Friday 28 March 2014 – Worcester Wolves vs Sheffield Sharks

Understanding and instruction are behind the form that has propelled One Health Sharks Sheffield into the BBL Championship picture, according to their forward Olu Babalola.

Sharks have won eight of their last nine league games to climb within six points of top spot, with three games in hand, heading into Friday’s game against second-placed Worcester Wolves at the University of Worcester Arena (tip off 7.30pm).

Sharks have lost two BBL Trophy games in that time, both to Worcester, but Babalola is pleased with the progress his team are making and attributes much of it to coach Atiba Lyons: “It comes down to understanding what we’re playing for,” said Babalola.

“We haven’t won any silverware this season yet and we can feel it is close. But at the same time we see how it can easily slip out of our grasp.

“The second thing I put it down to is coaching. Atiba has done a great job this year. Every year he becomes more experienced and poised.

“What people do not understand is that coaches of his quality usually have assistant coaches that break down game tape and they both watch it and discuss things to come up with conclusions. Atiba doesn’t have this luxury as much as it may appear. So he pretty much does the majority single-handedly. So definitely hats off to him.”

Lyons will be in line for yet more praise if he can oversee a Sharks victory against Worcester on Friday, and he needn’t worry about motivating his players.

Babalola added: “For sure we definitely feel like we owe them as they knocked us out the Trophy but there’s no shame in our game there.”

Meanwhile Wolves’ coach Paul James remarked: “We’ve played in patches against Sheffield and found it hard at times to get the looks we want. Having said that, I feel that we did a pretty good job in controlling the final few minutes in the last game. They have players who can hurt you if you allow them to, so we don’t need to focus on any one player, but them as a whole.”