Friday Night Wins For Lions, Giants and Sharks

The Sharks enjoyed some comfort as they defeated the Mersey Tigers 94-74 at the EIS, Sheffield.21 points from Mike Tuck was the main stay of the contest for the Sharks as they enjoyed a strong second half performance to overhaul their opponents, enjoying their biggest lead of the game at 26 points with the score at 82-56 early in the final quarter.

The result meant that the Sharks moved themselves to within two points of eighth placed Worcester Wolves, and within one win of the Play Offs.

In the Capital the Lions had trailed by as many as eight points in the third quarter, but they held their nerve to come back and defeat the UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders 95-91 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre to move themselves level with the Worcester Wolves in fifth position in the table.

Trailing by six points at 78-84 in the final quarter, a Tayo Ogedengbe three-pointer sparked the Lions into life down the stretch as Adrian Sturt and Mike Martin helped the Lions into a 90-86 lead and despite a valiant effort from Michael Ojo in particular (31 points personal in the game), the Raiders could not get themselves back into the contest and the Lions held on for the all-important victory.

The Lions come-from-behind victory was not the most impressive however as in Manchester the Giants came back from a 15-point deficit to defeat the Durham Wildcats 82-79 at Wright Robinson College.

Having trailed 19-34 in the second quarter, many people might have thought that the game was all over, but they would be proved wrong as the Giants picked up their intensity and began to claw their way back into the contest.

A 16-2 burst in the third quarter from the home side meant the Giants opened up a seven-point advantage at 54-47, but the visitors came back in the final quarter as a 9-2 Wildcats run gave them the lead at 76-79.

A three-point-play from David Aliu gave the Giants the lead at 80-79 with 1:52 remaining, and despite efforts from Keith Page and Andrew Keister for the Wildcats to get the visitors back into the contest, but to no avail as the home side held on for the victory.

Story – BBL

Photos – MPhotography