21st Sept, 2007 Sheffield Sharks 85-82 SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks

Game details:-

Venue: The EIS, Sheffield

Competition:- BBL Championship

Quarterscores:- 23-28, 45-45, 66-68, 85-82

Overtime periods:-

Final result:- 85-82

Officials:- Dale Aitcheson, Steve Wheatcroft, Mac Callender

Top Scorers:

Sharks: Graham 21, Chaney 20, Virgil 16

Rocks: Yanders 21, Joseph 18, Wohlers 13

vs.

The Sheffield Sharks opened the 2007/08 BBL Championship season with an 85-82 victory after coming from behind against the SAMG Verve Scottish Rocks in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game at the EIS, Sheffield.

With just five minutes to go the Sharks had slipped to a 72-77 deficit after a three-pointer from Moritz Wohlers and a lay-up from Maurice Hamtpon. The backcourt pairing of Justice Graham and Alto Virgil combined to tie the game at 77, including a triple from the former, only for Wohlers to score from beyond the arc again to put the Rocks back in front.

From that point the Sharks made the decisive run: Raymond McKeithan made a strong move to the basket, followed by an old-fashioned three-point play from Graham, and a huge Locker Okorie score with 2:49 remaining to cap a 7-0 burst and give the Sharks an 84-80 lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Former Shark Rob Yanders took it upon himself to get the Rocks back in it; he scored with 1:38 left but on his next attempt he was blocked by Virgil.

Graham completed the scoring with a free-throw with 20 seconds remaining and when the Rocks came out of a time out they had two attempts to tie the game through Rob Yanders and Sterling Davis, both of whom used to play for Sheffield, but neither could connect.

Three new players shone for the home side as Justice Graham led the scoring with 21 points, big-man Shelby Chaney added 20, and new point guard Alto Virgil made 16. Yanders scored 21 points for the Rocks.

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