Prentiss Nixon urges Sheffield Sharks fans to bring the noise in home opener

Prentiss Nixon is encouraging Sheffield Sharks fans to bring the noise when they tip-off their home campaign tomorrow lunchtime with a reunion against the team that ended their season four months ago.

The Sharks finished their 2023/24 campaign to raucous atmospheres at their impressive Canon Medical Arena home in April and May, packed-out houses inspiring Sheffield to a game-three win over Leicester Riders in the play-off quarter-final and then reacting angrily to their defeat by the Cheshire Phoenix in the semi-final.

Nixon, a 27-year-old point guard from Chicago, was the lightning rod on both occasions, the fist-pumping nature of his play getting the home crowd on the edge of their seats.

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And as he begins his first full season with the Sharks, he wants the relationship between himself and the fans to blossom.

Sheffield Sharks' star Prentiss Nixon.Sheffield Sharks' star Prentiss Nixon.
Sheffield Sharks' star Prentiss Nixon.

“The fans were huge in my decision to return,” said Nixon, one of only four players head coach Atiba Lyons brought back for the new season. “I had fans messaging me all summer saying ‘hope you’re coming back, please come back’, so that’s why coming back was an easy decision.

“The fans are just as important as we are out there playing the game; we couldn’t do what we do without this place being packed and rocking on a Friday night, Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon.

“It’s amazing what we have going here in Sheffield, some teams don’t have that type of atmosphere that we have, we are blessed to play in an arena like this in front of fans like the Sharks fans.”

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Emboldened by the trust Lyons and general manager Sarah Backovic have shown in him by making him just one of four players returning to the team, Nixon is determined to repay that faith. Having a full pre-season to work with the team as opposed to coming in in November as he did last year, has also helped.

“It did take a while to find my feet, but this pre-season has been good,” said Nixon, ahead of the visit of Cheshire Phoenix at the Canon Medical Arena on Sunday (1pm) following an opening night defeat to Newcastle Eagles on Friday.

“I wouldn’t say I have an enhanced role, I’ve got to go out there and be who I am, whether that’s nine points a game, 10 points a game, whatever it may be. I’ll help my team offensively, defensively.

“I’ve taken on a little bit more of a leadership role, helping Rodney (Glasgow - captain). I’ll do whatever it takes to win games.”

Asked if Sharks can end a silverware drought that stretches back to 2016, Nixon said: “Four chances, might as well get all four if we can.”

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