2009-10 Sheffield Sharks Ready To Get It On

And so the summer began and I think everyone who follows British Basketball knew it was going to be a crucial summer for the sport in this country.

The Great Britain Senior Men’s team would be competing in the Eurobasket Tournament in Poland and is was obvious that the team needed to put up a respectable performance to continue the good work that hav been done over the last three years.

Unable to go to Poland, I watched all three games on the BBC Red Button and in my opinion Chris Finch and his guys did exceptionally well despite missing their most influential player Luol Deng.

Great Britain lost all three games but performed at an unbelievably high level and actually led World Champions Spain by 4 points with 4 minutes to play.

Congratulations to everyone concerned.

This year I was able to take a holiday in Turkey, in the Altinkum area. Turkey is a wonderful country with glorious sunshine on the Aegean coast for about 12 hours a day during the summer.

Perhaps one of my most enjoyable days was travelling to Izmir to visit with Andre Smith who is now playing in the city with Pinar Karsiyaka. I will certainly be looking for their results as the season progresses.

Perhaps the worst news of the close season for me was that Chris Sanders of the Sheffield Sharks and Richard Midgley of the Everton Tigers were both going to retire and hang up their boots.

While I respect both of their decisions, I think it is really disappointing that two of the best English players in the game have decided to call it a day so early in their careers.

The Basketball powers that be in the UK, need to ask themselves why this has happened and what could have been done to prevent it.

Perhaps the biggest news of the close season was the signing of Tafari ‘TAP’ Toney by the Sheffield Sharks.

‘TAP’ had played the last season with the Newcastle Eagles and had helped them to a fantastic treble, but for what ever reason he had decided he was not going to return.

I followed most of the news about TAP from my hotel room in Turkey and was disappointed with the attitude of some Newcastle fans, one of whom called him a ‘traitor’ for signing with the Sharks.

I really don’t know where this stuff comes from. To the person who wrote this I say, does Tafari Toney come to your house and tell you where you can work? Is he only allowed to play for the Eagles now?

Personally I would like to apologise to TAP for those comments. They are out of place in any sport and certainly have no place in British Basketball.

TAP has decided to play for another team in the BBL and the decision is his and his alone. I suppose that person would have preferred t if he’d gone abroad to play. I have to tell you, sometimes I despair!

And so it is Sunday the 13th of September and I am on the way to the EISS for the first Sharks pre-season game. They would be taking on the USA Select team who were playing a number of games across the country.

The Sharks had an excellent mixture of old and new players on show. Firstly, it was wonderful to see two of my favourite players in a Sharks uniform. I remember Adrian Anderson from back in the day, first at the Birmingham Bullets and then at the Sharks.

He must be close to 90 now but still plays the game at a really high level. The other player is Ryan Patton who played for a number of years with the Worthing franchise.

If you check out the mikeshaft.com awards for last season you see he was my BBL sharp shooter of the season. I think that says it all. BBL legend, and Sharks assistant coach, Todd Cauthorn who had turned out a few times for the Sharks last season was fully kitted up and will be playing as a full member of the team this season.

The new signings for the 9/10 season, Mike Cook and Tafari Toney were in the house along with Head Coach Atiba Lyons and returning guard Perry Lawson. The only missing player was returning centre Matt Gorman who joins the team on Tuesday.

I have to say I was very impressed by the new-look Sharks. Last time out the Sharks lacked intensity but they have got it in spades this season. The ball handling by Ryan Patton and Perry Lawson was a joy to see and the ease with which Mike Cook accumulated his 27 points was, to put it mildly, incredible.

Todd Cauthorn rolled back the years and put together a vintage performance, delivering 18 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

Another one of the Shark’s problems last season was free-throw shooting, at times they were dire. Not tonight however as they went 27 for 30 with Todd going 12 for 12 for 100%.

Ryan Patton went 8 for 17 from the field and 5 for 11 from beyond the arc for his 22 points. He made it look so easy.

And that brings me to Tafari Toney, another player who turned up in the mikeshaft.com awards last season. Last season I suggested to some people that TAP should be in the GB team this summer but although he was called up by Chris Finch, He did not make the final team.

In this game he was awesome, going for 16 points 14 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocked shots. TAP Toney will continue to be one of the most explosive players in the BBL and I am delighted that he is still playing his ball in this country.

Perhaps my favourite play of the game came in the 4th quarter as the USA Select team went on a fast break with three men descending on the Shark’s basket. Only Perry Lawson was there and with perfect timing as the USA were about to drain another 2 Perry went up and blocked the shot.

It might still be pre-season but the Sharks tonight showed signs that they mean business and intend to be there or thereabouts as the trophies are decided over the coming season.

Personally, I would not bet against them lifting something this time out.

Later

Mike S