The Championship race is put on hold for the time being as the Rocks kick off their BBL Trophy campaign on Sunday, against the BBL Cup Finalists the Sheffield Sharks.
The BBL Trophy is one of the much-heralded peripheral competitions in British Basketball, and has been running for as long as the BBL with a fascinating twenty-one year history. This season the BBL Trophy has taken a different look incorporating the top 3 EBL Clubs from last season, and taking the form of a straight knockout competition with a pre-drawn fixture tree.It should be an enthralling BBL Trophy season and what a titanic first round match up we have in store.
Atiba Lyons' Sharks have wowed their supporters so far this season, as they currently sit in first place in the BBL Championship. However, in the Trophy knockout competition, anything can happen, and Sterling Davis' Rocks have shown that they can compete with the best so far this season.
Davis said Sheffield were 'the team to beat right now', as his side are trying to 'knock off that Christmas rust.' He explained: 'It will be a tough match up again for us. Everyone knows Sheffield are the team to beat right now, so it will be a big task.'
Lyons, who is now in his second season as player- coach of the Sharks, said the following: 'I feel we match up well with the Rocks. They have a very dynamic offense and can really light it up from the outside.' He continued: 'We have to bring defensive intensity, especially playing in Glasgow. Ryan Patton is still battling injury and has been out the last few weeks, but the Christmas break is always positive to refresh guys mentally and physically. You just hope that your team doesn't come out flat for the first game back. I feel like we may have been a little sluggish, but on the whole, the break was a positive.'
The Trophy is another chance for all clubs to start a clean sheet in terms of their hunt for silverware, but although the Sharks have had a blinding start in the other two competitions, the BBL Cup and league fixtures, Lyons is refusing to let his side rest on their laurels. The 6'6'' forward said: 'I feel it is important for us to improve the efficiency of our offense, and also keep up our defensive intensity and focus for forty minutes. We still have the tendency to take plays off and we have to rectify that.'
The last time these two franchises went head-to- head, the Sharks walked out winners by 10 points, with the score line reading 67-77, behind 25 points from Molten BBL Player of the Month for November and December, Mike Cook.
It is sure to be a fiery contest, with the Rocks trying to get past the first round of the Trophy for only the third time from 11 attempts.
The Rocks fans will hopefully be out in force braving the weather, and bringing home a 2nd round meeting with either London or Everton.
Let's Go Rocks!!!
Posted on 08 January, 2010
