The British basketball team makes its debut in TBT, looking to show the skill of the game globally. They are coming off a successful season overseas, and led by a trio of dominant guards, hope to make the Kansas City region theirs and get a nice bonus to their salaries while they’re at it.
One of the most unique teams in the tournament, we could see a Cinderella run, so make this team a must-watch on your TBT viewing list.
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- Marko Backovic (Asst. Coach)
- Owen Norfolk (Asst. Coach)
Nixon, a terrific player at Colorado State from 2015-2018, was equally as good for the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks this season. In 30 games, He averaged 15.8 PPG to go with 4.6 RPG and 3.5 APG. At 6’2, he’s a smaller guard, but uses his size to his advantage, getting into tight spots and leveraging his speed.
He’s an on-the-floor leader, and with the team all being inexperienced, he will be a good shoulder to lean on as they make that adjustment to the style of play.
Chatman played just 12 games for B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, but he was terrific during that time. He averaged 18.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 5.8 APG, and 1.4 SPG. Like Nixon, he is a smaller guard at 6’2, but having him and Nixon in at the same time could create the best backcourt in all of TBT.
The big question is whether Chatman and Nixon can communicate and know their roles. If it becomes “my turn, your turn” basketball, things could get ugly fast. Playing with each other so recently, something that no other team in the tournament can say, could cancel all that out, though, and we can look up and B. Braun Sheffield Sharks are up 20, and the dynamic duo have combined for 40 points.
Team Outlook
This team is loaded with talent. We haven’t even mentioned Ricky McGill, who averaged 16.4 PPG for B. Braun Sheffield Sharks this year. They have decent size, with four guys 6’8 or taller, and bring their coach, Atiba Lyons with them. From a chemistry standpoint, there is no excuse for them not to be the best in that department.
They’ll face DaGuys STL in round 1, a team with TBT experience, but are 0-3 in competitions. If B. Braun Sheffield Sharks can adjust to the TBT quickly, they should make quick work of this team. They’d then have to play Heartfire though, the one seed and champion of the tournament two years ago. This could be a sneaky great game if the Sharks play to their best, and possibly one of the bigger upsets of the tournament.
This is a unique experience because we never see professional teams join TBT. Based on this team’s performance, they might not be the last. Set your alarms, Sheffield fans, you’re not going to want to miss this game in the UK.
