Sharks, Riders and Lions win twice in loaded week of Championship action

Caledonia and Cheshire suffered two losses, while Bristol experienced split fortunes, in a game week that saw two overtime thrillers.

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 93 – 74 Manchester Basketball

The game week tipped off at the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield on Wednesday. The Sharks entered the game with a chance to go level on points with the league-leading Lions, but would have to get through mid-table Manchester to do so.

In the opening quarter, Sheffield opened scoring through Donovan Clay free-throws. However, Manchester responded quickly with back-to-back three-pointers from Donovan Mitchell and Ian Dubose, giving the visitors an early lead. Sheffield’s Prentiss Nixon then scored seven points in just two minutes to help the Sharks move ahead.

The next few minutes saw both teams struggle offensively, with the ball failing to find the hoop for a stretch. Nonetheless, Sheffield continued to edge ahead. As the final minute approached, Manchester’s Nicholas Lewis stepped up from the bench, scoring inside and hitting a shot from deep to pull the visitors within a single point, leaving the score tight at the first break.

The second quarter began with Nixon hitting a three-pointer to extend Sheffield’s lead. Manchester’s poor restart was further punished when Jordan Ratinho scored two shots to capitalise on their mistakes. For nearly half of the quarter, Manchester went scoreless, allowing Sheffield to build a solid lead. Jamell Anderson joined the action with an ‘and-1’ play, pushing Sheffield ahead by double digits.

When most needed, Manchester found their rhythm, with Nathan Cayo, Marcus Delpeche, and Ian Dubose combining for a 10-0 run to pull the visitors back into contention. Sheffield responded, with Nixon and Anderson keeping the Sharks in control. But Manchester wouldn’t back down. Mid-range jump shots from Mitchell and Dubose helped spark a comeback, before Nicholas Lewis hit a confident three-pointer to give Manchester their first lead of the game.

Ratinho drove for a lay-up to tie the game at 36 as both teams headed to the locker room.

The third quarter initially saw Manchester carry momentum from the previous period, with Cayo finishing a dunk and Delpeche completing a crafty lay-up to give the visitors the lead again. However, Sheffield quickly responded, with Ratinho hitting two shots from beyond the arc to take the advantage back for the Sharks.

Cayo and Delpeche then teamed up once more to put Manchester back ahead. From there, both teams traded baskets for a few minutes, wrestling for control as the third quarter developed. Anderson stepped up for Sheffield, scoring a couple of baskets to regain the lead for the home side.

Despite Lewis’ best efforts for Manchester, Scottie Lindsey hit a lay-up to ensure Sheffield held a two-point advantage heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Sheffield quickly extended their lead with a 5-0 run, moving ahead by seven points. Manchester’s Ashton-Langford responded with six consecutive points, helping to chip away at the deficit. However, Sheffield maintained their pace, with Rickey McGill and Rodney Glasgow Jr. adding lay-ups to widen the gap. Nixon then reestablished the double-digit lead midway through the quarter.

As the final minutes ticked away, Manchester appeared fatigued, while Sheffield displayed a highly professional performance. Nixon, McGill, and Ratinho contributed to the offense, pushing the lead further out of reach. With seconds remaining, Nixon hit a three-pointer to cap off an excellent offensive display and secure a convincing win for the Sharks.

With this victory, Sheffield moved level on points with London at the top of the Championship table.

Most Valuable Player: Headlining an excellent team display, Prentiss Nixon recorded 24 points, 11 boards and six dimes on the night.

Leicester Riders 110 – 87 Cheshire Phoenix

Down at the Mattioli Arena, third-placed Riders hoped to keep pace with the high-flying Sharks and Lions, as they welcomed a Phoenix team who sat four points behind them for some Thursday night Championship action.

Cheshire made a positive start to the game, opening the scoring with a basket from Cameron Holden. However, Leicester quickly responded with a well-rounded team effort, scoring as a unit to gain an early lead. Midway through the first quarter, Holden found his way to the charity stripe, where he calmly converted a pair of free throws to tie the game and then take the lead for Cheshire.

Leicester pushed back with a mid-range jumper from Jaylin Hunter, followed by a deep three from veteran guard Conner Washington to snatch the lead back for the hosts. Cheshire briefly pulled ahead again when Skyler White hit a three-pointer, but Leicester’s Ethan Wright stepped up from the bench, scoring a pair of quick baskets to push the Riders back in front.

