Sheffield Sharks set for first look at Mervin James on SLB resumption
Atiba Lyons has hinted Sheffield Sharks fans might finally get to see summer recruit Mervin James on the court when they resume Super League Basketball regular-season competition at Cheshire Phoenix on Sunday night.
The second-year pro out of the US Virgin Islands was brought north to the Canon Medical Arena in August after an impressive debut campaign in British basketball with Surrey 89ers, where he averaged 17.9 points per game and 6.1 rebounds.
He featured for the Sharks in the TBT tournament in America but has been sidelined with a persistent injury since, restricting him to a watching brief from the sidelines. A fortnight between their last game and their next appointment - coincidentally back in Cheshire - gave the Sharks time to get him fit and give him a chance to suit up on Sunday.
“We’re still waiting on news from Merv this week. He had an appointment Friday and hopefully he’s back for the game, that’s all we’re waiting on,” confirmed Lyons, whose team have a 3-2 record to start the season.
“He’ll be a big piece that we haven’t seen play with us yet so it’s like having a gift under the Christmas tree that you haven’t opened for a while.”
Encouragingly for Lyons, integrating the 24-year-old won’t require a sea change in how they play on the court.
“He’ll fit in to how we play, he won’t change it,” said Lyons.
“He’s a scorer, a physical player and the stuff we run and the fact that he’s played in this league, we know he’ll fit in well.”
The fortnight’s rest has allowed Rodney Chatman III to get closer to full speed following last January’s ACL injury, with Lyons confident the playmaker is getting his game rhythm back.
Sharks will head to Ellesmere Port feeling they owe the Phoenix one after throwing away victory in a chaotic fourth quarter two weeks ago.
“We had control of the game down the stretch but made some careless mistakes and we just have to make sure we do a better job of that,” said Lyons.
“They’re a very tricky team to play in the sense they’re ultra aggressive, good rebounders, they’re aggressive shooting the three-pointers, so as you play them you’ve got to used to that style of play.”
Yorkshire Dragons, who have started the second-tier Basketball Championship season with six wins out of seven were in Trophy semi-final action in Falkirk last night and host Loughborough Riders on Sunday.