Fri 24th Sept - Sharks v Phoenix 7:30pm

Sharks setting a new low for sound and video quality on the BBL player.

-slow clap-

Utterly amateurish.

Strong start to the season from the Sharks.

I love watching one of our import slots having played 12 minutes (with no foul trouble or turnovers to that point) in total up until 2 minutes to go in the 3rd. Then as he's sat for so long, misses both shots to end the quarter and doesn't see the floor again. Splendid.

Atiba picking up where he left off last season with exemplary usage of Koch.

Oh and how about emptying his bench in the 3rd until our 15 point lead had been almost completely eroded and momentum fully with Cheshire? Please tell me we've got Atiba on a 5 year contract or every club in the league will be snapping at our heels for his signature next year.

Weird game. Phoenix led by 10 then Sharks come back and slowly pull away and up by 13 or 14 in the 3rd. Looks like they have done enough but then Sharks fall apart and Cheshire go on a 13-0 run and completely outplay the home side in the 4th. Think Sharks scored 9 points and only made 3 field goals in the last 13 minutes of the game.

Bradley and Ochereobia were excellent for the away team who had players missing too. They finished the game confidently and sat in a zone defensively and Sharks lacked any idea how to score at all.

Sharks at full strength showed flashes at times but as I said before the season they looked a side miles off being near a contender and will be a struggle to even be a playoff team on that evidence albeit one game. The excuse will be trotted out about new players settling in but same for Cheshire and Sharks had a lot more returning players and all players available!

Sadly the recruitment once again looks inadequate to compete.

New point guard is quick and exciting and a good set up guy but got abused defensively all night. Teams will target him as he us tiny. No way is he 5'10. More like 5'7 or 5'8.

Williams was very average and barely noticed him 2nd half. His shooting looks inconsistent and he has a very flat and unreliable jump shot.

Koch and Nicholls were pretty useless to my eye. The former plays 1st quarters then seems exhausted or Lyons does not trust him. Nicholls did a few ok things bit like last season took appalling shots in transition, dribbles into black holes and does not play team basketball.

Only the Sharks know the reasons why they brought back two of the worst imports in the league last season? Could we not find anyone better who have more basketball smarts and flat out ability?

Delpeche had a good first half but then took too long and made bad decisions but a handy 6th man type.

Ratinho had a quiet night and did not get involved in the offence enough but do like him.

Tuck started well but then barely played. Needed to play more 2nd half but due to his age maybe he can't?

Mvuezolo and Christofis looked like NBL players on that evidence. Both botched up offences on the few times they came in and were took out. Lyons looked already like he did not trust them to play much.

Lyons then argued with the ref and got a technical effectively ending the game with a minute left. His coaching in the 4th and game management of subs snd inability to call time out or put Tuck in to help stem the flow was baffling.

Overall I watched that and think even though early I see a very weak squad and far worse than last season already without Helmsley and even Lillard who at least could score the ball. No idea where the offence/scoring will come from and defensively the point guard (height) and centre (foot speed) will be a major liability.

Also got to be a concern that opening night after no fans for 2 years you'd think we'd be able to sell more than 300-400 tickets (was a third full I'd say). I switched to a packed Newcastle crowd in their game. Surely the Sharks need to do something with their prices, production of the games and how they attract new crowds? Listening to the same music sound track for the game they have had for 10-15 years with the same tired old music was rather depressing. Nothing innovative on time outs and it was all just very dated.

Hate moaning but a poor performance in front of an awful crowd can't be sugar coated. As I have said before Sharks on and off the court keep doing what they have done for years so it's no wonder we don't attract new fans or compete for honours.

I'd love for some injection of life into the franchise and not sure it's all about money but at the moment it just seems to be limping along.

Was looking forward to the new season and hoping some of the new players might prove me wrong but I was concerned about the team and saw nothing to change my mind.

Lyons talks about more depth from who he recruited but on that evidence we have 7 players (and two don't have legs to play more than 25 mins effectively, Tuck and Koch) as Mveuzulo and the new back up point guard looked well off the level required.

Hope as I always do, that there can be internal improvements but Lyons coaching does not make me feel that will happen..we also know he could lose 10-15 in a row and never be sacked. Safest job on sports being on the board of the club. Similiar to Vince at London.

Agreed sharkball

Having three junior school girls twitching about in the center circle doesn`t really improve the atmosphere as most of the crowd are too embarrassed to look and our music is just .............

The game is about the players and how they react to the coach and the game. We lost to a poor team who were undermanned so what does that tell you.

Not good enough so crowds will disappear completely if we are not careful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poor team?? Seems like they had a poor 13 minutes mainly created by some poor coaching decisions. Does that make Sharks a poor team?

I think Yes is the implication.

Without doubt.

Sharks will be gone soon while ever this is the accepted product.

BIG Mike Ochereobia        =   19 rebounds
Tuck + Koch + Delpeche   =   11 rebounds

Game over.