| Glasgow Rocks | 86 |
| Guildford Heat | 75 |
The Rocks fell to 3rd place on the league ladder while the Sheffield Sharks moved to the verge of the BBL Championship playoffs as they overcame the Scottish Rocks by 79-70. The win saw the Sharks record back-to-back victories for the first time since January and maintain their amazing home record against the Rocks: they have not lost at home in the league to the Glasgow club in over three years.
For the Rocks, meanwhile, it was their sixth consecutive loss on trips south of the border, stretching back to the end of November.
James Whyte made 4/4 three-pointers to lead the Sharks with 15 points, while Chris Sanders scored 14 and Matt Gorman added 12. Former Shark Rob Yanders led all scorers with 22 points in vain for the Rocks.
The teams traded baskets early on before a 10-0 burst from the visiting Rocks gave them a 10-19 lead. Whyte led the recovery as he netted his third three-pointer of the quarter in a 5-0 finish that drew them close at 15-19 by the end of the first quarter.
The Sharks took the lead for good in the second stanza. After drawing level at 21, they pushed the lead out to 28-23 on a Gorman basket in what became a 13-4 start to the quarter. That run extended all the way to a commanding 42-29 advantage.
The Rocks came back in the third period as a 10-3 push made the score 51-46, although the Sharks managed to keep them at arm’s length thereafter. From 61-50 the Rocks scored five points, but that run was promptly halted by Perry Lawson’s three-pointer and the Sharks took a 64-55 lead into the fourth.
Atiba Lyons opened the scoring in the fourth quarter, before the Rocks managed to make it a one-possession game late on at 70-67. However, Sherman Rivers and Marshall Brown scored back-to-back baskets before Brown and Lyons saw the game out from the free-throw line.
The Scottish Rocks will now face title favourites, the Everton Tigers on Sunday the 8th March at Kelvin Hall. The Tigers will be coming off the biggest winning margin of the BBL season as they absolutely demolished the London Capital by a massive 66 points (126-60). The Rocks will need to come out all guns blazing if they want to upset the mighty Tigers.
Tickets are still up for grabs for this blockbuster encounter!!!
Posted on 06 March, 2009
