Newcastle Eagles got their Championship campaign underway with a win on the road over Caledonia Pride.
WBBL Championship
Caledonia Pride 74-86 Newcastle Eagles (16-22, 36-51, 57-67)
Newcastle Eagles marked their first appearance under their new moniker with a 86-74 victory on the road against Caledonia Pride.
The side from the North East utilised their experience to hold off an energetic burst from the youthful Pride, taking control of the contest down the stretch to record their first victory of the season.
Leading scorers – Weledji 16, Henderson 15, Millar 10 (Pride); Gandy 26, Bonenberger 21, Ohrdorf 17 (Eagles)
Turning point – An 11-3 run at the start of the second quarter gave the Eagles a double-digit lead and forced the home team to chase the game – for Pride, the deficit proved too big of a hole to climb out from.
Key stat – The Eagles found their way to the free throw line with regularity, attempting 31 shots from the foul line – 20 more than Pride could manage.
Game hero(es) – Stephanie Gandy poured in a team-high 26 points, while Kara Bonenberger recorded a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.