Riders at Sharks – BBL Championship Preview

Friday 21 September 2012

One Health Sharks Sheffield v Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders

The 2012-13 BBL season takes its bow at the EIS Sheffield on Friday night as One Health Sharks Sheffield entertain the Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders.

Leicester held the indian sign over Sheffield in the 11-12 season with five straight victories but both sides have seen significant changes to their respective rosters in the close season so this opening fixture will be something of a journey into the unknown. Remaining in the Riders camp are GB stalwart Drew Sullivan, experienced forward Barry Lamble, young guard Connor Washington and Jamell Anderson. Astute recruitment as ever by Coach Rob Paternostro sees forwards John Fraley, Pavol Losonsky and Jay Couisnard join the club with Zaire Taylor and Spaniard Jorge Calvo forming a new backcourt. Paternostro is particularly excited about the acquisition of Houston-native Couisnard, who posted impressive stats of 17.6ppg and 5.6rpg in his last season at the University of Missouri – Kansas City.

The Sharks too have retained a core of players, supplementing with two American imports. Remaining from last year are forwards Mike Tuck and Olu Babalola, along with Colin Sing and Zac Gachette from the Sharks fledgling development programme with Sheffield Hallam University. Guards Gage Daye and Micah Williams form an entirely new backcourt. Both new acquisitions add height to the Sharks rotation, which proved a major downfall in a largely disappointing 2011-12 season. It remains to be seen whether Chesterfield-born Andrew Bridge makes a return to his first BBL club following his release from Newcastle, but one player who won’t be suiting up is Nick George, who has signed for Lugano in Switzerland despite featuring for the Sharks in a pre-season tournament in Newcastle. The Sharks began that tourney with an impressive 67-38 win over the touring USA Select side but followed that up with a 49-67 dip against hosts and title favourites Newcastle. Both games were played out on the back of only three practice sessions for the new-look squad and an 87-73 win over Durham the following evening was hopefully more indicative of the team gelling together.

Loughborough was the scene of the two sides’ last encounter as Leicester secured a 90-65 second leg playoff win, following a 92-76 triumph over the Sharks in the first. The Riders also gleaned 97-86 and 74-64 wins on home territory as well as a thrilling 99-94 win at the EIS. Atiba Lyons will be hoping to mark his first season solely on coaching duties with a return to the solid, trademark basketball beloved of previous Sharks incarnations. He will be aware that any Rob Paternostro team will be competitive, athletic and freeflowing and will have to combat these traits in order to get the Sharks off to a winning start. Coach Paternostro had this to say about the upcoming game.

‘We are looking forward to getting the season underway , Sheffield away is always one of the more challenging fixtures in our league, our guys will have to be ready right from the start. With Tuck and Babalola you know that the Sharks have two players who are very talented and have enjoyed success in this league. And with the talented newcomers they have brought in they look to have potential to be a very good team.’

Coach Lyons was equally complimentary about his opposite number. ‘This will be a good gauge of where we are at. Rob has a lot of experience and will have prepared his team well. I expect a tough game.’
Traditionally an entertaining encounter, the game tips off at 7.30pm at the English Institute of Sport, Coleridge Road, Sheffield on Friday night.

For tweets from the game follow @billybadknees