Sheffield Sharks’ BBL return testament to resilience and character

Sheffield Sharks tip off their 2020-21 campaign at home to London Lions at Ponds Forge tonight (6pm), their first competitive action since the whole of sport was shutdown back in March.

Ironically, England entered a second phase of lockdown yesterday, but professional sport has survived because it has demonstrated it can put on a product safely and securely.

The highest level of basketball goes ahead thanks largely to a Government bailout in excess of £1m early last month.

The first game of the BBL Cup tipped off last Sunday when London Lions lost to Newcastle Eagles in the same Pool Three in which Sheffield – for whom Lyons enters his 11th season as head coach – will compete.

“I think it’s showed the resilience and character, and the leadership behind the league and the clubs within it,” said Lyons of the BBL’s return.

“It’s not easy navigating these times as a business.

“Sport is always one of the most affected. We don’t have the funding streams of football, so to be able to stay afloat, and not only stay afloat but remain on target for a start date similar to when we would usually start, despite everything, is testament to how we punch above our weight as a sport.”

It has been a collective effort to get elite basketball back up and running, with all 11 clubs playing their part in putting a product out on court.

To offset the absence of fans, new revenue sources have had to be found, like a pay-per-view stream for upcoming matches on YouTube. Tonight’s first game will be free to watch via the Sharks’ own YouTube channel, so they can iron out any problems.

They also have to get used to playing back at Ponds Forge, which, for the second year running, will be their home venue.

But despite a longer pre-season, Lyons has assembled a squad of veterans and fresh faces he is confident will be competitive.

“When you recruit a new team, the personalities, how they’ll mesh, the work ethic, how they’ll train and how a player carries himself is not something you can see on film,” he said of the recruitment process.

“But the synergy fits really well, so I’m happy with where we are going in.

“The team is very, very talented. They are very competitive, driven and self-motivated guys. Those kind of things aren’t a basic requirement, so I’m hopeful we’ll have a very strong year this year.”

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.