BBL Trophy Final: A Real Sheffield Sports Fan’s Report

This story begins last Friday; the Sharks had secured a BBL Trophy final place having seen off the challenge of Cheshire Phoenix.

A final! Can’t be missed. So how do you get to Glasgow?

Well I could make a rather solitary trip by car (£100 of diesel according to Google). Or I could let the train take the strain (£150 says rail enquiries). Why not do it in style and fly? (£220 from Birmingham). Hmmm, expensive business this final malarkey. The solution. Sharks devotees Dawn and Louisa put their necks on the line and book a coach.

£30, job’s a good ‘un!

And that’s how a 5.45am alarm call sees us departing the Sharks offices in North Sheffield at around 8 o’clock. Sharks bench duo, John and Barry regale us with tales of European Cup near misses in Madrid as snowy North Yorkshire gives way to the decidedly wet Scottish borders. We learn that Micah Williams won’t be suiting up for the Sharks and quite honestly, hope is of a competitive performance from the team but nothing more.

We miss Falkirk defeating Edinburgh by 77-53 but we arrive safely having made an enforced detour round Celtic Park. The Sharks coach arrives and the players make their way in, all Sky TV haircuts, eager anticipation and Nick Lewis minus his bucket following a food poisoning scare on Friday.

A terrific arena awaits. Funkytown London cajoling a dance-off, the spectacular All-Star Dunkers, young Glaswegians desperate to get photos of the Rockettes. All things that may have been ignored in the Press gantry but what is part of the charm of the finals when you are in the bleachers.

And so to the main event – Sheffield come out of the traps with a sense of purpose but never fully shake off the presence of the Riders in the first. BJ Holmes gives a three point shooting masterclass but Jay Couisnard for the Riders is rising to the occasion. 23-21 and it’s a real treat for the live television viewers.

I get Sky TV captures from my family of me, with my head down, tweeting merrily (I was watching honestly!). Confidence exudes from the Sharks in the second. A man down means someone else has to rise to the occasion. Demetrius Jemison extends the lead to ten. Silent assassin is the hashtag I reward him with (proud of that one). Couisnard and Taylor go to work and the lead is cut to three by half time. Not top of the league for nothing this Leicester team.

A half time ‘comfort break’ brings the view of literally hundreds of kids bouncing basketballs on the concourse. Gladdens the heart, truly does. Funkytown do their stuff again and it really is smiles all round. Basketball has its detractors for this but is there really anything wrong with six thousand people enjoying a truly family vibe? Football take note I say.

Back to the main event. The Sharks need our support more than ever. Less in numbers than the travelling Riders, spurred on by drumming Sheffield chaplain Rev. Harry, the vocals go up a notch or two. Sheffield leads are extended and then hauled back. GB Captain Andrew Sullivan strives to marshal Leicester but wise heads Mike Tuck and Olu Babalola gain control for Sheffield. BJ Holmes continues to shoot the three. 61-53 at the end of the third. Cue mass Gangnam Style on court. Heart of steel not to smile.

The sides trade buckets but there is some ire amongst the Sharks fans regarding some of the calls, as would happen on any given matchday I suppose. Couisnard and Taylor draw it to within one point. Ice-man Holmes nails two from the line but a Calvo three pulls it level. A mere eight seconds remain when that man Holmes makes another two from the line. ‘What a ballgame!’ exclaims Mike Shaft as the Sharks faithful go ballistic. I stop tweeting. Powers of concentration totally gone. Two timeouts. Andrew Bridge gets called for a baffling foul. Three seconds for the Riders to get a shot off. Ball smothered. Court invasion by Sheffield’s staff. They think it’s all over…it is now!

BJ Holmes Jr gets more scrapbook pictures with his Dad for a deserved MVP award. Five triples and 25 points to remember Dad by until he arrives back home in Texas. Atiba gets the ice bucket treatment and we retreat to the coach still stunned and amazed, but deliriously happy. Sharks bench manager Barry is so happy that a pre-Scotch Corner ‘comfort break’ is needed (cold weather and American lager are a potent mix). Snow greets us back at Chapeltown in Sheffield around eleven. Seventeen extremely pleasant hours come to an end with these ramblings.

Thank you Glasgow, thank you the BBL, thank you Dawn and Louisa, thank you everyone on board the bus but most of all thank you to the One Health Sharks Sheffield.

A supporter lives for days like these.