Eagles Go Top With Win Over Sharks

The Newcastle Eagles took sole possession of top spot in the BBL Championship table as they won their sixth consecutive game in beating the Sheffield Sharks, early pace-setters in the league, by 61-72 at the English Institute of Sport.

Richard Midgley was influential once more with 25 points, including some decisive scores. Player/coach Fab Flournoy had 15 points for the Eagles, whilst former Shark Lynard Stewart added 10. Raymond McKeithan led Sheffield with 18.

A flurry of three-pointers opened the game as the Eagles led 6-3 on Charles Smith and Flournoy scores. Soon afterwards, a trio of free-throws from Justice Graham capped a 10-4 burst for the Sharks as they led 17-12, only for Midgley to hit all 6 points in a 6-2 finish to the first that brought the Eagles back to within one.

Stewart matched that as they came out from the break with 6 points of his own and a 21-24 lead that the Eagles wouldn’t relinquish. Jeremy Hyatt added 7 points before the half was out to give the visitors a 32-39 advantage.

The Sharks came out strongly in the third stanza and immediately closed the gap to 38-39 on an Anthony Virgil basket, but would only score 2 points in the remainder of the quarter as the Eagles closed it out with a decisive 12-2 surge, including 4 further points from Midgley.

The hosts worked to get back into the game in the fourth and a Shelby Chaney put-back concluded a run of 6 straight points that made it 54-59. However, Midgley was there again and his three-pointer with 3.12 left made the score 54-62 and the Sharks could get no closer.