Sharks bite as Eagles suffer dispiriting loss
AS Storm Arwen raged across the North East last night, Newcastle Eagles’ fans were desperately hoping for the wind of change.
A near fully-fit roster and back-toback wins meant a familiar air of optimism filled a sold-out Vertu Motors Arena prior to tip-off.
Two hours later and another blowout defeat by fierce rivals Sheffield Sharks only served to dampen the spirits of a frustrated home support.
That Atiba Lyons’ men controlled the game from tip to buzzer will be of serious concern to Newcastle head coach Ian MacLeod and his coaching staff.
In normal circumstances Newcastle need no incentive when it comes to battling arch-rivals Sheffield for valuable BBL points.
Yet surely the sight of Rodney Glasgow Jr donning a Sharks vest must have given the men in black extra motivation?
The US guard chose to ditch Tyneside for Iceland in the summer of 2020 following a Covid-interrupted campaign with the Eagles.
It is understood the well-travelled British Virgin Islander had harboured hopes of a return to the North East this season - and a chance to make amends.
However, the Eagles’ move for Brandon Peel meant Glasgow Jr headed to South Yorkshire - setting up last night’s potentially tense match-up.
Peel was named in the starting five for the first time and although he opened his account with a smoothly-taken two in the third minute the initially ragged Eagles were already playing catch up.
Sheffield hit 18 points in the first four and a half minutes, shooting 88% from the floor, to force a muchneeded MacLeod time out.
That sluggish start hastened the early introduction of veteran Darius Defoe, shooter Wesley Person Jr and fit-again Kyle Williams.
The slick Sharks fully deserved their 29-15 lead after the opening 10 minutes. The Eagles needed to muster a spirited - and speedy - second-period response or risk Sheffield accelerating out of sight.
Williams, back after a six-week lay-off with a hand injury, and skipper Rahmon Fletcher did attempt to spark a homecourt comeback.
However, Glasgow Jr was being gifted far too many open looks at the other end as he coasted through his Vertu Motors Arena comeback unscathed. In spite of Peel’s lastsecond conversion under the basket, Lyons’ men were still in control as they took a six-point lead into the locker room.
Had it not been for the in-form Duke Shelton things could have been far worse for nervy Newcastle.
Steering clear of foul trouble and frequently finding himself in the right place at the right time, the fans’ favourite added 11 boards to his 10 first half points.
However, Shelton could not maintain his momentum during period three as Sheffield restored their double-digit advantage on the back of a Glasgow Jr triple.
It took some faultless free-hrow shooting from Person Jr, added to a fadeaway triple from Corey Johnson and a huge dunk from Defoe, to keep the hosts in the hunt.
Disappointingly Jordan Ratinho, the outstanding player on the night, aced an unopposed three-pointer on the third-quarter buzzer to fire the Sharks eight points ahead with 10 minutes to play.
Despite Defoe’s fourth-quarter charge, a lack of intensity across all four quarters allowed the Eagles’ bitter rivals to register an all too comfortable victory against last season’s double winners.