Match report: DBL Sharks Sheffield 76 Surrey Scorchers 81

The Sharks failed to build on their first home win of the season last time out as improving Surrey claimed their first win of the season, even after the fourth quarter was interrupted by a fire alarm.

After the first quarter ended 16-16, the visitors stretched out in front during the second and third periods, with a late Sharks comeback in the fourth falling just short.

Tony Wroblicky - in his second consecutive MVP performance for the Sharks - got the home side off the mark but the Scorchers kept in touch before levelling the game at the end of the first quarter.

The Sharks endured a tough start to the second - profligacy in offense coupled with an eight-point scoring run for the Scorchers stretched the gap to 12 points midway through the quarter. However, sharp shooting from Cardell McFarland and Colin Sing, together with back-to back triples from Kyle Odister towards the end of the quarter, made sure the Scorchers were pegged back to 39-46 at the half.

The Scorchers turned up the heat in the third, errant passes and poor handling by the Sharks allowing the visitors to put another scoring run of seven together to lead 51-65 at the end of the period.

The Sharks used the fourth-quarter fire alarm - and the evacuation which followed - to their advantage, flying out the blocks following the restart, but a 13-3 scoring run wasn’t enough as accurate shooting from the Scorchers towards the end of the fourth put paid to any Sharks comeback.

Head coach Atiba Lyons said: “I thought we played two good quarters of basketball but the third quarter was where we let ourselves down and our heads dropped.

“We were timid at times and I don’t understand why.

“That toughness needs to improve.

“We showed good fight and showed good heart to claw ourselves back in but we put ourselves there - not by any spectacular basketball from Surrey but we dropped our heads and shoulders and let a team build a lead on us.”

Sharks scorers: Wroblicky 19 (MVP), Tuck 17, McFarland 14, Odister 12, Sing 8, George Brownell 4, Gachette 2.