Big Win Propels Hawks into Second

The West Yorkshire Hawks delivered a statement performance on Saturday, securing a 72-53 win over the Sheffield Sharks. Entering the contest one spot behind the Sharks in 3rd place, the Hawks used the win to leapfrog their rivals into 2nd place in the league standings.

The game opened with both teams locked in, trading buckets in a tightly contested first few minutes. However, the Hawks found their rhythm midway through the first quarter, establishing control and building a six-point cushion to close the period.

The second quarter saw the Hawks flex their offensive firepower and defensive tenacity. Holding the Sharks to just 10 points in the period, the Hawks poured in the points to extend their lead to 38-22 at halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Sharks showed why they’ve been a top contender this season. Behind an incredible scoring run, they cut the deficit to just five points by the end of the third quarter. The momentum carried into the early stages of the fourth, where the Sharks managed to make it a one-possession game.

But when it mattered most, the Hawks responded. Regaining their composure, they locked down defensively and held the Sharks to a mere seven points in the final quarter while closing the game out with authority.

Dave Walsh led the scoring effort with 20 points, while Jermayne Laing and Ethan Rose each added 10. Head coach Danny Byrne praised the team’s resilience and ability to respond under pressure saying “Pretty easy to sum that game up—three good quarters and one absolutely shocking one. It’s a big win for us, and I’m proud of how the guys showed resilience and got the job done in the 4th.”

With the win, the Hawks now enter a brief holiday break before returning to action on Saturday 4th January, when they travel to Manchester to face the Swarm.