Sun 2nd Feb - Phoenix v Sharks 5:30pm

We owe Sharks a defeat as we played poorly against them pre Xmas in the cup games.

Sharks getting a proper thumping from Nix by half time!

Cheshire have a double OT game on the road and long journey home....so of course Sharks come out and look the team who played last night.

Out of both cups....playing for 6th - 8th at best and a probable 1st rd play off defeat. Another drab season in the steel city. The early season form of Koch and Lewis a distant memory. McKnight and Cashaw doing their best and Tuck trying but the number of huge defeats this season against a whole manner of opponents suggests once again we are woefull well prepared by the coaching staff. We routinely go 20 points down in first halfs with no energy or focus from the off and then we never change it and continue the same offence/defensive systems. Still Atiba Lyons the safest coach in sports will survive no matter what.

What a pathetic reply. Not accurate and nothing to do with my original post. Wonder why these forums are almost dead now.

My condolences, when did you have your sense of humour bypass.

Some fair points made in the last few posts. Ironic that the mention of water on the court should upset a Sharks fan, thought they were top of the ocean feeding chain. We certainly tied Koch up and didn't look the same player as earlier in the season. We were excellent in the first half excellent team basketball really cutting through Sharks at will. So what happened at half time? Did we tire, or get complacent or did Sharks change their defence system? Our attack suddenly started missing shots or turnovers. Sharks suddenly started scoring we left men open far too much on the perimeter for open shots. Got very close at the end but with Hayes taking the ball and taking the foul we saw it out, fortunately we were sufficiently savvy enough not to give it to PJC cos that's not his best way of scoring.

Hello... been intrigued by an user who has dm'd, to take a look at what's happening.

2 or 3 things; it's not took much for sharksball to dig their teeth in. 20 plus down at half time?? How many times this season??? Lots of losses?
Ok probably too many for a team that's going to win anything and enough to put us out of both the cup & trophy but lots?

I too have joked on fb about cancelling games when we've been behind. Will any team actually try that on?

For whatever reason(s) we do appear to have gone off the boil since that Riders game. I think for one the team and players confidence aren't the same. We're a shadow of that team that started against Riders. Some comments that we are playing as individuals and not as a team. Something that we was good at earlier.

I do have some thoughts on Koch and Nick Lewis. But first my congratulations to Nix on a well deserved win.
However Koch wasnt only shut down in this game, he's been suffering for a while.

Early in the season opposing players were buying his fakes which either lead to him scoring or getting fouled or even both. Teams seem to have adjusted and are no longer buying his fakes and he's the one getting called for fouls. Often getting into foul trouble and having to sit on the bench. Not been so effective, or even been 'shut down'.

Nick Lewis has definitely gone off the boil. For me, remembering one rocks fan post of teams finding away to stop him playing as come to light.

In my opinion he his picking up some very easy fouls when up against other guards. The guards often making contact which Nick gets called for. Fair play to the opposing guard. I've had a discussion about this on fb. It's part of his game to get his hand in and was successful with lots of steels early on but some reckon he should learn and adjust, not make those attempts at steals but what's the alternative? Let the guard have a free run? Whatever Lewis has to sit on 2 or 3 fouls avoiding getting fouled out, which cant help his game and perhaps the reason why he's blowing hot and cold. Also in my opinion he doesnt look as confident. I noticed in the lions game that he dished a lot more when faced with an open look.

I talked before on how fans can stop behind and talk to the players after getting the thoughts from the coach and mvp of how they felt the game went.

Does any other team do this?

On Friday we had the usual and then thoughts changed to Sunday's game and what we can expect from Nix. The fact that they had players that could go on streaks and how we would have to defend the perimeter were highlighted. Something that we didnt do in the game, certainly in the first half.

Although admittedly Nix D played well and put a lot of stops on, we also missed baskets from good looks, shots by players that I'd expect to drop.

You'd expect the tea cup throwing at half time with adjustments being made and an improved performance in the 2nd half. Whether Sharks getting back into the game was due to Nix players getting tired or an improved sharks or a combination who knows?

A difficult possibly unsuccessful season a head of us. Oh one more thing, look at how other teams have been adjustments since those early games, adding players to their rosters. Surrey add MBA we resign Eddy Brownall.

Not always. We've come good after Christmas in the past.

Not too long ago after making a bad start, I argued at the time that we had played Riders and Newcastle (more than once I think) in the opening few games and that we would come good, despite other posters on here saying how bad a season we faced, finishing below 8th, missing play offs etc etc, but all came good and we climbed the league.

I did actually say during the cup games that I was worried that we had peeked too soon and that other teams may make changes once the season started. The latter is certainly true. Whether we can regroup and kick on again is another matter.
Only playing 2 games against each other could play an important part to the season, as I hope we could overturn a 5 point deficit against Nix at home.

So far Lions have done the double over us however I think they'll win the league. Very strong team.

If you're out of the cup and trophy early and finish outside of the top eight then it's a short season. You have 20 championship games starting December and a few short months later you're finished. Up to now we've played or will have played Eagles 6 times at least, if we'd have done that in the past it would have been 6 straight losses, not now though!!! dyb dyb talks about Lewis picking up fouls too often, you can't win don't go on to steal the ball without a risk or sit off them and wait and see. Fortunately PJC appears to have that sorted, 7 steals this week end I think ( but then gets fouled out at Rocks). Think Nix tired a little giving shots to a Sharks but an 11/13 free throws from Hayes kept us ahead. Mind you with the gap was down to 2 near the end I did a tiny bit worried.

Forgot the bit about Nick Lewis. Yes some of it will be self inflicted, getting his hand in for a steal and fouling, maybe something that he has to adjust or even not do but alas it was something that was so good early on and we scored a fair number of points from his steals. However, I'm thinking more about times when tracking/closing down the opposing guard when perhaps it's the other guard that initiates the contact? As I said to me there are 2 alternatives; let the guard have a free unchallenged run or try to do you job. As if, suggested by another shark fan, Lewis is subbed and another player is given an opportunity, that still leaves Lewis on the bench getting cold the same as having to sit on 2 or 3 fouls. To me not the real answer.

Similar also to Koch who I feel is now struggling in the league, certainly not putting up those big numbers that he started with.

Credit where it's due though. Other teams doing their homework.

I said towards the end of the cup games that we are a team and when one player struggles another steps up. Worthy mentions for Tuck and Cashew here. I think Cashew is proving to be a very good signing.

YouTube stream seems to have disappeared?

Proper legend. He's played in testimonials for Riders players in the past. I'm sure Riders players who've played against him in the past will support his testimonial in return. If and when it happens?