The Chris Finch Era Begins 1997/98

Following the appointment of Chris Finch as Head Coach, he brought in John Belk and Brian Aldred on the coaching staff as Assistants'. Finch was keen to put his own stamp on the roster, assembling a squad that featured:

• Iain McKinney

• Adrian Anderson

• Mike Payne

• Deon Hames

• Terrell Myers

• Mark Robinson

• Todd Cauthorn

• Richard Windle

• Nick Savage

• Wilbur Johnson

• John Amaechi (added to the squad in December 1997)

The Sharks fell short in their bid to reach a fourth consecutive BBL Cup Final, suffering a narrow 69–66 defeat to the Leicester Riders in the quarter-finals.

However, success would come in the Uniball Trophy Final at Birmingham’s NEC Arena, where the Sharks faced league leaders London Towers. In a tightly contested game, former NBA player John Amaechi delivered a dominant performance with 40 points and 16 rebounds.

The defining moment came late in the game following a timeout called by Coach Finch. Season debutant Terrell Myers reportedly told Finch, “Give me the ball and I’ll win you the game.” True to his word, Myers drained the game-winning three-pointer with just five seconds remaining, sealing an 82–79 victory for the Sharks.

Despite the Trophy triumph, the Sharks’ season faded afterwards. They eventually finished fourth in the league before being eliminated in the Play-Off Quarter-Finals, losing both legs to the Thames Valley Tigers.