Stroud Sport
BASKETBALL
5:20pm Thursday 2nd February 2012
STROUD Sharks defeated Coventry 83 - 51 in a comfortable win.
The win moves Sharks back up to second in the Midlands/SW Conference and eases the pain of defeat to leaders Arden the week before.
Sharks started well enough and it looked as if the game would be something of a formality as they led 26-14 at the end of the first.
However, Coventry rallied admirably in the second, frustrating Sharks with a tight zone defence which highlighted their lack of consistent outside shooters.
At half-time the lead was down to three and the frustration in the Stroud camp was apparent.
In the third, Sharks finally upped the tempo and as Coventry tired they forced errors and ran the break well.
A strong lead was soon established and in the fourth it was more of the same as they piled the misery on, by now, an exhausted Coventry team.
By his own high standards Laurie Costello had a poor shooting game, it seemed nothing would drop on this occasion but he still managed 20 points.
Joe Shepherd showed his inside game is developing well, hitting 13 from 18 and 27 points in total. Callum Battrick, Ed Jones, Theo Bulless, Gianni Kelly, Damien Anderson, Kit behard andTroy Phipps all registered on the scoresheet.
But it was Jack Shepherd who again caught the eye with a season best 20 points as well as 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals.
Stroud Sharks run junior session for 8-16 year olds. Anyone interested should email Ian Shepherd stroudsharks@live.co.uk