Match report: Worcester Wolves 99 DBL Sharks Sheffield 68

Outstanding shooting from the Wolves’ Danny Huffor coupled with 23 points from Andrew Bachman meant that the Sharks fell at the first hurdle in their quest to win their first BBL Trophy since 2013.

Sheffield had won their last five games and played with confidence early on, stretching into an early 9-4 lead, but Huffor hit back for the Wolves.

Four sublime triples from the forward put Worcester into a 21-15 lead at the end of the first period.

The Sharks hit back at the start of the second, three lay-ups taking them into the lead, however Worcester’s Andrew Bachman picked up in the second quarter where Huffor left off in the first, and was at the heart of an 11-point scoring run which put the home side in control.

The Sharks’ three-point shooting percentage was as low as 14 per cent in the second period, with just a smattering of points to show for their efforts during a quarter in which the Wolves ran into a 46-33 lead.

The Wolves had won every time in they had scored 88 points or more this season, meaning the Sharks had a task on their hands if they were to catch their hosts in the second half.

That task was made all the more difficult by more blistering Worcester shooting early on in the third, with the Wolves stretching their advantage ever further.

Down 72-47 going into the final quarter, the Sharks needed a miracle. However, offensive inaccuracies coupled with yet more sublime shooting from Huffor - who ended the game with 31 points - put paid to any comeback, and saw Sheffield fall at the first hurdle.