Duke Shelton also made an impact for Leicester’s second unit, slamming home a dunk before sinking a steady free throw to widen the gap. By the time the first quarter came to a close, Leicester held a two-point lead, 26-24.

The second quarter saw Leicester’s bench continue to dominate, as Shelton and Wright refused to let up. The duo consistently forced their way to the free-throw line while shooting confidently from beyond the arc. White and Holden kept Cheshire within striking distance with crucial shots, but Leicester responded with another three-pointer from Wright, which reestablished a gap between the teams.

Free throws from J’raan Brooks extended Leicester’s lead to double digits, as Cheshire struggled to contain the Riders’ dynamic offense. Zach Jackson joined in the scoring, adding more points for the hosts, and when Hunter made another successful trip to the line, Leicester had built a 13-point advantage by halftime.

Coming out of the break, Cheshire showed their intent to mount a comeback. TJ Atwood drove for quick points, and Holden hit another trey, trying to chip away at the deficit. However, they still trailed, thanks in large part to impressive shots from Spencer Johnson and Jackson.

Cheshire’s resistance was short-lived, as Leicester ramped up the intensity on both ends of the floor. The visitors went scoreless for three minutes, while buckets from Jackson, Thompson, and Riley Abercrombie helped the Riders build an enormous lead.

At the end of the third quarter, Leicester had stretched their lead to 23 points, holding a commanding 76-53 advantage heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter began with Brooks, Shelton, and Jackson piling on the points for Leicester, pushing the lead to 28 and further diminishing any hopes of a Cheshire comeback. Wright added to his already impressive performance with a pair of jumpers from inside and out, solidifying the insurmountable lead.

RJ Eytle-Rock made a valiant push for Cheshire down the stretch, but despite his best efforts, Leicester’s dominance proved too much. When the final buzzer sounded, Leicester had secured a 23-point victory, 91-68, moving closer to the Championship’s leading duo.

Most Valuable Player: Duke Shelton made a major impact from the bench, recording 19 points, eight rebounds and an assist.

Bristol Flyers 75 – 78 London Lions

With Sheffield and Leicester already notching wins this game week, London travelled to the SGS College Arena on Friday night, hoping to return to the top of the Championship table as they faced Bristol.

The Lions made the brighter start, racing out to an 8-0 lead through a combination of Jaiden Delaire three-pointers and thunderous Ovie Soko jams.

Kendall Lewis split a pair of free throws to open scoring for the Flyers, but that was met by another relentless London run, as they went 14-0 until the final minute of the first quarter. Incredibly, Bristol recorded their first field goal over nine minutes into the contest.

Owen McCormack provided another dimension for Andreas Kapoulas from the bench, making a three as the period ended, but at the first break, the Flyers trailed by 15.

The Flyers needed to turn it around and McCormack provided some optimism when he scored another three at the restart. Evan Walshe drove aggressively for transition buckets, as Bristol clawed back at the deficit.

Though Michael Brisker and Tyler Peterson added a scoring punch for London, the Flyers had found their groove on offence. Demond Robinson and Lewis cut through the lane for dunks, while McCormack remained hot, adding a mid-range jumper and a hook-shot to shrink the deficit.

When Lewis laid it in at the end of the half, the hosts had pulled back to within single digits, with a chance to regroup.

After starting the game in the slowest fashion possible, Bristol got going early in the second half. Robinson drove aggressively to pull to within six points, then after minor pushback from London, the Flyers came back swinging.

Walshe and McCormack scored consecutive threes midway through the third quarter, making it a five point game. Lewis then converted a crafty lay-up, before Leslee Smith drained from downtown to move just two points behind. Robinson then scored from close range and just like that, the teams were tied at 48.

The hosts then went on an 11-0 run led by Evan Walshe, moving out to a six-point lead of their own, as the third quarter drew to a close.

After a rough run for both teams offensively when the game restarted, the pace picked up again with five minutes remaining. Lewis combined with Keddy Johnson, as they drove to earn a 12-point advantage, putting Bristol firmly in poll position.

In a game of momentum-swinging runs, London made another one when it was most-needed. Brisker pounded the paint for a successful trip to the line, before Tyler Peterson hit a pair from beyond the arc to move to within four with just under as many minutes remaining.

Soko followed up with an ‘and-1’ play to make it a one-point game. He then converted a lay-in to tie the game and squash Bristol’s impressive comeback.

Lewis hit a contested three to retake the lead, which was met by a pair of free-throws from Brisker to reduce the deficit once again. Lewis stepped up with another big shot however, hitting a three to put his team ahead by four with just over a minute left on the clock.

