Surrey Scorchers return to BBL Championship action on Friday night, as the Sheffield Sharks visit Surrey Sports Park. It will be the first of two back-to-back home games for the Scorchers, as they look to return to winning ways.
Both teams come into this game well rested, as both had the weekend off following their respective eliminations from the BBL Trophy group stage. Sheffield have an 11-10 record, which has them in 5th place in the table.
Recent form
This will be the Sharks' first Championship fixture of 2024, with their final match before the Trophy being an 86-75 win at home to the Manchester Giants.
After a steady season in the league, they would have been disappointed with the manner of their elimination from the Trophy. They exited from Group A with a 1-3 record, their solitary win coming against the Plymouth City Patriots.
Key strengths
Defence. So far this season the Sharks have held their opponents to a measly 78.4 points per game, which is the lowest in the BBL. They defend the perimeter particularly well, holding the teams they've faced to just 30% from beyond the arc. Again, this is a league best.
As you can see from the graphic below, they do a good job of forcing the opposition to take tough shots from the mid range. With Surrey's offensive reliance on the three-point shot, this could be a key contest on Friday.
Source: BritHoops.com
One to watch
Jordan Ratinho leads the Sharks in minutes this season, averaging 30.58 minutes per game. The California native is a versatile defender at the heart of their team, averaging a steal per game.
On top of what he brings to the defence, he's also an efficient three-point shooter. His 44.94% success rate from downtown is the fourth-highest in the competition.
Previous meetings
This will be the fourth meeting in all competitions between the two teams this season. Both previous league matches have been close affairs, with the Sharks narrowly prevailing on both occasions.
Back in September they came to Surrey Sports Park and left with a 70-67 victory. This was followed by another three point win when the teams met in Sheffield in November.
Surrey got the better of them in the Trophy however, winning by a convincing 91-71 score line. Saiquan Jamison lead the way for the Scorchers in that game, with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Tip off at Surrey Sports Park is at 7:30pm. Tickets are available HERE or you can watch live on the BBL's YouTube channel.
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