Eagles claim two victories; Hatters make it 11 wins in a row

Super League Basketball championship action resumed with a thrilling six-game slate offering several high-scoring contests.

Several teams continued to hunt down a higher playoff seeding with vital victories over a jam-packed weekend of fixtures.

London Lions 92-100 Newcastle Eagles

The Newcastle Eagles were victorious in their first of two weekend fixtures, as Andrea Daley recorded 35 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists, inspiring her team to an important win over the London Lions.

London’s sharpshooting guard Annika Shah chalked up eight points in around four minutes of play, but Newcastle responded swiftly through Daley as she scored 11 first-quarter points.

Andrea Daley continued her dominance by registering another 10 points to her name, with many of her points coming from lung-bursting runs from her own end of the court. The Eagles created a six-point deficit as the halftime buzzer sounded.

The Lions were in impressive form from deep as they scored six shots from three-point range in the third quarter. However, Newcastle outscored their opponents by two points to ensure their lead remained intact.

Despite both teams being unable to be separated in the final period of play, the Newcastle Eagles managed to retain an eight-point differential to ensure they walked away from the New City College Hackney with the victory.

Player of the Game: Andrea Daley (Newcastle Eagles)

Cardiff Met Archers 56-108 Caledonia Gladiators

It was an offensive performance to remember for the Caledonia Gladiators as they triumphed over the Cardiff Met Archers. Anastasia Warren contributed 24 points, while Brynn Masikewich added 17 points on 7-10 shooting.

Both Masikewich and Tierra Hodges scored six points in the opening quarter to hand the Gladiators an early lead. Cardiff guard Jordan Lewis continued to work Caledonia’s defence, drawing several fouls and recording four points from the line.

Caledonia went on a 9-0 run to start the second period. Anastasia Warren scored eight points as the away team established a 20-point lead at the halftime break.

The Gladiators maintained momentum as Cardiff struggled to find an effective defensive blueprint to contain their opponents. Alexandra McIntosh got in on the scoring frenzy for Caledonia as she contributed five points to her team’s total.

There were few hopes of a comeback in the fourth quarter for the Met Archers, as the Gladiators continued to put points on the board and finished the game with a mammoth 52-point lead.

Player of the Game: Brynn Masikewich (Caledonia Gladiators)

London Lions 77-72 Oaklands Wolves

The London Lions had to wait just two days to avenge their previous defeat with an important victory over playoff rivals, the Oaklands Wolves.

Mya Proctor started the game with an aggressive intent for London, scoring 13 first-quarter points and allowing her team to create an early 10-point lead.

Oaklands responded resiliently, with Shanice Beckford-Norton leading the charge by burying an early shot from deep and chalking up nine points to tie the game up at halftime.

London made several defensive adjustments to contain the Wolves to just 11 points after the break, while putting up 21 points of their own.

Much like the first half, Oaklands came out of the interval brightly to attempt another comeback. Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant’s 10 points were not enough to prevent London from recording a much-needed win.

Newcastle Eagles 59-58 Nottingham Wildcats

Continuing their run of recent good form, the Newcastle Eagles picked up their second win of the weekend by holding off a relentless Nottingham Wildcats team at the Vertu Motors Arena.

A second double-double performance of the weekend of Andrea Daley started with four first-quarter points, while Kalaya Buggs hit two big three-point attempts for the Wildcats.

Nottingham edged the second quarter to take a one-point lead into the halftime break. Johanna Langbehn led the charge for her team with five points.

The ding-dong battle continued as both teams chalked up 17 points and struggled to create a significant separation in the scoreline.

It was all still to play for as the final quarter began. Each time Newcastle thought they had got a handle on the scoreline, Nottingham would respond instantly. Daley scored two clutch free throws with 11 seconds on the clock to give the Eagles a four-point lead. However, Buggs again swiftly struck back with an impressive shot from deep. Newcastle called a late timeout and managed to drain the remainder of the time on the clock to ensure this game ended in a win.

Essex Rebels 96-56 Leicester Riders

A dominant third quarter from the Essex Rebels ensured that the Leicester Riders would not pick up a shock win on the road that could have sparked their season into life.

In a tightly contested first period, Rhema Ogele took over for Essex, scoring seven points and snatching two rebounds, while the home team created a four-point deficit.

It was much of the same in the second quarter as both sides battled for superiority. Both Katie Januszewska and Alexandra Shaw chalked up six points, but Leicester still trailed its opponents by seven.

The Rebels came out of the halftime break refusing to take any prisoners. They dismantled the Riders and won the quarter by an outrageous 33-6 scoreline.

After such a one-sided third quarter, it would have been easy for the Riders to throw in the towel. Much to their credit, they battled on valiantly. However, the damage was already done, and Essex continued their fight to reach a higher position in the championship standings.

Player of the Game: Paige Meyer (Essex Rebels)

Manchester Basketball 82-94 Sheffield Hatters

Manchester Basketball failed to avenge their SLB Cup defeat to the Sheffield Hatters, as they fell to defeat at the National Basketball Performance Centre. George Gayle registered a double-double, scoring 23 points and claiming 10 assists.

Manchester raced into a 6-2 lead with only 50 seconds played in the quarter; both Maaja Bratka and Jori Davis hit their first three-point attempts of the game. However, Sheffield responded through Antionette Lewis, who chalked up seven points and eventually stole the lead.

Sheffield moved the ball more sharply in the second period and began to flex their muscles. Shauna Harrison buried two shots from deep in quick succession for the Hatters to ensure they were the side in ascendency as the halftime buzzer sounded.

The home team sparked a comeback after the break, outscoring the Hatters by six points. Manchester’s Tiarra East recorded six points — four of which came from the free-throw line.

The Hatters’ winning experience shone through during the final period of play, winning the quarter by a score of 25-20.

Player of the Game: Georgia Gayle (Sheffield Hatters)

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