By Jamie Thomas
To lose two players the calibre of Abby Lowe and Ebony Horton the month of a major final isn’t ideal for the Newcastle Eagles, but Chris Bunten’s loss is Lee Davie’s and Vanessa Ellis’ gain, as Lowe and Horton moved on to new challenges with the Durham Palatinates and Sheffield Hatters respectively.
Never one to shy away from the big moments, Abby Lowe certainly didn’t disappoint on her Durham debut as she exploded for a whopping 38 points to lead her new side to a 15-point victory over the Nottingham Wildcats – only the north-east club’s second WBBL Championship win of the season.
We caught up with Lowe, one of British Basketball’s brightest young prospects, recently to discuss her new challenge with the Palatinates!
“I know I am at my best when I am fearless.”
Lowe’s affinity for Newcastle is well-known, as is the Eagles Community’s support for her after she starred in the club’s epic run to the 2021 May Madness Playoff Finals alongside WBBL legend Ali Gorrell, so it will surely have shocked many to see her move away from the Vertu Motors Arena.
The young British talent admitted that deciding to leave Newcastle had been far from easy, but spoke with real excitement about her upcoming challenge with the Palatinates.
“It wasn’t an easy decision for me to leave the Eagles, as I really do love the club, but I am very excited about my move to join Durham – it’s been a breath of fresh air for me, to be honest.
“I have known Lee (Davie) since representing England U15’s and I have always appreciated the support he has given me throughout my basketball journey. He knows how I operate, he knows my game and he puts me in situations on the floor to find success.
“I can see myself helping Durham not only on the defensive end, but also as an offensive threat too. I have been very lucky to have so many different experiences through basketball so far, and what they’ve all shown me is that energy is an underrated difference maker.
“I know that I am at my best when I am fearless and that’s the energy that I want to bring to Durham. If I can help to bring out the best in my new team-mates I will be delighted. The ability level already in place is not reflected by our current league position. We are going to rectify that as a team!”
“I play my best basketball when I’m smiling and happy.”
2021 was a standout year for Lowe, not just for the aforementioned May Madness success but also due to some fantastic experiences with Great Britain Basketball in the world of 3×3.
Despite having less minutes with the Eagles than perhaps many would have expected over recent months, 2021 was great for Lowe and she earned a lot of plaudits for her performances.
“I’m very grateful for the support from people across the league and the British Basketball community, saying nice things about my game and my potential and so on. The trust and support my coach and teammates have shown me in this first week here in Durham are going to be huge factors in my performance and long-term growth.
“I had a great summer playing 3×3, and although it is a totally different game to 5×5, having the experiences with the U23’s and Senior Team, working with and learning from such high-calibre players taught me to be constantly switched on and that every play counts whether in 3×3 or 5×5.
“I play my best basketball when I’m smiling and happy. I promised myself that basketball would always stay fun and that is something I’ve worked hard to stick to. Durham has been a lot of fun so far, and I’m excited to keep the smiles going into this weekend’s derby game.”
“I’m excited for this new chapter … and eager to show what I can do.”
Now that her Durham debut is out of the way, attention turns to the rest of the season and the next test for Lowe and her new teammates is none other than her former club, the Newcastle Eagles themselves.
Reflecting on her time with the Eagles ahead of this weekend’s showdown, Lowe spoke glowingly of the community spirit of the Newcastle club and previewed the upcoming clash.
“What sticks out to me most from my time in Newcastle has to be the Eagles community. From grassroots sports to the central venue league to the hoops4health projects they run in schools, they do so much for Newcastle and it shows by the crowds that come to the games.
“The people are amazing, so loyal to the club and will genuinely do anything for you. I’m so grateful for everyone I met during my time there, but I’m excited for this new chapter with Durham and eager to show what I can do.
“Of course I am excited for the Newcastle game! You couldn’t make it up in terms of timing. I’ve had people messaging me left, right and centre saying they’re coming to the game, but they are all Newcastle fans so hopefully they aren’t too harsh on me! When I left the club Chris (Bunten, Head Coach) told me he couldn’t find minutes for me, so I guess I have a bit of a point to prove there.”