Prentiss Nixon and Georgia Gayle in unstoppable form as Sheffield Sharks and Sheffield Hatters claim key wins

Sharks claimed their maiden win of the Super League Basketball season and a first over Cheshire Phoenix in eight attempts by holding on for a 102-100 victory at Ellesmere Port.

The win was made possible by a virtuoso performance from Prentiss Nixon who led the team with 39 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while summer recruits Jacob Groves contributed 20 points and Jamell Anderson, 11.

Sharks trailed by four points going into the half but came out firing in the third quarter, scoring a huge 36 points to Cheshire’s 20 to turn the game on its head.

In a thrilling back and forth in the final quarter, Sharks were up by as many as seven before Phoenix cut the lead to just two points with a minute to play.

That was the margin with nine seconds remaining but the Sharks hung on to get off the mark in the Trophy.

Hatters got their season off to a winning start with a dominant 87-56 win over Nottingham Wildcats in the Betty Codona Trophy.

An important competition for the Hatters given it is named in honour of the woman who founded the team in the early 1960s, Sheffield did themselves justice with a convincing display.

Vanessa Ellis’ side opened a three-point gap by the end of the first quarter and steadily built that before pulling away in the second half.

Great Britain international Georgia Gayle led the team in scoring with 25 points and seven assists, with Lashayla Wright-Ponder contributing 16 points and Laura Zolper 14.