Sharks take big bite out of Eagles’ title dreams

NEWCASTLE Eagles’ fading BBL Championship hopes were dealt another huge blow as Sheffield Sharks tore them apart in the Steel City.

The Eagles, whose record now stands at 7-5, are well off the title pace as the streaking Sharks moved to 9-3.

With three defeats more than the league leaders London Lions, Fab Flournoy’s side have a serious job to do if they are to have even a slim chance of staying in the BBL Championship race.

With Jeremy Smith out and Kai Williams only just back to full fitness, it was veterans Flournoy and Drew Lasker who took places in Newcastle’s starting five alongside Victor Moses, Rahmon Fletcher and Jamal Williams.

Sharks were also a player short with Matthew Don sitting out as the ball was tipped for the start.

However, it did not seem to affect the home side, who made the quicker start with Rob Marsden causing problems and helping his team to go out to an 8-3 start.

Fletcher and Moses were the men to reply for Eagles as they got back to within two on a Jamal Williams triple - but back came Sheffield with an a 9-0 run which gave them a double-digit lead for the first time.

When Chris Alexander tripled, the Eagles were down 28-16 still inside the first quarter, although the visitors responded with the last four points of the quarter to trail by eight. The start of the second saw Sharks hit six straight from the off and extend their lead again.

Moses closed the gap with a couple of buckets but an Alexander andone kept the home side in the ascendency. Fletcher then exploded for seven points in a row to bring his side within six and force Sheffield in to a time-out.

It steadied the home side who were more controlled as they slowed Fletcher and the Eagles down after that mid-quarter surge.

Anthony Collins hit a rare triple for Sharks as they kept the visitors at bay and held their double-digit lead all the way to the half-time buzzer, the hosts going in 51-38 ahead.

Whatever was said in the locker room by Flournoy and his coaching staff made little difference as the second half opened.

The hungry Sharks were in killer mood and snapped off six points to move to 57-38 and despite the half just starting Newcastle had to call a time-out.

Kyle Williams did hit a triple coming out of the time-out but Sheffield were cruising as their point guard Collins ran the show, finding open colleagues time and again.

In the blink of an eye, Newcastle found themselves down by 20 and seemingly with no way back.

They did actually cut the gap to 14 at one stage with Lasker scoring four in a row to force a Sheffield time-out.

Again that crucial break and chance to regroup was what the home side needed as the burst away again to take their biggest lead at 75-53 and effectively end the contest.

The Eagles did look to claw the lead back but Alexander and Collins nullified a visiting run.

With the Sharks up 82-58 and due at London Lions tomorrow in a topof-the-table clash, coach Atiba Lyons did what even a few seasons ago would have been unthinkable against the Eagles - took his starters out early because they had built up such a commanding lead.

It allowed Kyle Williams in particular to score points late on but the final 16-4 Eagles run was far too little too late and in truth the final margin of defeat flattered the visitors, who were completely out-rebounded and out-thought.