Sharks whup Lions to complete massive weekend

Big Weekend for the Sharks who move to 8 & 6

There were five games in the final night of BBL Championship action in 2014, with both Esh Group Eagles Newcastle and Worcester Wolves recording wins at the top of the table, and Bristol Flyers forcing their way back into the Playoff places.

The Eagles ran out 69-88 victors against Glasgow Rocks at the Emirates Arena, meaning that they finish 2014 with the best league record in a calendar year in BBL history: 32 wins and just two defeats. They have won 18 straight games since the opening night of this campaign, remain unbeaten on the road, and sit atop the BBL Championship, seeking to defend the title that they won in 2014.

In pursuit, Worcester Wolves left it late to shake off Leeds Force at the Worcester University Arena, prevailing 68-58 courtesy of 18 points, including crucial baskets, for Jamal Williams.

Another form team in the league is Sheffield Sharks, as they were dominant in beating London Lions 61-81 at the CopperBox. It was their second win in as many nights on the road in the South East, and their fifth win in a row as they closed the gap on the fifth-placed Lions.

At the other end of the table, a startling late flurry of three-pointers from Doug McLaughlin-Williams saw Bristol Flyers snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against South West rivals Plymouth University Raiders. The 86-91 victory is their second in a row in the league and sees them move back into the Playoff places.

Finally, Manchester Giants maintained seventh place in the BBL Championship table after an irrepressible 24-2 run in the fourth quarter saw them overcome Surrey United 91-77 in a game in which they had previously led for only a couple of minutes. Mike Bernard led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Quote of the week

“I’ve known Jack Majewski since I was a teenager so I’ll never count any of his teams out. “We don’t have much time off. In fact, we only have Christmas day off so that should show our level of focus.”Sharks forward Olu Babalola

Eagles get the better of Rocks…again!

Charles Smith of Newcastle Eagles.

BBL Championship
Glasgow Rocks 69 (21,34,50) (Huffor 16, Smith 16, Egwuonwu/Ogedengbe 10)
Esh Group Eagles Newcastle 88 (27,48,67) (Smith 19, Defoe 15, Thomson 15)

Esh Group Eagles Newcastle have finished 2014 in spectacular fashion, closing out the year in which they won the BBL Championship with a 69-88 road win at rivals Glasgow Rocks. The Eagles have posted the best league record in a calendar year in BBL history, with 32 wins and just two defeats having now won 18 straight games. They have also not lost to the Rocks since April 2012, a run of nine games, with the next time they meet being the BBL Cup Final at the Barclaycard Arena in January.

Charles Smith haunted the Rocks once more with 19 points to lead the victors, with Darius Defoe adding a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds. But it was Andre Jones who provided the early spark as, trailing 12-8, he scored six points in a 12-2 response from Newcastle that gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

The game was still close when Rahmon Fletcher inspired a similar run, scoring six points himself as the visitors hit 12 unanswered to lead 32-48 on the approach to half time.

But the league leaders did not have it all their own way, as the Rocks emerged from the break to score the first 10 points, getting back to 44-48 as former Eagle Danny Huffor scored four, with JaJuan Smith and Tayo Ogedengbe adding three-pointers.

Drew Lasker got the Eagles going again inside the last three minutes of the period, his triple sparking another run of 12 unanswered points as Smith added a free-throw and a three-pointer when Ogedengbe was called for a technical foul.

That made the score 50-67 heading into the fourth quarter, and after Smith opened the scoring in the fourth there was no way back for the Rocks. The lead reached 61-82 when Smith scored again, condemning the Rocks to a fourth consecutive defeat.

Sharks destroy London Lions with stunning 1st Q performance.

BBL Championship
London Lions 61 (12,29,45) (Stibbins 18, Cook 15, Brown 10)
Sheffield Sharks 81 (24,44,63) (Payne 22, Barber 19, Horstmann 10)

Sheffield Sharks completed a superb festive road trip as they beat London Lions 61-81 at the CopperBox, for their second win in as many nights in the South East. The win sees them close the gap on the Lions in fifth place in the BBL Championship, having won five games in a row; while the Lions have lost back-to-back home games.

And the Sharks controlled this game from the outset and throughout as Nick Lewis – after 21 points the night before – hit an early three-pointer, which was matched by Patrick Horstmann to make the score 4-11 after just three minutes. They pushed on to a 10-24 first quarter lead as Allen Payne hit four more, and the edge was maintained by five points in a row from Olu Babalola early in the second stanza.

The lead reached a first half peak at 22-42 on seven unanswered points, including a John Barber triple.

But the Sharks didn’t have it all their own way, as the Lions emerged from the half time break resurgent, temporarily. They hit the first 10 points, five for Makal Stibbins, to narrow the gap to 39-44 and get the home fans out of their seats.

But it wouldn’t last as Payne scored consecutive baskets to stem the flow for the Sharks, and Babalola added a three-pointer in what became a decisive response. That run became 19-2 as Mike Tuck added two more baskets and Lions failed to register for more than four minutes.

And the Lions didn’t get close in the fourth quarter, slipping to another defeat to a side against which they have a dreadful BBL record: Sharks have now won 51 of the 63 league meetings between these sides in the last two decades. This time they were led by Payne’s 21 points and a double-double of 19 and 11 rebounds for Barber.