This one wasn’t done. Jaiden Delaire sliced through the lane to make a lay-up, absorbing a foul and punishing the Flyers at the lane to complete the three-point play.

Walshe then drove to push the lead back to three, but Aaryn Rai responded with a lay-up of his own, making it a one-point contest.

In response, Walshe earned himself a trip to the free-throw line, with a chance to move ahead by three with 20 seconds remaining. He split the shots, putting them ahead by just two.

With six seconds on the clock, Delaire took matters into his own hands, sinking a clutch three and edging the Lions ahead by a single point.

A costly turnover hurt Bristol at the worst time imaginable and forced Walshe to foul. Peterson stepped up to the charity stripe to put the game to bed and with supreme confidence, he did just that. A pair of free-throws secured a three-point victory for the visitors and put Petar Bozic’s side back on top of the table.

Most Valuable Player: Jaiden Delaire recorded a 20, 7 & 3 stat-line, hitting crucial shots along the way to victory.

Newcastle Eagles 86 – 81 Caledonia Gladiators

Up in Newcastle, Caledonia arrived at the Vertu Motors Arena on Friday on the hunt for their third win of the season. To do so they’d have to beat an in-form Eagles team.

The game began with a bang, as Seneca Knight opened the scoring for Caledonia with a powerful driving dunk. However, Newcastle’s Mike Okauru quickly set the tone for what would be a dominant individual performance, draining a contested three-pointer to give the Eagles an early lead.

The Gladiators responded well, with Devearl Ramsey calmly sinking a free throw to tie the game before hitting a deep three-pointer on the next possession to give his team the advantage. Ramsey’s impressive scoring run was complemented by Patrick Whelan, who added a pair of well-executed buckets to push Caledonia further ahead.

Despite the Gladiators’ efforts, the Eagles mounted a response. Okauru drained two more three-pointers to chip away at the deficit, bringing Newcastle to within two points. On the next possession, Okauru followed up with a tough driving lay-up to tie the game at 23. With both teams exchanging baskets, the first quarter ended in a deadlock, setting the stage for an intense contest.

Newcastle’s bench came alive in the second quarter, with Christian James and Cole Long making quick lay-ups to give the Eagles a four-point advantage. However, Caledonia fought back, with Eilijah Cain and Whelan each knocking down three-pointers to tie the game once more.

The momentum then swung in favor of the Gladiators as Fraser Malcolm slammed the ball home in transition, but Okauru was quick to respond with an alley-oop dunk, showcasing his athleticism and ability to finish at the rim. Okauru continued to impress, hitting a deep jumper to put Newcastle back in the lead.

Trevond Barnes leveled the game with a lay-up for Caledonia, but De’sean Allen-Eikens put the Eagles back in front with a close-range basket. As the clock wound down in the first half, it was Malcolm once again who delivered for Caledonia, hitting a crucial three-pointer to give the Gladiators a one-point lead at the break.

Caledonia carried their momentum into the third quarter, with Barnes and Whelan each making jump shots to extend their lead to six points. Totonitoluwa Fagbenle then stepped up, converting a smooth trip to the free-throw line to widen the gap to eight points.

The Eagles didn’t back down, with Okauru and Trey Pulliam hitting key jumpers to help Newcastle fight back into the game. As the third quarter neared its end, Ramsey and Malcolm both visited the charity stripe to add to Caledonia’s advantage. Veteran forward Darius Defoe managed to knock down a free throw for Newcastle, but the Eagles still trailed by seven points heading into the final quarter, making it clear that the game was far from over.

The fourth quarter began with Long splashing a three-pointer to ignite the Eagles’ offense. Okauru followed up with four quick points on consecutive possessions, bringing Newcastle to within two points of the Gladiators.

The Eagles then went on an 11-0 run, with Okauru scoring nine of those points in just over a minute to take control of the game. Defoe added a basket from close range to extend the Newcastle lead to eight, and it looked as though the Eagles had taken charge. However, Caledonia responded with grit. Barnes, combining an aggressive slam dunk with a trip to the free-throw line, pulled the Gladiators back to within four.

The game then took a dramatic turn as turnovers and missed opportunities plagued the Eagles, allowing Caledonia to claw their way back. Whelan was cool under pressure, making critical free throws to trim the deficit. Fagbenle then hustled for an offensive rebound, converting his own miss to tie the game with just 30 seconds remaining. The Eagles had a chance to win in regulation, but Okauru’s driving lay-up and James’ contested three-pointer both missed, sending the game into overtime.

