Sheffield Sharks v Leicester Riders: Atiba Lyons weighs up options ahead of Super League play-offs showdown

In basketball, for instance, the majority who come over from US college have never experienced two legs counting towards a decisive aggregate score.

With its origins in football, it has never sat quite right with such a high-scoring game.

Last season, British basketball’s top tier under the influence of American owners changed the play-offs to a best-of-three format, and other than a quarter-final match-up between Sheffield Sharks and Leicester Riders, it fell flat.

That was an epic series 12 months ago, Sharks losing game one on their home court, only to snatch game two in Leicester on a Prentiss Nixon three-pointer, and then ride the wave to claim game three back at a rocking Canon Medical Arena less than 24 hours later.

But this year, under different owners – the clubs – Super League Basketball has reverted to the aggregate score.

And again, it was Sheffield producing one of the more compelling storylines of quarter-finals weekend, overcoming a 10-point deficit to Cheshire Phoenix from the away leg, to win by 17 points on their home court. For the doubters of the aggregate format it was evidence to the contrary, a compelling contest from minute one to minute 40 when scoreboard pressure kept both teams hungry.

Atiba Lyons, Sharks’ head coach, has often said he prefers the best-of format, but on this occasion he was, unsurprisingly, happy with the British way.

“Everything has its pros and cons,” he smiled. “This was an exceptional game with the aggregate score and it was fun for the fans.”

Expect the same again when the Sharks and Riders renew acquaintances this weekend, in Sheffield on Friday night (7.30pm) and Leicester on Sunday (3pm).

This the 11th play-off meeting between the two in 25 years, and the eighth in which Lyons has come up against Rob Paternostro, his opposite number.

“We go way back,” said Lyons. “We both started in the same year in 2008.”

With the coaches knowing each other so well, how they handle the adjustments between the two games will be key.

Lyons at least has his full complement to choose from, influential guard Nixon and forward Donovan Clay expected to play after picking up injuries in the second-leg win over Cheshire.

“This is the time of year to suit up,” said Lyons. “No little injuries are going to stop them.”