ADVANTAGE ROCKS, EAGLES AS PLAY-OFFS BEGIN
It’s advantage Glasgow and Newcastle after the first leg of the first BBL play-off quarter-finals on Friday night. And the Rocks have one foot in the last four after a stunning 83-67 upset win at Sheffield Sharks..
So much for Atiba Lyons’ in-form side being the favourites to land the season’s last piece of silverware. And for the infinitely long odds bestowed on Sterling Davis’ slumping squad.
The Kelvin Hall outfit went to Yorkshire and tore the Sharks to shreds, their balanced arrack building a cushion which grew to as much as 25 midway through the fourth quarter.
Up 24-20 with 6 minutes left in the second, Glasgow went on an 18-7 run to grab a 41-28 lead at half-time and then reeled off seven unanswered points to catch the hosts cold.
The Rocks three-point shooters woke up from a long dip. Sheffield’s missed their mark. Glasgow began the final period with a healthy 65-44 advantage and kept piling on the pressure.
The Sharks deficit stood at 70-45 with 6.42 left but Steve Dagostino, who hit a game-high 21 points, gave the home side some hope for Monday’s return leg by igniting a late rally.
And Lyons’ men will need no reminding of their 30-point victory north of the border just three weeks ago as they bid to overturn the deficit.
Guildford lay down Eagles dare
Guildford Heat teed up an intriguing second leg of their quarter-final tie with Newcastle Eagles on Saturday, losing 104-97 after a battle on Tyneside.
Reggie Jackson hit 28 points as the hosts broken open the stalemate with a late run to grab a priceless advantage ahead of their trip to Surrey.
Neither team could establish themselves in a game that saw 22 lead changes and the teams tied on 12 occasions. A 6-0 run to end the third quarter gave the Eagles a 76-73 edge heading into the final period.
But the game was epitomised by a rollercoaster of a fourth quarter. Kadiri Richard and Drew Lasker opened the period with scores to push Newcastle’s lead up to 80-73.
But a Carlos Medlock three-pointer amid a 7-0 response saw the teams tied up once more, for the twelfth time, at 82-82 with seven minutes to play.
Mike Martin gave the Heat the lead back in what had become a 14-2 run. However the pendulum swung decisively the other way once more as the Eagles came back with seven unanswered points, going in front for good with 2:21 left through Jackson.
However the Heat, paced by 20 apiece from Julius Joseph and Ralph Hegamin, have a real shot at upsetting the seedings.
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