Sheffield Sharks Beat Cheshire Jets Twice on the same Day

Sureshot Cup Quarter Final

Sheffield Junior Sharks V Cheshire Jets

4.15 pm, Sunday, January 17th 2010

All Saint Roman Catholic School (Goals), Sheffield

1 2 3 4Final

Sharks:17133626 92

Jets: 12241126 73

It will have escaped the notice of few that whilst the senior BBL teams of both associated clubs had already been engaged in action with the each other in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham contesting the Final of the BBL Cup, that the U18s were equally set to be locked in battle in Sheffield in this national Quarter Final game. Whilst the size of the crowds was always going to be different, there would be emotions swinging like pendulums just the same. The good news was that both Sheffield teams beat Cheshire Jets.

With just eight players Cheshire Jets may not have come with the expectation of a win, but if that was the case they hid it very well and came out fighting taking the first basket of the game through Hinchliffe. They were extremely troublesome. Jim Rose made the first points for the Sharks with a crisp three-pointer in what could already be judged would be a Cheshire game of zone lock-out or simply crowding the key like Sherwood Forest. This and close marking by their best players would also characterise the game. In the first quarter all the starters made the score sheet. Sheffield Junior Sharks 17, Cheshire Jets 12.

The second quarter was just like having put down a book, and picking it up and losing the page – or some would say plot. Hinchliffe made good at the basket twice, again for Jim to answer with a three-pointer. Cheshire went on a run of eight points before Sharks took back six and the lead that had been temporarily lost. Yet again Hinchliffe paid attention to the basket and got an And-1, thereafter spaced baskets from Joseph Baugh and Jim were simply punctuation marks for Neil Gillard who hit a field goal basket and took six from six at the stripe to take the team to the mid-game break with a lead of six: Sheffield Junior Sharks 30, Cheshire Jets 36.

After a frank team talk Sharks returned to the court looking more determined than they had the whole game. With points to make up it was business from the start with far better play. The trumpet sounded with a three-pointer from Joseph, followed by a two from John Stewart who was not feeling flattered at the concentrated attention that he had been receiving giving him a quieter game than usual. Joseph took a two, and Ben Cepulis took a two and re-established a meagre lead of two points. Fouls on Gillard and Hinchliffe opened the door to them again they took four from four at the stripe. Assigned to a defensive role, ex-England Graige added a basket as light relief from marking John. Joseph and John responded with John regaining a lead that was never lost again. Cheshire took just four more points in the quarter whilst Sharks posted a further twenty on the board. Mykel Moodie, Ben, Jim, Joseph and John all took points. The fact that nine of the points were obtained by shots beyond the arc emphasised the density of the Cheshire zone. Quarter closed, Sheffield Junior Sharks 66, Cheshire Jets 47.

Again the absence of a wooden stake allowed the opposition to come back again and the quarter would be eventually halved. This time Helsby initiated the Cheshire push-back. The nineteen point advantage gained at the end of the third quarter ought to have been enough, but could not be assumed. Ben commenced what was almost a one man onslaught, taking a full eighteen points in the quarter with obligato baskets by Mykel, John and Behre, and assists by many. Gillard and Carpenter, for Cheshire, did most of the offensive work for their side. Whilst the game move to a nineteen point win, Coach Ransom would have wanted more awareness and thought on the court showing a controlled response to the circumstances. Sheffield Junior Sharks 92, Cheshire Jets 73.

Thanks go to the coaches, supporters and Joe and Alexis for the wonderful detail of the stats.

Personal Statistics, Spotlighting Assists: Jim Rose: 6 assists, 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals; John Stewart: 5 assists, 14 points, 13 rebounds, 1 steal; Mykel Moodie 4 assists, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals; Joseph Baugh: 4 assists, 24 points, 19 rebounds, 2 steals; Behre Tesfayohannes: 3 assists, 4 points, 1 rebounds; Ben Cepulis: 1 assist, 32 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals; Oliver Bourne, George Brownell, Conor Faulkner, Dave Price, Vonn Tapiz.

The team now progress to the Semi-Final of the Cup in a game against Leicester Warriors that made a surprise defeat of Birmingham. The game is scheduled for February 7th and is to take place in Leicester.