There was a time in this BBL season, not so long ago, that the Sheffield Sharks had an 8-16 win-loss record and were faced with the unthinkable notion of missing the play-offs.

Not any longer, though. For last night the Sharks defeated the Manchester Giants 80-71 at Ponds Forge in their penultimate home game of the regular season to make it nine wins from 10 and level their win-loss record at 17-17.

They stay seventh in the BBL with two games to go, but such is the congested nature of the division and the form they are in, Sharks could finish the regular season as high as fourth if they win their two remaining games and other results go their way.

A trip to second-placed Leicester Riders next Friday night is followed by a season finale against Bristol Flyers at Ponds Forge next Sunday, both of whom are potential opponents in the two-legged play-off quarter-final. Right now Atiba Lyons’ Sharks would take anyone, such is their form.

Bennett Koch logged a double-double against Manchester Giants (Picture: Adam Bates)

They raced into a 28-17 lead at the end of the first quarter last night and although Manchester – who are in sixth with a now identical record to the Sharks – rallied briefly in the second, another commanding third period from the Sharks left a rallying Giants with too much to do in the fourth quarter.

Kipper Nichols led the team in scoring with 19 points. Bennett Koch had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Jalon Pipkins, who has tasted defeat only once as a Shark since joining right at the start of this run, contributed 12 points.

Rodney Glasgow (10), Marcus Delpeche (9), Devearl Ramsey (8) and Jordan Ratinho (6) were in the points while eighth man Nate Montgomery logged five minutes.

Bennett Koch at the double, Kipper Nichols leads scoring as Sheffield Sharks beat Manchester Giants to knot record