'This is for everyone': Sheffield Sharks end long trophy wait in champion style

Talk after their 105-97 victory in a high-octane showpiece with Surrey 89ers was of this being the start of a new golden era for a club that shot out of the gate winning trophies in the first 20-odd years of their existence.

But with a new arena, a new American owner supplementing the vital people that have kept them competitive over the last decade; plus 3,000 fans who followed them down the M1 to Nottingham, this does feel like a watershed moment for the proud franchise.

They were indebted on the court to all-action performances from the likes of Donovan Clay, Jamell Anderson and Jordan Ratinho, plus the constant scoring threat of Prentiss Nixon and Rickey McGill, but it was the entire organisation head coach Atiba Lyons chose to address as the victory celebrations raged on.

“It’s been a while, but the new arena, so many new fans, so many new things. We’ve talked about winning championships, but for the people who have put so much in it really is fantastic,” he said.

“It was emotional for me at the end, I was very happy, the players showed tremendous resolve.

“We put ourselves in a position to win the game, it was very stressful in the game, as it can be outside the court, so I’m very pleased for a lot of people.”

Sixteen years into his head coaching career, Lyons has taken the team’s inability to get over the line personally so his own relief was palpable.

“That’s sport, everybody wants to be a champion, I’m all right with that,” he said. “I’ve been hard on myself, I set my bar really high, I’ve let guys down in the past not coaching successful teams, so I’m happy that I got there this year.

“The clock starts again, though, doesn’t it?”

Sharks move into a tie for third on British basketball’s all-time trophy list and are locked in a title race in the SLB Championship and also have the play-offs to shoot for.

But even in isolation that Cup win was a momentous day for the club.

Surrey got off to a faster start but Sharks hung around and eventually found their rhythm midway through the first.

Jacob Groves was the catalyst, diving to keep a deflection in bounds, Nixon picking up the ball and going from end to end to net a floater despite being off balance.

Groves then drained a three-pointer, fist-pumping to the crowd as he did so, and that was quickly followed by Ratinho landing one from the other wing. But back-to-back three pointers to open the second period put Surrey six points up.

McGill tied it up going under the basket and off the glass and Sharks had their first lead of the game when James Reese drained a three-pointer after Jamell Anderson had stolen possession.

After Surrey, led by Cameron Gooden attacking the basket, reasserted their lead, back came Sheffield with a long Ratinho three and a McGill lay-up after he had stolen the ball. But Surrey’s Mervin James had the last say of the first half with a long-range three that gave the 89ers a 51-49 interval lead.

Six points from Nixon to start the second half gave Sharks their first two-score lead of the game.

Clay – the game’s MVP – extended the lead with a lay-up but it was Nixon with his foot on the accelerator with five more points.

McGill wasn’t let him have it his own way, equally proficient and pumped up, driving the Sharks forward, his three-pointer with 3.39 on the clock in the third stretching the lead to 11. Their defence was firing now as well; Reese with a steal and dunk, Clay thumping a shot from James away as if he were wafting a fly from in front of his face.

Nixon would finish a quarter in which Sharks scored 32 points with 16 and no shots missed as Lyons’ side turned the screw.

“I wasn’t aware, I just kept playing,” said Nixon of his third-quarter numbers.

“First half had been tough, but in basketball that happens, so I just stayed with it and shot the ball when I was open.

“We talked about patience earlier in the week, and they came out hot on us in the first quarter, we stayed composed, stayed patient, and stayed ourselves.

“Donovan played great, everybody contributed in a big way.”

Sheffield, though, have a habit of not making life comfortable for themselves and when Surrey got to within five with three minutes to go, the tension on the Sheffield bench was there for all to see.

But Clay scored a crucial two points and although he missed the free throw attempt, Ratinho snagged the rebound to create a chance for Sharks to wind a few precious seconds off the clock and McGill to score two more.

“I’m lost for words,” said an emotional Nixon. “I love this city, I love these fans.”