'This is our pre-season': Prentiss Nixon on how talented Sheffield Sharks need to find their attacking rhythm
As eager as Prentiss Nixon was to make his return from injury for Sheffield Sharks over the weekend, the explosive playmaker appreciates he may have to bide his time before fully announcing himself.
Nixon returned after “six and half weeks off” through injury - his words, as if he had been counting the days - for the SLB Trophy double-header up at Newcastle Eagles on Friday and at home to Caledonia Gladiators on Sunday.
Sharks suffered a costly defeat to the Eagles which meant they needed to beat Caledonia by 14 points to reacj the semi-finals. They surged into an early 30-point lead but collapsed and agonisingly only won by 11.
But with third-year veteran Nixon logging 18 minutes and seven points from the bench and Mervin James producing 20 points and 10 rebounds in an eye-catching home debut having only just returned from injury himself, the arsenal at head coach Atiba Lyons’ disposal just got bigger.
Sunday’s game offered a microcosm of the challenges ahead; scoring from everywhere for 25 minutes before losing rhythm amid all the changes as different players put their hand up to salvage the situation. Lyons must now learn how best to utilise the talent at his fingertips, and players like Nixon may have to be patient.
“During my time out the guys were amazing, they found a rhythm, played good basketball and I was proud to see them doing their thing,” said the 28-year-old from Illinois.
“Unfortunately we can’t progress in the Trophy but this is our pre-season in effect, we’ve got a full team back, it’s time to put different things in place and keep moving forward.
“For me, I just come in and do my role, play my part, whatever that is.
“It would be easier to force my way in but I like the challenge of just flowing with the game, with what these guys have got going. I’ll get mine at some stage.
"Being a point guard I’m going to have the ball in my hands a lot so we’re just trying to get these guys involved.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who can do lots of things on the ball and off the ball, and in that first half we showed what we can do. But we’re still trying to put it together.”
Nixon rolled his ankle in the defeat at Manchester on Halloween, forcing him into his longest spell on the sidelines since he joined the Sharks midway through the 2023/24 season.
“Early on I was counting the days but after that it was attacking the rehab as aggressively as I could to come out here healthy,” said Nixon, one of Sheffield’s more creative players who was instrumental in their run to SLB Cup success in the Spring.
“I didn’t want to come back 50 per cent, 60 per cent, I wanted to be as close to 100 per cent as possible. So early on it was rough but the last three weeks I was able to run, get on the court, get some jump shots up, I was a lot better for it.
“The guys helped me through it, they were marking the days down until I was back, we’re a real brotherhood.”