Giants wait until the 4th Q to take Surrey apart

BBL Championship
Manchester Giants 91 (13,37,63) (Jones 19, Bernard 19, Gill 15)
Surrey United 77 (24,40,66) (Downing 27, Dusha 10, Knutson 9)

Manchester Giants produced a storming fourth quarter to see off Surrey United 91-77 on Sunday night behind a massive double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds from Mike Bernard.

The Giants remain unbeaten at home against United since their return to the BBL Championship in 2012, and have now posted consecutive wins after a run of four straight defeats, holding on to seventh place in the table.

But up to that fourth quarter rescue, the Giants trailed for most of this game, finding themselves 8-2 down almost immediately as United looked to snap a three game losing streak. Their lead reached 9-22 as Kramer Knutson had seven points and seven rebounds in the first quarter.

The Giants came back with a 12-2 run in the second stanza, with Callum Jones scoring four of his 19 points , and they took the lead soon after as he and David Watts made the score 33-32.

But United responded with 11 unanswered points across the half time break with Elvisi Dusha scoring four of those, and they pushed their lead back out to 47-59 on Anthony Downing’s basket. But they were too reliant on his productivity, as his 27 points and the 10 of Dusha were the only two United players to get into double figures on the night.

Stefan Gill hit back with a triple, and consecutive scores from Jones, before a late Bernard basket, helped keep the Giants within striking distance at 63-66 heading into the decisive fourth quarter after a 14-5 scoring spell.

And, having previously led for only a couple of minutes in the entire game, Manchester produced a monstrous fourth quarter to win it. They opened the period with a 24-2 surge, levelling the game immediately on Martyn Gayle’s three-pointer. Bernard scored seven in that run, and Ben Eaves added 6, as they held their visitors scoreless for five minutes.

By the time United scored again the deficit was an insurmountable 87-69 inside the final three minutes.

Another awesome encounter between South West rivals

BBL Championship
Plymouth University Raiders 86 (25,47,63) (Wilcher 21, Hampton 19, Benson 17)
Bristol Flyers 91 (17,43,63) (Lautier-Ogunleye 21, Streete 20, McLaughlin-Williams 15)

A stunning flurry of late three-pointers saw Bristol Flyers snatch an 86-91 victory on the road at Plymouth University Raiders, meaning they have beaten their South West rivals three times this season and have posted back-to-back league wins to move back into the playoff places.

Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye led the way with 21 points, while Captain Greg Streete posted an inspirational double-double of 20 and 11 rebounds. Flyers shot 54% from long range with six different players hitting three-pointers on the night.

This came after the Raiders had opened the game with the first eight points, Brent Benson hitting two triples, and established an 18-8 lead as Benson scored again. But after that opening the Flyers matched their hosts for the remainder of the first half as four points for Lautier-Ogunleye and Tamas Okros’s trey resulted in a 47-43 deficit at the break.

Streete opened the second half with a three as the visitors took their first lead at 47-51 on an 8-0 burst, as the Raiders did not score for nearly five minutes. Pierre Hampton halted that run, before seven lead changes ensued and the teams could not be separated by more than one score all the way up to a fascinating final four minutes.

Plymouth looked to have re-established their lead, and perhaps won the game, as Benson and Hampton – two of the league’s top three long range shooters – scored consecutive three-pointers for an 82-76 lead with 2.51 to play.

But then Bristol’s long range prowess turned the game on its head: Doug McLaughlin-Williams, the seventh best three-point shooter in the league, hit a startling three triples in a 14-2 explosion in just two minutes at the end of the game, burying the Raiders.

Worcester Wolves prove too much for Leeds Force.

BBL Championship
Worcester Wolves 68 (14,33,50) (Williams 18, Holmes 14, Owumi 13)
Leeds Force 58 (14,25,43) (McCann 14, Anebo 12, Bethune 9)

Worcester Wolves have recorded back-to-back festive wins, to recover from consecutive defeats and maintain their pursuit of Esh Group Eagles Newcastle at the top of the BBL Championship, by beating Leeds Force 68-58.

Jamal Williams led the Wolves with crucial baskets on his way to 18 points, supported by a big double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds for Chavis Holmes.

Leeds are yet to win on the road this season, spanning seven games in the league, but they took a surprise early lead in this game against the second-placed side.

But Wolves came out with impetus in the second stanza, Remi Dibo setting the tone with a steal to set Holmes up for a nice move to the basket, before Jamal Williams scored five in a row in what became a 10-2 burst for a 29-20 lead.

The Wolves had a double-digit lead early in the third quarter as Williams added four more points in a 7-2 opening, the score at 40-27, and that looked like it might be game over in favour of the side that has lost only once at home this season.

But a flurry of three-pointers from the visitors – for Darrell Bethune, James McCann and Giordano Estrada – contributed to a 16-3 surge that tied the game at 43 late in the third.

The Wolves were rocked, but Williams was there again to help them find their legs, and his basket sparked a 7-0 finish to the third quarter that re-established their lead at 50-43. From there they turned to their defence, holding the visitors scoreless for the opening three minutes of the decisive quarter, meaning it was five minutes without a score all together. The Wolves added the first four points of the period, and extended their lead through Dibo and Alex Owumi triples down the stretch.