Sharks look to get back to winning ways
BBL Championship Preview – Friday 6th April 2012
One Health Sharks Sheffield v Durham Wildcats
Sheffield Sharks will indeed be hoping for a ‘Good’ Friday feeling as they look to get their playoff push back on track following three straight defeats. Bottom of the table league newcomers Durham Wildcats are the visitors to the EIS, hoping to add to their two season wins in their inaugural campaign.
The Wildcats gained those two wins against Cheshire Jets, the last of which was back on the 28th January by 90-86. Ironically it was the Jets who were the last visitors to the EIS, taking the spoils by 72-78 in a game that will not live long in the memory. Durham make the journey down to Sheffield on the back of a 96-85 defeat away at Plymouth; Paul Elderkin (19 points), Mario Flaherty (17 points) and Ralph Bucci (14 points) being the chief contributors. Flaherty’s 8.2 rebounds per game has been one of the more impressive factors in what was always going to be a difficult season for the Newton Aycliffe-based side. Mike Capocci is also shooting 0.616 in field goals, giving him a third placed rating in the league, so it would be foolish to write Durham off as a force on the strength of their league placing alone.
The Sharks already own the series against Durham with 77-93 and 71-90 wins in the north east already this season. The last three games have seen an alarming dip in form, something that Atiba Lyons will be keen to arrest with playoff places looming on the horizon. Two more wins should just about see Sheffield into the end of season shake-up with Durham, Glasgow and Plymouth to visit the EIS before the final league game away at Cheshire. There was little to recommend to Sky viewers about the Sharks defeat at home to Cheshire last Friday. Sheffield’s Mr Consistency Mike Tuck produced yet another double double (22 points 11 rebounds) but the plaudits went to the Jets as Adam Brown shackled Jimmy Langhurst on his way to 22 points in a decidedly dreary affair. Langhurst still registered 21 points, mainly from close range, but it appears that Cheshire like Mersey the previous week had done their homework on how to stem the tide from the boy from Willard.
Consistency once again appears to be the key. Tuck aside, crucial errors have crept in that have prevented a solid forty minutes from the Sharks. A robust first half has been followed by lax third and fourth quarters and it is certain that Coach Lyons will be striving to eliminate this as the season draws to an end. Wins will be vital in the last four games to give the side some momentum to launch a playoff challenge. The talent at the Sharks is unquestioned. Displaying it for whole games will be key to getting something out of an erratic 2012 season.
Tip-off is at 7.30pm.
