Sheffield Sharks v Leicester Riders preview

“If you had told the Leicester Riders in the off-season that they would be facing the Sheffield Sharks and the Mersey Tigers in back-to-back games this early in the season, there would have been a sense of unease in the Riders camp knowing that in the 2010/11 season the Sharks and Tigers tore through their opponents, at time with merciless ease.

But the trepidation they may now feel is not so much because they will be facing two teams who were unstoppable forces (which appears to now be the Riders own style), but more that the teams from Sheffield and Mersey are wounded animals having suffered difficult starts to their respective seasons.

Despite the Sharks going on the offensive in the off-season and signing former Tiger, Nate Reinking, as well as former Worcester centre and one of the elite big men in the league in Justin Dobbins, the team has failed to gel leading to a run of four consecutive defeats.

One key issue that needs to be resolved is their number of times they give the ball away. The Sharks are averaging around 15 turnovers a game so far this season, an indication that new players are still getting to know each other and learn the game together.  Combine those mistakes with the low number of successful passes they are making which lead directly to baskets (approximately 9.5 assists a night) the problem is clear for all to see.

The Sharks aren’t the only team struggling this early in the campaign as the issues weighing heavily on the shoulders of the Mersey Tigers are becoming crippling.

A disastrous off-season brought about by financial issues within the club meant that the success sustained during the 2010 season would not be repeated with several players leaving the club – most notably, GB Captain, Andrew Sullivan (now at the Riders) and the Sharks top player, Nate Reinking.

The air of confidence that surrounded the Tigers play last year has been replaced by confusion as many of the new faces who have been thrown together to stop the ship from sinking have limited BBL experience.  Unlike the Titanic whose leader deserted them as soon as things went bad though, the Tigers have been boosted by the return of their Head Coach Tony Garbelotto, an experienced coach who is proficient in the ways of winning and is renowned for getting the best from his teams.

He is flanked by returning returning Tiger, David Aliu and solid pick-up, Calvin Davis (former Tiger and Jet).

The Tigers are also in the midst of a four game skid, losing most recently by 19 points to Worcester in the Cup quarter finals, and will be looking to turn it around against the Riders but it looks like the clash has come at the worst possible time for Mersey with Leicester in invincible form.

Since the October 7th loss to the Lions where the Riders looked tired and broken, they haven’t lost a single game and have only lost four quarters in a total of six games.  The change in form can be linked to the arrival of Drew Sullivan and Brett Royster but the play of Ayron Hardy and Cameron Rundles in particular have been cause for celebration with both being nominated to three BBL Teams of the Week.

With the return of guard John Griffin from injury (sustained in his very first practice), the Leicester Riders appear to be going from strength to strength and at this rate, it would appear to be they who are on course for the silverware this season and not last years
winners.”