The Christmas break has arrived in timely fashion, you sense, for Glasgow Rocks to rejuvenate their spirits ahead of next month's appearance in the BBL Cup final.

Denied the services of their American playmaker JaJuan Smith last night, Sterling Davis' men produced a weary second-half performance at the end of their long bus journey south to Sheffield Sharks and were duly punished, sustaining a 69-55 that left the visitors firmly mired in the joyless hinterland of the British Basketball League's mid-table.

It was as frustrating for the Rocks as it was ugly to view, their lowest scoring tally of the season to date dominated by 15 points from the Great Britain captain Kieron Achara.

Only his fellow Scot Jonny Bunyan, deputising for Smith, reached double figures. The remainder of their starting line-up contrived to miss 21 of their 28 shot attempts, an improbable tally. For a side which leans heavily on its consistency from long-range, this was the stuff of nightmares.

Davis, limiting his own ventures on the court, did observe his players recover from going 8-0 down by pulling out a 15-2 burst to nudge ahead. It was a false rise. Sheffield, bereft of their own point guard BJ Holmes, shrugged off a narrow 34-33 half-time deficit and, led by 17 apiece from Nick Lewis and Olu Babalola, coasted clear.

Nine points in a row at the start of the third period took them speedily out of range. And they eventually accelerated as much as 17 clear with two minutes left as Glasgow were left only to contemplate the prolonged ride home.

Elsewhere, Newcastle Eagles moved four points clear at the top of the standings by blowing out Leeds Force 93-56 for a 13th successive victory while Leicester kept up their pursuit by thrashing lowly Surrey United 85-56.