Cole Long made the decisive difference on the road as Newcastle Eagles edged out B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 87–81, claiming a six-point victory in Super League Basketball.
Long finished with 20 points from a clinical 7 of 8 shooting, including 2 of 3 from three-point range, and converted 4 of 5 free throws. He added 3 rebounds and a steal across 32 minutes, with just 2 turnovers against 3 fouls — the kind of efficient, controlled performance that settles close contests.
Newcastle next face their next fixture as they push on in the regular season.
Newcastle Eagles held off a persistent comeback from B. Braun Sheffield Sharks to secure a 87–81 victory and improve to 3–2 in the Super League. The result leaves Sheffield at 2–2 after a back-and-forth contest that swung decisively in the third quarter.
Sheffield controlled the opening half, leading by seven at the break after winning both the first and second quarters. Daniel Gherezgher's 8–12 shooting kept them in front early, and they pushed ahead by as many as 12 with 4:20 left in the second. Newcastle, however, found their rhythm in the third quarter, where they outscored Sheffield 27–12 to take the lead. A 10–0 run mid-quarter — moving the score from 57–58 to 67–58 — proved decisive. Cole Long's efficiency (7–8 from the field) and a defensive spell kept the Eagles clear.
Sheffield battled back in the fourth, winning that quarter by two points, and the game remained a one-possession game inside the final two minutes. Newcastle's 12–point advantage at one stage (69–81 with 5:38 to play) proved enough of a buffer, even as Sheffield clawed back. Long finished with 20 points on near-perfect shooting, whilst Tavis Smith added 18 points and five assists for Newcastle. For Sheffield, Gherezgher's 21 points (5–7 three-point shooting) led a side that couldn't sustain the intensity that had worked in the first half.
Newcastle host Surrey 89ers on Friday 23 October. Sheffield travel to London Lions on Friday 30 October.
Isiah Small's dominance on the glass proved the difference as Caledonia Gladiators edged out B. Braun Sheffield Sharks 87–79 at home.
The forward pulled down 17 rebounds across 30 minutes—a commanding display of positioning and effort that repeatedly gave Caledonia second chances when their shots weren't falling cleanly. Small shot just 3 of 11 from the field, but made it count where it mattered most, converting 9 of 10 free throws for 15 points. He added 3 steals and 3 assists to a performance that tilted the balance when the scoring was contested.
Sheffield kept things tight throughout, but Caledonia's control of the glass—particularly through Small—meant they could absorb a poor shooting night (off the 2PT, at least) and still pull away by eight. With both teams fighting for positioning in the Super League table, this was the kind of grinding win that matters: not pretty, but built on the dirty work.
Caledonia Gladiators' 33-point cushion at the midway point of the third quarter proved enough to weather a furious fourth-quarter comeback and end a two-game losing run with an 87–79 win over B. Braun Sheffield Sharks. The hosts had dominated the first half, building that commanding advantage after winning the opening two quarters 18–4 and 32–20 to lead 50–24 at the break.
Sheffield mounted a genuine threat in the final period, reeling off an 18-0 run midway through the quarter to cut the deficit to just five at 74–66. Inside the final two minutes it remained a one-possession game, but Caledonia's early control proved decisive. Sheffield took the loss after beginning their campaign with two straight wins; Caledonia, now 2–2, stopped the bleeding at 1–2.
Terry Roberts led Caledonia with 17 points on 5 of 11 shooting, and Isiah Small anchored the boards with a double-double of 15 points and 17 rebounds, though he managed just 3 of 11 from the floor. Al-Amir Dawes added 16 points. For Sheffield, Lu'cye Patterson's 20 points on 6 of 15 came too late; Daniel Gherezgher (15 PTS, 5/7 FG) and Adrian Delph (15 PTS, 6/10 FG) pressed hard but couldn't force the comeback home.
Caledonia visit Manchester Basketball on Sunday; Sheffield host Newcastle Eagles the same day.
Fahro Alihodzic finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds in 26 minutes as B. Braun Sheffield Sharks held off Leicester Riders 85–75 at home. The big man was ruthless inside, shooting 11 of 15 from the floor — a clinical 73% — and adding two steals and two blocks despite not recording an assist.
It was the kind of performance that settles a game. Leicester stayed within reach for stretches, but Alihodzic's rebounding gave Sheffield a reliable second-chance edge, and his efficiency meant the Sharks didn't need to hunt for highlights. He was simply there when it mattered, converting possessions into points with minimum waste.
Leicester had their chances but couldn't quite get over the line. The 10-point margin doesn't flatter Sheffield; they built separation through the middle periods and held firm when pressure came late.
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks held off Leicester Riders 85–75 to secure a hard-fought Super League victory, with Fahro Alihodzic's clinical finishing proving the difference down the stretch.
