On a weekend of upsets and big performances in the BBL Championship, Sheffield Sharks perhaps enjoyed the biggest result of all as they defeated the previously-unbeaten Leicester Riders, 85-79.
Jerrold Brooks and Mike Cook combined for 51 points as the Sharks made up for an agonising two-point defeat to the Riders a fortnight ago in the BBL Cup.
Riders had the upper hand early, but the Sharks fought back to the point where the two teams were trading leads in the third quarter. When Cook went on a 6-0 run in the fourth quarter it was enough to put the visiting Sheffield side in the lead for good, earning Atiba Lyons’ side their best result of the season to date.
But it wasn’t the only upset performance as Plymouth Raiders went up to Worcester and handed the Wolves a 101-91 defeat, for the Devon’s side first road win of the season.
The Wolves are finding wins hard to come by at the moment and the Raiders look like their season could be about to take a turn for the better after a game which they pretty much dominated.
A late 17-2 run cut a huge deficit to seven points with three minutes remaining, giving the Wolves’ hope, but then Raiders’ Dante Williams nailed back-to-back three-pointers to put the game out of reach.
Raiders’ player-coach Daryl Corletto led his team with 23 points, while Adrien Sturt chipped in with 20.
“We really needed a win and we feel it was a really good team effort,” said Raiders’ Josh Wilcher, who finished with 12 points.
“We felt everyone contributed, which we haven’t done all season, and it’ll be good going forward for us.”
He added, “I think everyone is comfortable and finding their niche. Only time will tell but I think we are on the right track.”
It wasn’t the Wolves only defeat at the weekend as they went down 95-88 to Newcastle Eagles, now the sole undefeated team in the BBL.
Wolves’ Perris Blackwell had a big night with 31 points and 10 rebounds but behind 20 points from Darius Defoe, the Eagles were able to hold Worcester at bay.
The Cheshire Phoenix revival continues and they’ve now won their last four in all competitions after beating both Leeds Force and Manchester Giants.
Akeem Ellis and Kinu Rochford both had 23 points as Cheshire ended Leeds’ three-game winning streak with a comfortable 92-73 victory.
Against Manchester Giants on Sunday it was Rochford and Jordan Williams who helped deliver a 98-90 victory, with the pair each scoring 31 points in a wild game.
Giants held an 11-point lead early in the fourth but then Cheshire responded with a 14-0 run to take a lead they would not relinquish.
Finally, London Lions enjoyed one of their biggest wins of the season as they won 84-57 at Bristol Flyers.
The Lions welcomed back Demond Watt from injury and he had a solid return, netting 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Lions put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.
“It was a good win,” said Lions’ Jamal Williams.
“We owed them one for the game where they came down to London and won.
“We were out for blood, as some might say.”
