Top-of-the-table Esh Group Eagles Newcastle improved to a 19-2 record in the BBL Championship after notching up a 97-84 victory against Sheffield Sharks at the EIS Sheffield on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors from Newcastle got off to a decent start and led by as many as eight points in the first quarter at 19-11, with Andrew Thomson pacing Eagles on the offensive end with 11 points in the opening frame.

However, Sharks erased the gap to 24-21 by the end of the period and had even jumped in front 34-33 in the second quarter, but it did not take long for Eagles to regain the upper hand. A 15-2 run by the Newcastle side saw the guests go up 48-36 with a minute to go in the first half.

Leading 58-43 halfway through the third quarter, Eagles looked firmly in control of the game, but a 21-10 stretch brought Sharks right back into the game, as the hosts cut the deficit to 68-64 just before the end of the third period.

With six minutes remaining in the game, Sharks were down by only four points and very well still in the game at 76-72, but the duo of Andre Jones and Scott Martin found put together a 15-2 run for Eagles to guide the visitors to yet another win.

Jones led the winners with a game-high 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Martin chipped in with a double-double of 19 points and 11 boards. Mike Tuck led Sharks in scoring with 19 points.