Caledonia looked fatigued in overtime, and the Eagles took advantage. Allen-Eikens and Okauru both converted easy lay-ups, giving Newcastle a four-point lead. The Gladiators were not ready to give up, though, and Whelan hit a crucial three-pointer with 90 seconds left to bring Caledonia to within one point.

Despite the pressure, Okauru remained calm and delivered in the clutch, hitting a fading mid-range jumper and finishing off with smooth lay-ups in the final moments to seal the victory for the Eagles.

By the time the overtime buzzer sounded, Newcastle had secured a hard-earned OT win, continuing their chase of the leading pack.

Most Valuable Player: Okauru was massively impressive, recording 40 points, four boards and six assists.  

Surrey 89ers 83 – 89 Bristol Flyers

Having not played a league game for almost two weeks, Surrey welcomed a Bristol team, competing in their second fixture in just two days, following their nail-biting loss to London on Friday.

Bristol set the tone right from the opening tip. Owen McCormack, Demond Robinson, and Keddy Johnson all hit three-pointers in the first two minutes of the game, giving the Flyers a quick 9-0 lead.

The 89ers, however, responded quickly, with Nedas Cholevinskas and Mervin James each hitting jump shots to start chipping away at the deficit. Tayo Ogedengbe and Cameron Gooden scored baskets from close range to keep Surrey within striking distance, but Bristol weren’t backing down.

Johnson hit a pair of shots from both inside and outside, extending the Flyers’ lead. Leslee Smith also got involved, making a pair of free throws and a three-pointer to give Bristol a double-digit advantage. Alain Louis added a three-pointer at the buzzer to cap off an impressive first quarter for the visitors, who led by 19 points.

The second quarter saw Surrey begin to find their rhythm. Mervin James started the period with a couple of lay-ups, and Dame Adelekun joined in with another to help narrow the gap. Walshe briefly halted Surrey’s momentum with an easy basket, but the Scorchers were determined to fight back.

Ogedengbe hit a free throw, James knocked down a pair of mid-range jump shots and Jordan Hunt added a three-pointer, all helping to cut into Bristol’s lead. Despite their efforts, Surrey still trailed by 12 points at the halftime break after Adelekun hit another jump shot in the final seconds.

Surrey came out with renewed energy in the third quarter. Cholevinskas knocked down a three-pointer, followed by a lay-up from Adelekun, as the Scorchers pulled the deficit down to single digits.

Leslee Smith briefly stopped the run with a basket for Bristol, but Surrey continued to chip away at the lead. James scored two quick lay-ups in just 20 seconds, and then Gooden finished a crafty lay-up to bring the home team to within just a single point. Adelekun then gave Surrey their first lead of the game midway through the quarter, driving for a lay-in.

Bristol managed to reclaim the lead briefly, but the 89ers were in full-flow. Cholevinskas and Steel each converted inside and at the end of the third quarter, Surrey had managed to flip the game around, leading by six points.

The fourth quarter was as tense as it was exciting. Gooden hit a three-pointer right out of the gates to push Surrey’s lead to nine points. McCormack responded for Bristol with an ‘and-1’ play, pulling the Flyers back within striking distance. The game then swung once again, as Johnson, Lewis, and Walshe orchestrated a 9-0 run that put Bristol back in front.

Walshe’s driving lay-up gave Bristol a one-point advantage, but Surrey were not done yet. Adelekun and Cholevinskas each scored five points in less than a minute to give Surrey a two-point lead with just under five minutes left. Johnson once again stepped up, scoring two quick baskets to tie the game, before Walshe regained the lead for Bristol with a crafty drive through the lane.

The game continued to swing back and forth, with Hunt hitting a free throw and James finishing a lay-up to put Surrey ahead by two points. Bristol responded quickly, with a powerful dunk from Lewis and a close-range basket from Louis, pushing the Flyers ahead once again.

James quickly tied the game up with a basket straight off a timeout, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. Both teams struggled with turnovers down the stretch, and despite having multiple chances, neither side was able to secure the win in regulation. We had our second overtime of the night.

In overtime, Robinson made his presence felt with a firm dunk to open the extra period, putting Bristol ahead. Louis followed with a strong drive to the basket, creating a four-point advantage for the Flyers. Surrey fought back, with James and Gooden each hitting free throws to pull within one point. However, the Scorchers’ offense then fell silent, failing to score again for the remainder of overtime. Bristol took full advantage, with Johnson converting at the free-throw line in the final seconds to extend the lead to six.

