Injury-hit Sheffield Sharks looking to strengthen after Rodney Chatman and EC Matthews injuries

Sheffield have been forced back into the recruitment market by the long-term knee injury sustained by their creative spark at the guard position, Rodney Chatman III.

With EC Matthews, pictured, also a few weeks away with a hamstring injury and the club being cautious in how they bring him back, the Sharks are down to nine players on their roster, only eight active with homegrown talent Reyad West rarely used from the bench.

Greater strength in depth has been one of the key ingredients of a strong start to the league season, which has seen Sharks win eight of their first 12 games and briefly occupy top spot before Christmas. Chatman was a big part of that, the third highest points per game and assists per game in the league.

But Sharks managed without him last week when they added progression to the SLB Cup semi-finals to their promising start in the league, leaving head coach Atiba Lyons to surmise that it will be good to see how other players step up. Certainly, there may be more time on the ball for Prentiss Nixon, and more three-point shooting opportunities for the likes of Jacob Groves and Drake Jeffries.

But with just nine warm bodies, Sharks are one more injury away from their promising season floundering on the rocks - hence the determination to get a new face in before the trip to Surrey to strengthen their options. A less hectic schedule that sees fewer double-header weekend over the coming month will help lighten the load.

But they face a tough one on Friday against a resurgent 89ers who knocked London Lions out of the cup last weekend.

“Absolutely, they’re in good form,” confirmed Lyons.

“They pushed us twice at home, they’re a talented team, they’ve got a lot of scoring, their guards are dynamic, high-scoring, fast-paced players and they have a complimentary front court as well so it’s tough playing a team three times because you’re not going to have the same kind of games so we have to make sure that we adjust.”