SLB Championship: Sharks blow past Manchester 106–84 with decisive second half

B. Braun Sheffield Sharks turned a one-possession half-time edge into a runaway road win, outscoring Manchester Basketball by 22 after the break to take a 106–84 victory at the National Basketball Performance Center.

Manchester were within three at the interval (49–46), but the game swung sharply in the third quarter as Sheffield’s pressure and transition scoring pushed the lead into double digits (77–62 after three).

Mervin James was the headline performer for the Sharks, posting 19 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 8-of-12 from the floor. The visitors’ ball movement also stood out, with Drake Jeffries and Donovan Clay combining to repeatedly punish rotations as Sheffield’s lead ballooned in the second half.

For Manchester, Marcus Chatman led the scoring with 14 points and added eight assists, but the hosts struggled to contain Sheffield’s wing scoring once the Sharks found rhythm from mid-range and the foul line.

Sheffield also had strong secondary production, with 17 apiece reported for both Nick Kern Jr and Dirk Williams, as the Sharks’ depth and physicality on the glass wore down Manchester late.

Box Score & Splits

• Final: Manchester Basketball 84–106 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks
• By period: Q1 20–26, Q2 26–23, Q3 16–28, Q4 22–29
• Leaders – Manchester: Max Jones 21 PTS / 7 AST / 4 REB
• Leaders – Sheffield: Mervin James 19 PTS / 11 REB (8–13 FG)