image

Adam Bates