Atiba Lyons conducting 'shake-up' of Sheffield Sharks roster as Mike Ochereobia becomes fourth new signing

Lyons and the Sharks have been loyal to a number of key men in recent years, with roughly two thirds of the roster generally returning year after year.

As familiar as those faces have become, Sharks had hit a ceiling in which they could not launch sustained challenges for trophies.

Now backed by American entrepreneur Vaughn Millette, whose 65 per cent takeover of the club was ratified in June, Lyons and his chief executive/general manager Sarah Backovic are executing a new recruitment strategy.

Ochereobia is the latest to join the Sharks, the former Cheshire Phoenix, Plymouth and Surrey centre having spent the last 18 months playing in America.

Prior to his arrival, Sharks had signed Jacob Groves, a 23-year-old, 6ft 9in first-year professional who graduated from the University of Virginia; Drake Jeffries, a 25-year-old, 6ft 5in shooting guard with experience of America’s G League; and 34-year-old British forward Jamell Anderson from Manchester Giants.

Jordan Ratinho is back for a fifth season alongside club captain Rodney Glasgow Jnr, while Great Britain international RJ Eytle-Rock has joined Cheshire Phoenix after one season in South Yorkshire and homegrown product Nate Montgomery has retired.

“There’ll be a lot of new faces, some familiar faces but a lot of new ones,” Lyons told The Yorkshire Post.

“I think it just needed a bit of a shake-up, it’s been a long time with some of the guys, a long journey and I think for both sides it needed a bit of a shake-up. It’s exciting times, we’ll be a new-look team and we’ll see how it looks.”

Bennett Koch is understood to be coming back for another year, with Lyons saying he has 11 players signed up for the new season.

WIth more new faces on the horizon, that could mean Sharks fans saying goodbye to some or all of Kipper Nichols, Jalon Pipkins, Devearl Ramsey, Prentiss Nixon, Malek Green and Marcus Delpeche.

The arrival of Millette has given Sharks licence to be a bit bolder in their recruitment, without stretching themselves financially.

“We’re healthy and in the mix to compete but we’re not overly spending,” said Lyons, whose new-look squad report for pre-season on August 26.

“We’re measured in trying to stay in touch with the rest of the league without going too excessive.”

Such caution is perhaps wise given the financial turmoil the league has experienced this summer, nearly going to the wall as funding from 777 Partners suddenly stopped, and then being bailed out by the clubs.

Lyons, who retains an ownership share in the Sharks, always felt confident the league - which will be called Super League Basketball in 2024/25 - would survive.

“I know that the league has survived under tougher, more strenuous positions and has made it work with smaller means, so I was confident,” said Lyons.

“The people around the table prior to 777 had the know-how to make it work. Everyone is doing it for the right reasons and wants to make sure the sport survives and stays intact. The governing body were always right behind us. All the relevant people were on the same page.”