Leicester earn playoff-spot, Cardiff fall short and London finish winless in final week of Championship action

With attention turning to the Playoffs, teams jostled for postseason position in a busy slate.

Essex Rebels 83 – 91 B. Braun Sheffield Hatters (23/04/2025)

The Rebels played host to second-placed Sheffield on Wednesday, with both teams looking to create momentum heading into the playoffs. 

The Hatters made the brighter start, with Emma Gandini and Tyia Singleton converting at the line to create an early advantage. Maria Blazejewski and Taylor O’Brien drove aggressively to push back for Essex, but Sheffield remained in control. Nina Krisper found easy looks from close range, moving her team ahead by seven. 

The teams went back and forth for the remainder of the opening period and Sheffield opened up a nine-point lead. However, at the end of the quarter, Essex trailed by just five.

O’Brien and Lauren Park-Lane scored lay-ups to close the gap, when the second quarter began. Singleton and Gandini combined to widen the gap to double-digits. Gandini soon put the visitors ahead by 15, but Essex pushed back, scoring by committee to chip away at the deficit. When the teams left for the locker rooms, it was a 10-point contest.

O’Brien came out for the second quarter on a mission, scoring three consecutive buckets to make it a three-point game. Essex then exploded for an 11-point run, leapfrogging the Hatters with tremendous offence, while the visitors struggled with turnovers and poor shot selection.

Sheffield pushed back with Krisper leading the way, but when O’Brien hit from downtown at the end of the period, the Rebels led by four.

The away team needed a lift and they found one, through Krisper and Georgia Gayle, who shot from inside and out to pull closer. When Gayle hit a pair on consecutive possessions, the Hatters were ahead. 

Despite pushback from O’Brien, the Sheffield run couldn’t be stopped. Gandini let it fly from downtown, while Krisper drove relentlessly, extended the differential to double-figures with five minutes remaining. 

Singleton opened up a 15-point lead with a lay-up, but Essex answered with another run led by Park-Lane and Blazejewski. It was too little, too late however, Gayle converted a lay-up in the final minute and at the end of the game, Sheffield had secured an eight-point victory.

Most Valuable Player: Nina Krisper dominated for the Hatters, recording 26 points, 14 rebounds and an assist.

Cardiff Met Archers 58 – 76 Caledonia Gladiators (26/04/2025)

With the Playoffs round the corner, Cardiff entered their game against Caledonia at Archer Arena with the hope of earning the eighth spot. To do so, they’d have to face a strong Gladiators team, jostling for the fourth seed. 

Delaying Bryne and Kat Tudor got Caledonia off to a great start, setting the tone with an early lead. It didn’t take long for Kiara Stewart to tie the game with a triple, before charging for a four-point Cardiff advantage – their best of the contest. 

Erin McGarrachan fought back for the Gladiators, scoring consecutive lay-ups pull her team back, then Tudor levelled the playing field with a three and finished the opening quarter tied at 20. 

Mathilde Domenger stepped up from the bench as the second period began to put Caledonia ahead temporarily. Connie Clark hit back for Cardiff to tie, then Abigail Yunker created a fresh lead for the hosts. A game of cat-and-mouse then unfolded, with the Glad’s catching the Archers whenever they pulled away.

Eventually McGarrachan bolstered Caledonia’s second unit’s contribution further, putting her team ahead for what would be the final time in the contest. Bryne ended the half with a free-throw and as the teams split for the break, the road team led by seven.

Clark opened second half scoring for Cardiff, attempting to claw the Archers back into contention and keep their playoff hopes alive. Tea Adams pushed back with three-point accuracy and cool free-throw shooting, opening up a double-digit differential. 

Just when things were getting out of hand, Stewart added a scoring punch for the hosts, pulling them to within six, heading into the final frame. 

