Jubril Adekoya brings a championship-winning attitude to Sheffield Sharks

There might be the occasional dunk or the snaring of a key defensive rebound, but primarily the 28-year-old American has been brought to Sheffield Sharks for what he brings beyond the statistics: leadership, experience and title-winning nous. The roster Atiba Lyons has assembled for the 2023-24 British Basketball League season contains plenty of explosive gamebreakers and exciting talents, many of them returning fan-favourites like Bennett Koch and Jordan Ratinho, but not many trophies.

Adekoya is the outlier. In two years with Leicester Riders he won three trophies, all in his first season.

“Leicester was good, it was my first year in England, we had a lot of success and for me as the competitor that’s how I set the bar for how I want to continue doing things,” said Adekoya, who spent the first four years of his professional career in the competitive second tier in Spain.

“I think I can bring some of that attitude and energy to Sheffield.

“Having the goals of silverware is a good goal to have and I don’t see why we can’t do it.”

Is that title-winning nous transferable to his team-mates?

“100 per cent it is,” said Adekoya. “As an athlete with that experience it’s easy to see the difference of what it takes to win versus teams that just kind of get by.

“I’m not saying we’re like that at Sharks but the tiniest of things matter, whether it be how you attack, the scouting of the other team, or the attitude you bring when you’re going to a Sunday game at Bristo l that take different levels of focus. I can bring that sort of stuff to the table.”

In the Sharks’ first outing at a sold-out Canon Medical Arena last Sunday it was clear what strengths Adekoya possesses, not just as a powerful defender, but also in guiding this younger squad through a game as emotive as that one was.

“When I signed here Atiba was pretty clear on why he was bringing me in, he’s not asking me to score 20 points,” offered Adekoya.

“I’m really comfortable in that role of being vocal, I don’t have a problem doing it - I mean hell, I probably am one of the older guys. I really just want to win, it doesn’t matter if I score 0, 10, or 20 points, if that’s what it takes.”

Sharks christened their new arena in blockbuster style with a rout of the Newcastle Eagles, but they need to back it up, starting with the visit of Caledonia Gladiators on Sunday.

“First it starts with us, having that level of focus,” said Adekoya. “We attacked that game with a level of focus that we haven’t had enough times this year.

“In part it was the excitement of the new arena and the emotion of everybody there but I think if we have that level of focus, and if the city comes out and supports us the way they did last Sunday, I really like our chances at home.”