Sheffield dominated the opening quarter to build a 30–22 lead, then pushed their advantage to 14 points early in the second—a 39–25 cushion with under seven minutes to play in that frame. Leicester, though, refused to fold. The Riders launched an 11–0 run mid-quarter that cut the deficit to just three before the interval, trailing 43–41 at half-time.
The third quarter turned into a tug-of-war. Leicester outscored Sheffield 21–19 to level matters at 62–62 heading into the fourth, forcing a decisive final ten minutes. There Sheffield reasserted control, outscore Leicester 23–13 when it mattered most, with Alihodzic anchoring the close-out. The forward was immense: 25 points on 11 of 15 shooting to go with 13 rebounds and two steals. Lu'cye Patterson added 20 points and seven assists, whilst Donovan Clay chipped in 10.
Taryn Todd led Leicester with 16 points and Bernard Pelote matched that tally, but neither could spark the rally their side needed. Jaylon White's 15 points proved insufficient.
Sheffield travel to Caledonia Gladiators on Friday 16 October, whilst Leicester host Surrey 89ers the following evening.
Maceo Jack has been SheffieldSharks' engine room in recent weeks — 25 points per game at 87 TIB Efficiency — and tonight Leicester Riders will need to find an answer in the Super League Basketball.
Deante Johnson Jr sits on the visitors' roster, but the numbers tell a different story. At 47.3 TIB Efficiency and 13.3 PPG in current form, he is operating at a considerable distance from Jack's output. The gap is not merely statistical; it reflects a mismatch in offensive load and scoring consistency that will likely shape how Leicester approaches the matchup.
Sheffield will back their lead scorer to continue his run. Leicester face a pressing question: whether Johnson Jr can elevate his contribution, or whether the Riders lean on defensive pressure and ball movement to disrupt Jack's rhythm rather than match him score for score.
Tips off in three hours.
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks host Leicester Riders in Super League Basketball this evening, with Maceo Jack's prolific scoring form the obvious focal point. The Sharks' lead man has averaged 25 points per game this season — a commanding output that will demand Leicester's full defensive attention.
Leicester arrive without the same firepower at the rim. Thomas Hurley leads their attack at 16 points per game, a gap that on paper favours Sheffield's offensive structure. How the Riders manage that scoring disparity — whether through sharper ball movement, transition pace, or defensive intensity to limit Jack's touches — will shape the first half's rhythm.
Tip-off is at 7:30 PM. Stream it live or follow the action as it unfolds.
Maceo Jack made light work of Caledonia's defence, finishing with 25 points on the sort of shooting efficiency that ends games early. He shot 10 from 14 overall and 3 from 4 from distance, moving through the court without waste — zero turnovers in 33 minutes, a clean night that defined B. Braun Sheffield Sharks' 98–76 victory at home.
The margin told its own story. Sheffield's lead had grown large enough by the finish that the contest became one-directional, and Jack's precision in the opening stretches set the tone. He drew fouls sparingly (two) and took what the defence gave him, which in this instance was plenty of space.
Caledonia offered little resistance once the Sharks established control. Sheffield's next fixture will arrive with the momentum of a 22-point home win at their backs.
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks put Caledonia Gladiators to bed early and never looked back, cruising to a 98–76 victory that was settled long before the final buzzer.
Sheffield led from the opening tip and built their lead methodically through the first half, moving to 42–31 at the interval. The decisive spell arrived midway through the third quarter: a 9–0 run pushed them from 49–40 to 58–40, and Caledonia never threatened a comeback. By the end of three quarters, Sheffield held 71–53. They extended that advantage late in the fourth, reaching their largest margin of 25 points with 25 seconds remaining.
Maceo Jack led the charge with 25 points on efficient shooting — 10 of 14 from the floor and 3 of 4 from three. Adrian Delph added 21 points (8/15 FG, 5/10 3P) and ran the offence with 4 assists, whilst Sean Bairstow chipped in 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting. For Caledonia, Christian Keeling's 23 points (7/10 from three) went largely unheeded; Terry Roberts had 17, but the rest could not find rhythm.
Sheffield host Leicester Riders on Sunday 11 October, whilst Caledonia travel to Newcastle Eagles on Friday 2 October.
B. Braun Sheffield Sharks host Caledonia Gladiators in Super League Basketball this evening. The Gladiators bring Al-Amir Dawes, who is averaging 23 points per game this season and figures to be the primary offensive threat.
This is a straightforward domestic fixture between two sides competing in the same league. Sheffield will need to manage Dawes effectively on the perimeter and in transition if they want to control the tempo. Caledonia will look to lean on their leading scorer's consistency and efficiency to set the tone early.
Tip-off is in roughly six hours. Catch it live.
