Riders coach expecting Sharks challenge

Leicester play-caller Rob Paternostro is expecting a tough game against Sheffield on Friday, despite the two team’s contrasting recent form.

While the Riders have built momentum on a six game winning streak, the Sharks have fallen to four straight losses, leading to some fan criticism of player-coach Atiba Lyons.

But Paternostro said: “Going to Sheffield is always challenging, they usually shoot the ball very well up there and have many players that can hurt you from many places on the floor.”

“Nate Reinking is a guy that has been making big plays for a long time, and on the interior they have good size and skill in [Justin] Dobbins, Olu [Babalola], and Mike Tuck.”

Riders’ Barry Lamble going into the weekend’s games needing seven more rebounds to hit the 500 mark in BBL Championship games, and he is now only two blocks away from 100.

And Paternostro is delighted with how his team are shaping up in the early weeks of the season.

He said: “I think defence is the key for us, ever since Brett Royster and Drew Sullivan have come on board, our D has been solid. We all know we have a long way to go to get to playing the defence we want to play, but we feel like we have a lot of potential at that end of the floor.