When the buzzer sounded, Bristol had secured a hard-fought victory, bouncing back from their previous loss to complete a 1-1 game week.

Most Valuable Player: Keddy Johnson played an important role in Bristol’s victory, adding three rebounds and assists to his 26-point scoring display.

Manchester Basketball 74 – 87 Leicester Riders

Sunday’s action started at the National Basketball Performance Centre, where both Leicester and Manchester played their second game of the week. The hosts had already lost to a formidable Sheffield team and now had to face a Riders team who are pushing for Championship contention in third place.

Both teams made a hot start offensively, scoring by committee as a highly competitive tone was set. For the first opening minutes, Leicester took multiple leads and Manchester pushed back with a run of athletic alley-oops and contested threes.

Leicester then enjoyed a strong offensive surge, through a Charles Thompson lay-up, Jaylin Hunter floater and a Zach Jackson triple, as the visitors pulled out to a seven-point advantage.

The Riders run didn’t last long however, Makai Ashton-Langford forced his way to the linr and Elijah Ifejeh finished a tough lay-up to claw away at the deficit.

Rob Paternostro’s men plugged away on offence, leaning on Ethan Wright who added a scoring punch from the bench. Manchester continuously found a response though; Ashton-Langford spearheaded the hosts’ offence, moving just two points behind.

Duke Shelton also contributed from the bench, putting his stamp on the game with a pair of lay-ups to widen the gap yet again. Though threes from Nicholas Lewis and Donovan Mitchell provided a life-line for Manchester, they couldn’t seem to get over the hump and when Wright drained from deep at the end of the first quarter, Leicester led by five.

Shelton continued to push Leicester forward, hitting a step-back jumper as the second quarter began. Johnson continued the offensive surge with a shot from beyond the arc, moving ahead by nine.

As the second quarter developed, the teams traded buckets. Ashton-Langford handed out a steady diet of inside scoring, while Hunter and Jackson found scoring opportunities to keep Manchester out of reaching distance.

When Wright cooly converted at the line in the final seconds of the half, Leicester secured a nine-point advantage at the break.

Manchester needed a firm response in the opening moments of the third quarter and they found one. Ashton-Langford swiftly drained a pair of threes to reduce the deficit and just like that, the hosts were back in the clash.

Zach Jackson continued to impress on the other end of the floor, but Nathan Cayo and Cody John hit difficult shots to reduce the deficit midway through the third period. A minute later, Zak Irvin tightened the gap to just three points.

Abercrombie hit three consecutive shots from three-point range, moving out to a nine-point lead. Ifejeh then laid it in and heading into the final ten minutes, Leicester were on top by seven.

Not for want of trying, Manchester just couldn’t get their offence going in the fourth quarter and they paid the price. As the home team went scoreless for extended stretches, Leicester took the opportunity to build upon their lead.

Jackson drained a fade-away and followed it up with a put-back, putting the game well beyond Manchester. Leicester scored as a group, as the final period developed, even growing the gap to 15 points with minutes remaining.

When the buzzer sounded, Leicester had secured the 13-point victory, moving closer to Sheffield and London, who had a chance to pull away later than evening.

Most Valuable Player: Zach Jackson played the starring role in an excellent ensemble performance, recording 21 points, nine rebounds and six dimes.

London Lions 96 – 51 Caledonia Gladiators

One of the teams in the race of the Championship top spot is London, who had a chance to affirm first position against a lowly Caledonia team, who sit bottom of the league and were fresh from a difficult overtime loss just two days prior.

Jaiden Delaire opened scoring at the Copper Box, kickstarting a tremendous offensive performance from the forward. Aaryn Rai and Michael Brisker soon built upon the early lead, finishing reverse lay-ups and spotting up from deep to push the Lions ahead.

Devearl Ramsey hit a floater and a contested three to provide a response, before Patrick Whelan tied the game from downtown, seconds later. Princeton Onwas followed up with a driving lay-up to earn Caledonia the lead.

That would be when the fun stopped for the Glad’s; threes from Sean Flood and Alen Hadzibegovic drained triples to reestablish a London advantage, before the latter dunked twice to finish the opening quarter ahead by eight.