Caledonia reignited the Glad’s offence as the fourth began, hitting a pair of lay-ups to widen the margin. After a couple of baskets, Cardiff’s offence totally froze. Scoring their final basket with six minutes left on the clock, they were punished down the stretch. 

When Harris scored in the final seconds, the Glads completed an 18-point victory, bringing Cardiff’s season to an end.

Most Valuable Player: Tea Adams stood out for Caledonia, adding three boards and five assists to a 14-point scoring display.

Oaklands Wolves 88 – 64 Leicester Riders (26/04/2025)

The recently-crowned Wolves came into the final game-week looking to further cement their emphatic title win. To do so, they’d have to defeat a Riders team, fresh from snatching the eighth seed.

With the teams now due to face each other in the first round, this may have served as a preview for next week. As the game started, the forecast wasn’t great for Leicester. Lavinia Da Silva  and Sam Ashby drained triples to open scoring, as the Wolves got off to a characteristically confident start.

Katie Januszewska answered back for Leicester, but their offence then became stagnant. Oaklands hurt them on the other end of the floor and at the end of the first quarter, they led by four.

Ashby came out flying for the second, completing an ‘and-1’ play to get the Wolves rolling again. Shaeylynne Sanchez-Czerniecki offered some resistance with a lay-up, but back came the hosts through Terri Battle, who hit a pair of lay-ups to extend the advantage to double-figures. 

Danielle McCray got involved heading into half-time, hitting multiple shots to keep Oaklands on top. When she hit from mid-range, she took a 15-point lead into the break. 

Shahd Aboud and Brooke Bigott let it fly from beyond the arc as the teams returned for the second half, pulling Leicester back into the game. However, Abigail Raffety and Da Silva then scored from close range to bolster the Wolves lead. Rafferty was the hot hand, as she made more shots to pile in the points, as the Riders fell behind. 

McCray and Battle combined as the quarter developed, putting together a strong offensive sequence to put the contest beyond Leicester’s reach. Ashby then hit a triple, making it a 20-point game. Harrison lessened the deficit and heading into the fourth, the visitors trailed by 18. 

The teams traded buckets as the fourth quarter began, but Oaklands broke away again. Rafferty combined with Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant to widen the gap, as this one started to get out of hand. When Rafferty finished a difficult lay-up, they’d made it a 28-point runaway. 

Bigott and Harrison plugged away for Leicester, but it was too little, too late. The Wolves had taken care of business, by scoring as a unit down the stretch. When the buzzer sounded, the hosts had issued a warning sign to Leicester ahead of their play-off match-up, winning by 24. 

Most Valuable Player: Abigail Rafferty came off the bench to record 13 points, six boards and two dishes.

Newcastle Eagles 97 – 83 Manchester Basketball (26/04/2025)

Manchester arrived at Vertu Motors Arena in the hope of taking the 4th seed from Caledonia. They’d have to overcome third-placed Newcastle, looking to create momentum heading into the postseason. 

The Eagles came out flying from tip-off. Jada Guinn and Kendall Currence began what would be two tremendous individual displays, catapulting the hosts to an early lead. Manchester pushed back momentarily, but an ‘and-1’ play from Guinn edged Newcastle further ahead.

Danni Williams pulled down multiple boards and shot well at the line to pull the visitors back into the contest, before Hannah Shaw laid it in to snatch the lead away from Newcastle. 

It didn’t take too long for Guinn to finish a tough lay-up to retake the advantage however, and when Currence did the same, Newcastle finished the opening quarter up by three.

Currence continued to shoot well coming into the second instalment, edging the Eagles ahead continuously. Anastasia Warren hit back with a pair of lay-ups for the visitors, but Shannon Hatch hit back with consecutive mid-range jumpers. Guinn then took the baton to keep the hosts in front. 

Guinn and Hatch scored steadily throughout the rest of the half, which they finished with a nine-point lead. 

