Slow-starters Sheffield Sharks need to shake bad habit in Super League Basketball Cup

Jordan Ratinho attacks the basket for Sheffield Sharks against London Lions before Christmas. (Picture: Adam Bates)

Sheffield Sharks must ‘set the standard’ early if they are to defeat Cheshire Phoenix on Sunday to keep alive their hopes of success in the Super League Basketball Cup competition.

So says Rodney Glasgow Jnr, their captain, after a setback against Manchester last weekend that served as a reminder that they cannot have it all their own way. Sharks had surged to the top of the Super League Basketball standings with five wins from six games in December, but fell flat on their first assignment of 2025 last Friday when losing at Manchester.

Allowing Manchester to score 17 unanswered points in the first quarter as they themselves only scored 26 for the whole of the first half, was yet another reminder of how sluggish starts continue to be their Achilles heel in 2024/25.

“I think it was due to obviously having a great December with a lot of wins,” reasoned Glasgow.

“I thought we came in too relaxed and Manchester - and this will be true of every team that’s going to play us - hit us with their best shot, they were ready to play, they were aggressive, you could tell they wanted it more in the first half.

“It’s something to learn from, it’s disappointing, but you can never come into any game relaxed, we have to respect the opponent and the game of basketball, and hopefully we’ve learned from that.”

Asked if he could pinpoint a reason why it keeps happening, the Brooklyn-born point guard said: “There’s no explanation for it, our coaches do a great job of explaining the game plan, we scheme it very well. I don’t know what it is but it has to change. We’re a good team, but we can’t rely on just coming back and making a difference. We have to set the tone and set that standard.”

That has to be the aim on Sunday when Cheshire come to the Canon Medical Arena for the one-off Cup quarter-final. Cheshire have been a good knockout team in recent years, winning the Trophy and ending Sheffield’s play-off challenge at the semi-final stage last term. They have a range of three-point scorers, including former Shark RJ Eytle-Rock, who can all get hot.

“If we can stop their transition and rebounding then we will win the game,” said Glasgow.

“At home we’re very tough to beat so that gives us a little bit of an advantage, but it’s still the same mindset, we have to follow our coaches’ game plan and really execute offensively and defensively.

“100 per cent our goal this year is to get some silverware, we know what to expect, no one is going to give us anything for free.”