Basketball: Sharks take advantage

NOW basketball really can say it is rivalling soccer. Last night's thrilling, foul-ridden game in the Championship Northern Conference hinged on a decision by a referee. With two minutes and 59 seconds on the clock, the Thunderdome was rocking and Sheffield were reeling 87-83 down when referee Rob Iliffe called a fault foul on Derby's Darrian Evans then threw him out on a technical.

Turrell Myers and Todd Cauthorn scored all four free throws to tie the scores and when they were also handed the next possession Cauthorn hit a three-pointer.

Sheffield never trailed again scoring their last 10 points from the foul line to win 100-93 and draw joint top of the Northern Conference with Derby.

Before the game the crowd rose to Derby's Tim Lascelles, who became the first player in English basketball to play 400 games for the same club.

In the second half the shooting of Jerrell Bowman threatened to keep the game tantalisingly out of Sheffield's reach until Iliffe intervened.