FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME
Well we are at the end of the regular season and the Sharks finished runners-up to the Newcastle Eagles in the League Title Race. Congratulations to Head Coach Fab Flournoy and the Eagles on picking up yet another trophy. Congratulations also to Atiba Lyons and the Sharks on a fabulous season, a season which I might add, that has not finished yet.
So now it is on to the Play-Offs and there are a number of tasty match-up taking place over this weekend.
Tonight, as well as this game where the Sharks will entertain the Milton Keynes Lions, Newcastle Eagles will have to face Worthing Thunder. The Thunder, in their first season in the BBL have had a great time under Head Coach Dave Titmuss and they have already beaten the Eagles twice this season. This will be a match-up to behold.
On Sunday night the Glasgow Rocks who finished 3rd in the BBL will take on Rob Paternostro’s, Leicester Riders while The Cheshire Jets and the Everton Tigers will go head to head at the Northgate Arena.
These will throw up some fantastic games and as I said earlier in the season I am not going to make any predictions. I said it before and I’ll say it again, this has been another fabulous season for the BBL and the Play-Offs will simply take it to another level.
As you may know, the mikeshaft.com Awards for 2010 have now been published and the controversy has already begun. The e-mails have already started to arrive.
I know you might find it hard to believe but I do not mind getting these e-mails. As I always say these are my choices. Other people will have different choices, but I know what I see and more importantly, I know what I like.
I will say this. In the 2010 Awards, I select my All-Star team and this year I decided to limit it to a maximum of two players from any team. So having picked Tafari Toney and Mike Cook, no other Sharks players could be selected. Having picked Joe Chapman and Reggie Jackson, then no other Eagles’ players could be selected.
One final note; I took the decision that players arriving in the League after the 1st of January would not be eligible for inclusion in the mikeshaft.com All-star team. This unfortunately excluded two of the top names in the BBL, Trey Moore and Andrew Sullivan.
I hope you have seen the Awards and if you haven’t then they are available at mikeshaft.com. If you have any comments I’d love to hear them.
This weekend will be a monster one for me as I am scheduled to commentate on 9 basketball games spread over 3 days. Tonight will be the first followed by the England basketball Final 4s at the Amaechi Centre in Manchester over two days then the Jets v Tigers encounter.
It will be a long weekend but I know I am going to enjoy it.
Later
Mike S
NOTE - PHOTOS ADDED TO THIS PIECE LATER
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