No more excuses as Sheffield Sharks get set for British Basketball League sprint finish

Sharks have endured a miserable start to 2024, seeing a first-half of the campaign full of promise turned on its head with one win in eight games, a sequence that brought an abrupt end to their BBL Trophy campaign in January and left them tumbling down the standings in the Championship.

Indeed, four straight defeats in the regular season has dropped them to sixth, throwing into jeopardy their ambition to qualify for the end-of-season play-offs for a record-extending 29th season, a testament of longevity they are rightly proud of.

That eight of the 10 teams qualify for the post-season is in their favour, but with 11 games to go there can be little margin for error.

For Lyons, who has had to contend with injuries and roster changes around the turn of the year, there can be no more mitigating circumstances.

"It’s the only way to look at it, we don’t have any time to sit and reflect on it, we can’t just talk about it anymore, we have to actually show up on the court for 40 minutes,” said Lyons, who has told his 11-man roster they are the chosen ones to take his team to the end.

"We’ve played well against teams and lost but that’s not good enough any more, we have to turn that into wins.

"These guys just need to have a little more tenacity about them and play with a little more belief and I think we’ll be fine.”

Blessed relief comes on Thursday night in the form of a first home game for two and a half weeks against Plymouth City Patriots.

Sharks have been strong on their home floor, an 8-3 (win-loss) record suggesting they have settled nicely at the Canon Medical Arena, having waited so long for their own venue. Conversely Sheffield are 3-11 on the road and only one team has a poorer record on their travels than that – Plymouth.

"We have a great home crowd and a great presence, they create a great atmosphere, the players always enjoy playing there and saving on travel always helps,” said Lyons.

"Just because we have a good record at home doesn’t create any more pressure than usual. Having that home support is always a positive. We’ve fought through the injuries and we’ve made it work for ourselves, we’re trying to come through it and stay together to the end. Where we are now, we’re getting healthy, hopefully we can find a rhythm and make a push for the play-offs."

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In the time since Sharks last took to the floor, a defeat at Leicester Riders 12 days ago, there was at least the positive of RJ Eytle-Rock’s involvement in the Great Britain men’s basketball team’s EuroBasket qualifiers which saw them win one and lose one on the road to next year’s tournament.

"Fantastic for RJ and we’re really happy for him,” said Lyons of the 25-year-old point guard. “He’s also been somebody that’s been hit with the injury bug a bit in the season.

"He’s hitting a bit of form and a bit of good health and we’re starting to see his promise.”