Sheffield Sharks show true grit to prove credentials

Sheffield Sharks showed their championship credentials with a gutsy win over their top-four rivals London Lions on Friday night.

Led by a double-double from Marcus Delpeche (13 points, 14 rebounds), Sharks triumphed
78-71 in overtime despite playing with only six men in rotation from midway through the third quarter.

They can seal second spot in the BBL with victory over Glasgow Rocks back at Ponds Forge on Sunday, coupled with a Lions defeat to runaway champions Leicester Riders.

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Rodney Glasgow, who scored 12 points and had nine rebounds himself, said: “That just shows our grit. We got a lot of guys out injured in Devante Wallace and Bennett Koch (Covid) and I just told the guys we’ve got to keep running and execute and we really showed our physicality.”

King of the boards: Marcus Delpeche. Picture: Adam BatesKing of the boards: Marcus Delpeche. Picture: Adam Bates
King of the boards: Marcus Delpeche. Picture: Adam Bates

It was a game in which points were at a premium, two physical teams capable of dominating the boards at both ends.

Sharks led 12-11 after the first quarter and exploded in the second, Antwain Johnson with an eye-catching breakaway dunk and Jordan Ratinho keeping a play alive on the wing and driving the basket with the shot clock hitting zero.

Delpeche dominated the rebounds under both baskets while London-born Joe Mvuezolo came up with a clutch three-pointer and a dunk as Sharks built a 35-29 lead at the half.

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They led by as many as nine points at one stage but London would not go away, Isaiah Reese with a couple of three-pointers to keep them in it and by the end of the third quarter, the Lions had tied the scores at 51-51.

By that stage Sharks had lost Johnson to a twisted ankle, a key part of their offence watching the rest of the game with an ice pack on his right leg.

Sheffield only had six players in rotation but stayed with the Lions all the way, Delpeche scoring a key basket from another rebound with 43 seconds left to tie the scores at 64-64, and then typical of this game, both defences stood firm on the final possessions.

Sharks dominated the extra five minutes with Ratinho, who played every one of the 45 minutes, contributing two baskets to seal the win.

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