Sharks maintain playoff push
BBL Championship – Friday 9 March 2012
One Health Sharks Sheffield 99 Mersey Tigers 82
One Health Sharks Sheffield cruised to a comfortable win over Mersey Tigers to maintain their 2012 playoff challenge.
Home court advantage seemed to play in the Sharks favour as a 28-15 lead was opened up in the first quarter. Crucial to this was big forward Mike Tuck, who made his presence felt at either end of the court, in front of his mum who was watching him in a ball game for the first time since his university days. The Tigers were slow off the mark, not aided by an early technical to coach Tony Garbelotto, which seemed to set the Merseysiders off on the wrong foot.
The second quarter saw Mersey close the gap somewhat. A 24-20 run, especially in the closing stages of the half, was just reward for some solid shot making especially for recent signing Sam Cricelli. 48-39 to close the half was as close as Mersey would ever get in a game that would be considered comfortable even by BBL standards.
The third period saw Sheffield unleash the big guns. Three early triples from shooting star Jimmy Langhurst signalled the intent. Langhurst hadn’t had the best of games to date, even missing two shots from the charity stripe, but displayed his full array of shot making, given the time by Sharks playmaker ‘General’ Ryan Patton. A 73-56 third quarter closing score was just reward for a complete quarter of ball.
And so the march became a precession in the fourth. Tuck completed a hefty double-double of 33 points personal with 14 rebounds as well as one block and one steal and Langhurst went on to complete 32 points personal, shooting 100% in three point field goals, making six of six. Cricelli excelled for Mersey, looking their only true threat in posting 29 points, but it was a game of sheer frustration for Coach Garbelotto, whose team frequently ignored instruction and looked a shadow of the side that beat the Sharks just a week earlier.
A 99-82 final score was just reward for the Sharks, with Mike Tuck earning a richly-deserved MVP award. Mersey would perhaps rue the ejection of Hesson from the game with 4.30 left to play but fell a long way short of the standard required to make the end of season finale. A further meeting of these two sides awaits in two weeks time at the EISS and in the meantime, Sheffield make the long journey south to Plymouth to attempt to secure the best playoff berth possible. Good at home, indifferent away from home seems to sum up Atiba Lyons’ side. The remaining weeks of the BBL season will see if this adage proves true.