Sean Flood drained a three when the second quarter started rolling, creating a double digit differential. Onwas scored in response, but then came another London run, led by Peterson and Tanner Stuckman. Rai then joined the party with a smooth lay-up and Delaire drove through the lane to make it an 18-point game.

Ramsey provided some temporary resistance with a triple, but Caledonia couldn’t stop the Lions offence, which was now firing on all cylinders. Delaire finished a couple of lay-ups and Soko slammed aggressively, as a 23-point chasm opened up.

When the teams split for the half-time break, the Gladiators trailed by 21 and had a mountain to climb.

The Lions weren’t about to take their foot off the gas when they returned to the floor. Delaire finished a tough lay-up and Hadzibegovic added a dunk holding onto London’s momentum to get the second half going.

Ramsey put on a valiant display, providing a beacon of hope for Caledonia, as the game started to float away.

London could not be stopped. Brisker and Flood hit step-back jumpers, before Delaire cut through the lane for a transition jam and Soko finished an alley-oop to push the hosts ahead by 30. With Caledonia looking tired, London finished the third quarter on top by 32.

Barnes showed his best intentions as the fourth quarter started, scoring twice to chip away at the deficit, but London went from strength-to-strength. Stuckman finished a reverse lay-in, Flood drained another triple, Peterson hit from deep again and Ciaran Sandy added a three of his own, moving ahead by 39.

Theodore Hughes scored twice for Caledonia, but this one was beyond them. London emptied the bench and Matthew Goodwin rewarded them, hitting two shots from beyond the arc in the final minute. London had dominated their opponents on the glass, pulling down 29 more rebounds than Caledonia and when the buzzer sounded, London had earned a huge 45-point victory, pushing them back to the top of the pyramid.

Most Valuable Player: London played extremely well as a team, but Jaiden Delaire stood out with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Cheshire Phoenix 65 – 87 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks

Sheffield arrived at the Cheshire Oaks Arena with an opportunity to react to London’s win. To keep the pace with the Lions, they will have to defeat a Cheshire team, who were looking to bounce back from a loss to Leicester earlier in the week.

The Sharks hoped for a hot start and they enjoyed just that, courtesy of mid-ranger jumpers from Prentiss Nixon and Donovan Clay to pull out to an early lead. As is so often the case, Cameron Holden pushed back for Cheshire, scoring from inside and out to tie the game.

RJ Eytle-Rock and Skyler White then scored to move Cheshire ahead by four points. However, Rickey McGill found his way to the line and Clay pulled up from close range to level the game yet again.

The teams traded buckets for a couple of minutes, with momentum swinging back and forth as the opening quarter developed. With less than a minute to go, White and Greg Wild drained threes, securing a six-point lead for the hosts going into the first break.

The Sharks bit back as the second quarter began, with Nixon and Clay at the front line. Cheshire responded swiftly however, as TJ Atwood made a difficult lay-up before sinking from beyond the arc to move ahead by eight.

Clay and McGill made another pair of mid-range jumpers midway through the quarter, chipping away at the deficit. Atwood and Holden combined to offer pushback, widening the gap back to eight points.

Moments before half-time, Tyreek Scott-Grayson completed an outrageous ‘and-1’ play to create a double-digit advantage and when the teams split, Cheshire found themselves on top by 11.

Eytle-Rock hit a J immediately as the second half began. White and Atwood then combined for another four points, creating a significant 17-point differential. However, just when Sheffield needed a run, they found one; McGill and Nixon combined for a 12-0 run, pulling the visitors within five.

A minute later, McGill nailed a three and converted a pair of free-throws to make it a one-point contest. The teams traded baskets for a couple of minutes, before Clay tied the game at the line, completing a huge comeback near the end of the period. He then jammed it home, taking a two-point lead, but Wild quickly earned a trip to the line, moving to within one heading into the final quarter.

Dispirited by the blown lead, Cheshire seemed fatigued when the fourth quarter began. Turnovers hurt them, while Jordan Ratinho and Nixon made buckets to create a more substantial lead for the Sharks.

The visitors ramped up the defensive intensity, limiting Cheshire, who struggled mightily to get the ball in the hole.

McGill, Glasgow Jr and Clay piled in the points down the stretch, totally controlling the pace of the game. Cheshire couldn’t fight their way back and when the clock ran down, they had lost this one by 22.

The win pushed Sheffield back into second place ahead of Leicester by a single win, two points behind the leading Lions.

Most Valuable Player: Rickey McGill shone for Sheffield, recording 29 points, five boards and four assists.

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