Warren and Williams scored from inside and out respectively, pulling Manchester closer. Hatch came back swinging with a pair of jumpers, establishing a double-digit differential. However, when most needed, Warren spearheaded an 11-0 run for Manchester, moving to within a single point. 

The teams traded buckets for a few minutes, until Williams drove for a tough lay-up, finally putting Manchester on top. Newcastle depending on the reliable trio of Currence, Guinn and Hatch to see out the quarter, heading into the final period with a six-point lead.

Williams and Fitzpatrick clawed back with a couple of lay-ups, but Guinn and Currence earned trips to the line to widen the margin. Hatch then reached into her bag, scoring in a multitude of ways to put the contest beyond reach for a tiring Manchester team. 

When Guinn cooly converted at the stripe, Newcastle completed a 14-point victory and finished the regular season on a positive note.

Most Valuable Player: While noting Danni Williams enormous 30, 18 & 4 performance, Jada Guinn earned a win alongside her dominant individual display. She added seven boards and seven dimes to her 28 points scoring display. 

B. Braun Sheffield Hatters 81 – 79  Essex Rebels (27/04/2025)

Second-placed Sheffield may have missed out on a Championship title, but they will still be considered contenders in the playoffs. For that reason, Essex arrived at the Canon Medical Arena with a tough contest ahead of them on Sunday night.

Tyia Singleton opened scoring for Sheffield, sparking off a strong performance to get the hosts rolling. Essex immediately hit back with Lauren Park-Lane splashing from downtown to snatch the lead immediately. 

Singleton and Taylor O’Brien then swapped buckets for a few minutes, exchanging leads in doing so. Shauna Harrison and Nina Krisper then made lay-ups to move the Hatters forward yet again. Blazejewski tied the game from close range, then made four free-throws in a minute, finishing the opening quarter with the Rebels ahead by four. 

Coming into the second, Singleton caught fire, making consecutive shots to move closer, O’Brien resisted for Essex with a mid-range jumper. Emma Gandini hit a pair to respond, earning a lead yet again. Shauna Harrison then put together a strong offensive sequence, bolstering the Hatters advantage to seven, as the teams broke for half-time. 

O’Brien, Blazejewski and Park-Lane rallied for Essex, driving aggressively to spark a comeback. After less than two minutes into the half, the game was tied. 

The hosts hit back with an 8-0 run, punishing Rebels’ turnovers in transition and widening the gap to eight. Another scoring surge from Essex drew it closer, eventually tying through a Blazejewski triple. Taylor Willis then sank a three, earning a three-point lead, moving into the last period.

Singleton and Krisper scored quick lay-ups to start the fourth, but they were met with a lead-taking three from Park-Lane. Georgia Gayle enjoyed an ‘and-1’ play, making it a one-point game in Sheffield’s favour. 

Gandini edged ahead, despite Essex’s continued efforts to draw level. Singleton and Gayle made a couple of lay-ups, widening the gap again. The teams then traded baskets, until Turner nailed a three to tie the game yet again, with just under two minutes remaining. 

Brooke Flowers split a pair from the stripe, earning a slim and temporary lead. A Gayle lay-in and two Singleton free-throws grew the difference, negating a late floater from O’Brien. When all was said and done, Sheffield had earned a two-point victory. 

Most Valuable Player: Tyia Singleton impressed greatly, recording 21 points, 12 rebounds and two assists to finish the season.

Durham Palatinates 73 – 75  Newcastle Eagles (27/04/2025)

On the second day of a back-to-back, Newcastle arrived at the Sports and Wellbeing Park on Sunday to take on the Palatinates, with nothing on the line but pride and end-of-season momentum.

Resting key players from the night before, Newcastle still made the brighter start, pushing out to an early lead with deep jumpers. When Abby Lowe finished a tough lay-up and followed up with a trip to the line, she put the Eagles up by eight.

Eliza Brault and Sarah Wells combined for a strong offensive sequence to draw Durham closer, but Lyric Swann stepped up from Newcastle’s bench with multiple close-range makes, finishing the first period up by seven. 

