Sheffield Sharks and the Hatters Carry off Cups 1995

5 March 1995, Sheffield Arena:

Sheffield basketball claimed twin wins in the Sainsbury’s Classic Cola Cup Finals at the Arena last night.

The Shark’s men’s team followed up the Star Hatters sixth successive cup final win with an against the odds 89 – 66 triumph over the Thames Valley Tigers.

The Sharks going in as underdogs, devoured the Thames Valley in one of their best basketball displays of the season.

Sheffield’s England international Roger Huggins was elected Most Valuable player amassing 29 points and 11 rebounds, but it was an brilliant all round team performance that reduced the formidable  Tigers to virtual spectators.

The first five minutes honours were even , but the Sharks went on an 8 – 0 run with a pair of baskets from Garnet Gayle opening up a 18 – 11 lead, Gayle’s three pointer in the ninth minute stretched that lead to 23 – 15, and the Tigers were reeling under the relentless Sharks defence.

 The Sharks continued to apply the pressure and a first half rout was only prevented by Americans Tony Holley and former Los Angeles Laker Steve Bucknell.

The anticipated Tigers second half rally never materialised. It was Sharks Tod Cauthorn who had the first six points of the second half and the Sheffield crowd looked up in bewilderment at the scoreboard which read 48 – 29.

Baskets for Cauthorn, Gayle and the ever present Huggins opened up a 58 – 32 gap, but Tigers pulled back to 64 – 40.

Cauthorn and Huggins continued to dominate both defensive and offensive boards and a 15th minute basket from Finch established a remarkable 79 – 50 lead emphasising  a complete demolition job on the Tigers.

Thames Valley rallied in the last five minutes once Gayle had fouled out, but Sharks were playing out time and sent a real message to those teams who thought their season was crumbling.

Sharks scorers: Huggins 29, Cauthorn 21, Finch 13, Gayle 12