Glasgow Rocks 76 Sheffield Sharks 83: Advantage Sharks in BBL play-offs

Sharks, who finished second in the BBL to Leicester Riders – a best finish for eight years for the South Yorkshire club – will now look to close out the tie on aggregate in the return leg at Ponds Forge (4.00).

Sharks showed why they were second seeds as they got off to a confident start in the opening quarter against Glasgow Rocks. The away side led 22-16 after the first quarter.

Rocks did not back down and fought back well in the second. They won the quarter 25-15 to completely eliminate the advantage Sharks had created in the first to lead 41-37 at half-time.

The game took another turn in the third quarter as Sharks fought back. They scored 23 points and limited Rocks to 17 as the lead changed hands again. Sharks went into the final quarter ahead by two as they led 60-58 in a gripping affair.

The second seeds managed the final quarter well to close out the game 83-76 but the match is still in the balance.

Sharks will be mindful of how quickly a tie can change after losing over two legs to Newcastle Eagles last season. They have also been beaten twice already by Glasgow this season.

Up at the Emirates Arena last night, guard Devante Wallace – who started the game on the bench – led the team in scoring with 18 points.

But the fact so many players contributed similar numbers shows how much of a team performance it was.

Kipper Nichols added 17 points, Bennett Kock contributed 15 and Jordan Ratinho, who logged all but one and a half minutes of game time, added 14 points.

Ratinho also put up 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Marcus Delpeche added eight rebounds and five points.

Elsewhere, champions Leicester Riders beat Plymouth City Patriots 86-71 and London Lions looked confident against Cheshire Phoenix, winning 85-69.

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