Orieoma Chukwu-Etu came out for the second aggressively, adding an additional scoring punch for the Palatinates. However, the visitors called upon their loaded bench and Shannon Hatch delivered, hitting from downtown to bolster the lead.

Durham refused to fall further behind however, Shanique Lucas scored multiple buckets and the hosts made it a two-point game. Kendall Currence and Jada Guinn pulled up from mid-range, edging Newcastle ahead, but a minute later, Brault laid it in to snatch the lead for Durham. 

Lucas and Swann exchanged makes for the remainder of the half, which ended with the Palatinates ahead by two. 

Marina Fernandez Pardo hit a triple to widen the gap as the second half began, following up a minute later with another – Durham were on top by seven. Despite the efforts of Currence on the other end, Durham stayed in control. Brault splashed another from deep, creating the home team’s biggest lead of the game, up by eight. 

To begin the fourth, Currence got Newcastle going with a contested jumper. Lowe then drove to the cup and Hatch let it fly from beyond the arc, bringing the Eagles to within three. Hatch nailed one of her own and this one was tied. 

Fernandez Pardo and Lowe went blow-for-blow, as Newcastle played chase and Durham edged ahead gradually. When it came to the final minute, the hosts missed multiple lay-ups, providing the Eagles a route to victory. When Currence hit a smooth jumper, her team led with less than a minute on the clock.

Lauren Saiki finished at the line to make it a three-point game, but Wells stepped up and hit a tough three to tie the game at 73, with just five seconds remaining. Game on. 

As the clock ran down, Currence found her spot, attempted a turnaround jumper as the air left the building. Bang. Newcastle secured the two-point victory and finished the season with a huge play. 

Most Valuable Player: Kendall Currence led Newcastle’s second unit, recording 16 points and nine rebounds, as well as hitting the game winning shot. 

Nottingham Wildcats 95 – 76  London Lions (27/04/2025)

Down at the bottom of the league, two teams with no chance at playoff basketball faced off in their final games of the season. Nottingham aimed to extend the gap between the teams, while London simply want their first and last win of the year. 

Coming into the game as favourites, Nottingham made the stronger start. Erin Antosh and Jiselle Havas combined to open the scoring with an 11-0 run, with a shellshocked Lions team yet to score after three minutes. 

Chinwe Iwunze hit back for London, spearheading a 7-0 run of their own. Monique Esbrand nailed a three to pull closer, but Alina Kay Riley answered with a triple of her own, before Havas laid it in to make it a nine-point contest.

Though Riley extended the lead to double-digits, the quarter finished with London still down by nine. 

Havas came out flying for the second, scoring a pair of consecutive threes to pull ahead by 15. A few minutes later, Lewis drove for three easy looks, pulling away by 17, despite Iwunze’s efforts on the other end. 

Havas scored steadily for the rest of the half, but Zere hit two buckets to slim the margin. When the teams split for the locker room, Nottingham were on top by 14.

Antosh and Lewis earned trips to the line to carry the momentum over for the Wildcats. Elizabeth Esan offered some resistance for London, scoring on three possessions in a row to give her team a fighting chance. She then hit from mid-range and enjoyed a trip to the stripe, moving the Lions to within four.

Though Esan kept plugging away, Nottingham leant on Lewis, who did enough near the end of the third to take a seven-point lead into the final frame.

London ran out of gas in the fourth. Lewis and Havas drove relentlessly to rebuild the Nottingham advantage to double-figures. When the Lions went scoreless for over five minutes, this one slipped from beyond their reach. Antosh and Riley scored key buckets down the stretch and when the buzzer sounded, the hosts had won by 19, earning their fourth win of the year and leaving their opponents without a point in the entire campaign.

Most Valuable Player: Jiselle Havas did it all, adding seven rebound and 12 dimes to her 23 points in an impressive double-double.

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