Misery for Mersey as Etilopy elopes after Sharks defeat

Mersey Tigers suffered another defeat, at home to One Health Sharks Sheffield, 67-94, but the game was overshadowed by refereeing decisions and Tigers centre, Rudy Etilopy, seemingly fouling out deliberately and walking out back in to the locker room.

Starting fives:

Mersey Tigers: Bigley, Calvo, Etilopy, Hulsen, McGinn

One Health Sharks Sheffield: Bridge, Daye, Sing, Tuck, Williams

It was all going Mersey’s way. Tight defence (together with utterly shocking shot selection from Sheffield), baskets for the home side dropping from everywhere, Sharks’ inability to handle the Tigers man-to-man, resorting to zone defence; a healthy lead of 18 points mid-way through the second quarter signalled that it might just be Mersey’s night.

Sharks’ coach Atiba Lyons, frustrated with his side’s performance, called a time-out at 40-22, kicking the advertising boards as his men sat down.

Following this came some very dubious refereeing decisions, greeted by dismay by both Mersey players and fans alike.

Martin Calvo and Rudy Etilopy (who will be explained in more detail later) voiced their opinions, but none more so than one call made on Gael Hulsen.

All had been warned of their actions but again the Belgian was in disbelief at the call made against him and reacted with such vigour that he was given a double technical foul, on top of the foul he had committed on Sharks’ Gage Daye.

This ultimately fouled him out of the game, and with it gave Daye six free throws, of which he sank five to bring the deficit down to 11 (42-31) and still more to come.

It was just the momentum Sharks needed as Zach Gachette ended the half with a bucket to go 42-37.

The Tigers support urged their team to keep their heads up coming off and going back out for the third quarter, but Micah Williams turned hot hands, eradicating Mersey’s lead, and pulling his side ahead with eleven individual points in the first three minutes.

Once again, Tony Walsh’s side found themselves in foul trouble, and Sharks took full control ending the period 56-68.

Despite flashes of hope early in coming back early in the last quarter, the dominating topic came when Etilopy looked to purposefully foul himself out of the game. It seemed the continued number of calls against him and his team mates was just too much for the Frenchman, who then proceeded in walking out of the arena space and back to the locker room.

It somewhat stunned the crowd, but play continued and the game winded down to its conclusion, 67-94, in favour of the Sharks.

Despite the differences of opinion between referees and players, Coach Walsh noted that it is a process still for some of his players to get to grips with: “We’ve seen it before in the BBL where referees don’t like to be talked to. It’s a learning curve for the European guys, who aren’t used to that, and they will learn that they can’t talk to them, and just accept what they say.

Following on from that, the incident with Rudy Etilopy could not be ignored, and Walsh made his feelings clear: “I’m upset at any player who doesn’t take things professionally, who walks off the court; I don’t take that at youth level or local league level. You have to set a standard, and unfortunately, his aggression and temper accumulated in him walking off.

It has now transpired that it was Etilopy’s last game for Mersey, due to a number of different situations, but no doubt the incident during the game compounded this further: “He said it would have been better to do what he did than to do something silly to the referees, so he’s walked. I can’t accept that, he can’t accept that himself as a professional. He’s injured and getting married at Christmas, and he wants to go home. It’s a big loss to me, yes, but am I devastated? No.”

Coach Lyons felt that, although free throws late in the second quarter helped, it was how his side moved through the gears after half time that helped his time secure the win: “When we got those free throws without having to take time off the clock in the second quarter, it got us going for the second half, and had great intensity during the third quarter. We were able to play more team basketball and finish the plays off.”

His reaction to Etilopy’s walk-out was not too far from that of Walsh’s: “It’s immaturity. Everyone has been in games where they get upset and want to leave somewhat being frustrated, but immaturity to do that and storm out. Mersey is a young side, and for Tony, it probably isn’t the first time he’s had to deal with something like that.”

With such a big win over a fellow lower league side, where does that set his team up going foward: “It’s key for us to win as many like this as we can. For us, we’ve done well in the Cup, and there are better teams in the league, but it does give us confidence going forward. In the league, we hope that we can turn things on and get those wins.”

MVP tonight had to be Micah Williams, who, like the rest of the Sheffield team, came into his own right from the start of the third quarter, setting his side well on their way to victory. However, this was closely contested with Gage Daye, 28 points and eight rebounds. Would have bagged it had it not been for…

…key play(s) of the game. Eleven points in less than three minutes from Williams helped cancel out and give Sharks a lead in which they were pretty much not going to look back from.

Stand out players

Mersey Tigers: Chris Bigley (16 points and 9 rebounds) – dogged and determined throughout.
One Health Sharks Sheffield: Micah Williams (30 points, 18 of which from beyond the arc) – see above.

Mersey: Bigley (16) Etilopy/McGinn (13) Calvo (9)
Sheffield: Williams (30) Daye (28) Tuck (15)