BBL Game Report: Sheffield Sharks 73 Cheshire Phoenix 61

Sheffield Sharks claimed a first night win over a robust Cheshire Phoenix side as the BBL Championship season finally got underway. The Sharks, shorn of a recognised point guard with the departure of Brian Barbour, rode the imposing play of the Cheshire side, who boasted four players at 6’ 8” in height to secure a first opening night win since the 2009-2010 season.

Starting Fives

Sheffield: Horstmann, Sing, Gachette, Simmons, Tuck

Cheshire: Clemmons, Coleman, Doumbe, Middleton, Crowder

The sizeable Cheshire outfit took the early initiative on the back of a Calvin Clemmons lay up and it took back to back scores by Sharks’ Patrick Horstmann to pull them back into the game. Sharks experienced skipper Mike Tuck took charge for the rest of the quarter with two ‘and one’ plays and an awesome assist for play-a-like Patrick Horstmann to give Sheffield a 13-6 lead. Scores by Coleman and Clemmons kept Cheshire in touch but further buckets from Tuck and Babalola saw the Sharks on the high side by 19-12 at the quarter end.

Cheshire continued to pose a significant threat in the second as the ever-involved Coleman opened the scoring. A rejuvenated Olu Babalola got hot with eight swift points and a Da’Quan Cook ‘and one’ play opened up a fifteen point differential for the homesters. The ‘Nix stuck to their tough gameplan; Crowder and Doumbe racking up the defensive blocks as well as contributing to the scoreline at regular intervals. Ditto the Sharks, who allowed game time to the likes of George Brownell, who deposited a three with his first touch. Tuck and Babalola put up scores either side of a Clemmons effort and 42-30 reflected a half of Sheffield dominance, without ever convincing that they were fully going to break the Phoenix shackles.

The third period had some quality ball by Jeremie Simmons stamped all over it. Subdued in the first half by two quick fouls, Simmons displayed quick hands as the game recommenced, with ten points and significant assists to Tuck and Gachette. Despite this, Cheshire stuck to their big team plan and shot the ball amazingly well; a Doumbe three pointer being a significant highlight. The period ended with the Sharks on the high side at 58-49 and still everything to play for in the fourth.

Dominance of the boards by Sheffield pretty much wrapped up the assessment of the final stanza. Colin Sing finally captured some of his early promise by being dominant off the boards at either end and visionary plays such as the Tuck alley-oop off a Simmons pass re-inforced how much the Sharks were in charge. Eight more points from Doumbe showed that Cheshire were more than a force to be reckoned with but a contrite Zach Gachette with two easy lay-ups to follow his two Hollywood dunk attempts finished the game in Sharks favour at 73-61.

Jeremie Simmons survived a harsh opening twenty minutes to come into his own during the latter stages of the game.

“It was rough at the beginning and I picked up two early fouls. So yes it was pretty tight,” explained the ex-Ohio statesman regarding his BBL debut. “Cheshire are a good team and I think they will be one of the better teams in the league,” continued the former-Buckeye. “In the end we had to just grind it out.”

Looking to the next game versus the Giants, Simmons emphasised: “We have practice tomorrow and we’ll be ready to go in Manchester.”

Sharks returnee Colin Sing was pleased to start in the first competitive fixture of the season: “It was nice to start, it’s built up my confidence no end,” mentioned the affable Scouser. “My natural position is number three and it was good to pick off some big boards.”

Ahead of their clash in Manchester, Sing stated: “It feels like it should be easier in Manchester but we can’t think like that though. We have to play some hard defense and that should see us through.”

Play of the Game

They say great defense wins games and tonight was possibly a case in point. Both sides had that ‘getting to know you’ feel but an early Jeremie Simmons swat on Reggie Middleton, as he attempted an early easy lay-up laid down an early marker in the Atiba Lyons playbook. All great teams are built on solid defense and this set the tone for a robust game on ‘D’ by both teams.

Game MVP

It gets kind of boring to say but Mike Tuck leads from the front. Despite losing the pre-match Toronto dance-off to Nick Lewis behind the bleachers, you cannot argue with twenty points, eight rebounds and four assists. Tuck gets the job done, pure and simple. And pure and simple pays dividends, end of. Hollywood, where’s that?

Next Up

One Health Sharks Sheffield at Manchester Giants, Sunday 29th September 2013, 5.30pm, Wright Robinson Sports College.

Esh Group Eagles Newcastle at Cheshire Phoenix, Sunday 29th September 2013, 5.30pm, Northgate Arena.