Sheffield Sharks playoff destiny almost confirmed
The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks Super League Basketball playoff destiny is almost decided.
A road win in Newcastle was followed by defeat at the hands of the Leicester Riders last Sunday. The results leave the Sharks fighting for a third or fourth place finish in the Championship which would see them match up against the fifth or sixth ranked team in the table at the quarter final stage of post-season. The final two games of the campaign, at Leicester on Tuesday and against Manchester on Sunday, will ultimately decide their fate.
The proverbial game of two halves played out in Newcastle last Friday evening. The Eagles took both the first and second quarters to lead by a significant 53-37 at half time. Conversely, the Sharks fought back with a 25-11 third period and a 23-18 final stanza to take a hard-fought 82-85 win in the North East.
The ever-efficient Fahro Alihodzic contributed 13 points and 4 rebounds to the cause and there was a vital 18 point haul from Dirk Williams. It was the athleticism of Nick Kern Jr that carried the Sharks through to the win however with a big 24 point, 11 rebound double-double as a 16th win of the season was achieved.
The Sharks faced up against Leicester Riders on home territory last Sunday. A quick start by the Riders saw them lead by 51-40 at the break and despite the Sharks closing the deficit to single figures in the final quarter, it was always the Midlands side who were in command, deserving of their 80-92 victory in the end.
There were double figure hauls for Prentiss Nixon (13), Nick Kern (15) and Dirk Williams (16) but again it was the consistent Fahro Alihodzic who took the MVP plaudits for his 16 point, 6 rebound afternoon.
Depending on results, the Sharks can finish as high as third in the table, which would see them play the sixth-ranked club in the playoff quarter-finals. The only team that can catch the Sharks for a fourth-placed finish are Leicester Riders, but that would require a huge win for Rob Paternostro’s side over the Sharks on Tuesday evening plus victories in all their remaining games.
The most likely scenario would appear to be a fourth-place finish for the Sharks, which currently sees them play Surrey 89ers in post-season. Regular season ends with a visit to Leicester on Tuesday and then the visit of Manchester Basketball to the Canon Medical Arena on Sunday afternoon. A pair of wins would be vital for momentum going into the most crucial part of the season. Tickets for Sunday's game can be purchased from the Sharks website.