The SLB Play-Offs tipped off this weekend, with eight teams vying to advance to the Final on Sunday, 18 May, at the iconic O2 in London.
Oaklands Wolves 74-62 Leicester Riders
Championship winners Oaklands Wolves secured their ticket to the Semi-Finals with a 74-62 victory over a stubborn Leicester Riders outfit in St Albans.
However, despite the win, the champions needed to dig deep in the final period to avoid an early elimination against a well-drilled, prepared Riders team who were determined to keep their adventure going.
Leicester led 57-51 after three quarters of play, and led for the majority of the game up until the fourth. They were decent value for a strong finish as the momentum of the game had swung that way.
But Oaklands woke up from their slumber in the final ten minutes and overpowered the Riders with a 23-5 blowout to take the win and progress.
Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant was a rebound shy of a double-double, going for 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the Wolves to the win. Danielle McCray added 16.
Kaia Harrison led Leicester with 17 points, playing all 40 minutes.
MVP: Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant (Oaklands Wolves)
Newcastle Eagles 90-82 Essex Rebels
Newcastle Eagles edged Essex Rebels in a gruelling battle as recently minted Player of the Month Jada Guinn stood out in a 90-82 win at the Vertu Motors Arena.
The Rebels, though, will feel like this was an opportunity wasted. They enjoyed the lead for large periods of the game and were able to withstand pressure from Newcastle going into the final quarter.
However, the Eagles’ patience was rewarded as they took the lead for good, four minutes into the final period, through Guinn, which was followed by a triple from Shannon Hatch. The Rebels were unable to counter and fell to defeat.
Guinn would end with 24 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists with Kendall Currence hitting 22 to support. Both Guinn and Currence shot over 50% from the field.
Daniella Turner hit 6/7 from the field to lead Essex with 14.
MVP: Jada Guinn (Newcastle Eagles)
B. Braun Sheffield Hatters 94-42 Durham Palatinates
B. Braun Sheffield Hatters made quick work of the Durham Palatinates at the Canon Medical Arena, advancing to the Semi-Finals with a 94-42 shutout.
Only leading 14-13 after the first quarter, the Hatters burst into life in the second, racing to a 43-23 cushion before holding Durham to just 19 second-half points for an easy win.
Tyia Singleton led six Sheffield players in double figures with 18 points on 52% shooting. Singleton eased her way to a double-double by collecting 14 rebounds in her statline.
Eliza Brault led Durham with 12 points, but Durham was hampered all game long, only shooting 20% from the floor.
MVP: Tyia Singleton (B. Braun Sheffield Hatters)
Caledonia Gladiators 90-77 Manchester Basketball
Caledonia Gladiators secured their passage to the last four of the Play-Offs with a 90-77 win against a talented Manchester Basketball side at PlaySport.
A closely-contested first period was pulled apart in the second by Caledonia, as they made the first significant run of the game. A 12-2 run midway through gave the hosts a 41-32 lead.
Manchester did hit back in the early stages of the fourth and even led 69-68 through Maura Fitzpatrick, but without Davida Dale in the lineup, Manchester was unable to launch another meaningful burst to challenge Caledonia.
The Gladiators hit back immediately and finished strong to see out the win. Kat Tudor paced the winners with 20 points, with Danni Williams responding in vain for Manchester with 19.
MVP: Kat Tudor (Caledonia Gladiators)