Wolves and Hatters keep rolling, Wildcats, Palatinates and Lions miss out on much-needed wins

In a busy weekend of Super League Basketball action, Oaklands and Sheffield dominated to stay atop the Championship table.

Leicester Riders 82 – 75 Nottingham Wildcats

Mid-table Leicester played hosts to Midlands rivals Nottingham on Saturday, as the game-week tipped off at the Netball Centre.

Nottingham started the game on fire, with Erin Antosh and Jiselle Havas leading the charge. The duo set the tone early, with Antosh’s mid-range shooting and Havas’s playmaking opening up an early advantage. Claire Jacobs also got into the mix, scoring consecutive lay-ups to stretch the Wildcats’ lead.

Leicester, though, responded through Jessica Eadsforth-Yates and Kaia Harrison, who combined to provide some resistance, keeping the deficit manageable. Ashlee Lewis added a couple of timely scores for Nottingham, but the Riders were able to close the gap before the quarter ended, though the Wildcats maintained the lead.

In the second quarter, Nottingham’s offense continued to roll. Jacobs and Antosh were key contributors, building a double-digit lead with some efficient shooting. Abbey Whitehouse added a tough lay-up to extend the Wildcats’ advantage to 14 points at one point.

Leicester, needing a response, got key baskets from Eadsforth-Yates and Harrison to reduce the margin. However, Nottingham closed out the half with Jacobs hitting a crucial basket to give the Wildcats a comfortable lead.

Coming out of the break, Leicester’s intensity picked up. Januszewska found her rhythm and led a charge for the Riders. She was joined by Brooke Bigott, whose three-point shooting helped spark a 13-0 run that gave Leicester their first lead of the game. Nottingham regrouped, with Jacobs hitting a three-pointer to keep her team within striking distance as the third quarter ended with Leicester holding a narrow lead.

In the final quarter, the Wildcats came out determined to regain control, with Antosh scoring from the free-throw line and driving for a lay-up to briefly put Nottingham ahead. However, Januszewska and Sanchez-Czeniecki answered with crucial three-pointers, helping Leicester back into the lead. As the game wore on, the Riders’ defence stepped up, forcing turnovers and converting them into points. Januszewska and Eadsforth-Yates made key baskets, with Leicester managing to weather Nottingham’s late rally.

Nottingham mounted a late push through Antosh and Lewis, but Leicester’s defence and clutch shooting down the stretch proved too much. Despite a strong fight from the Wildcats, Leicester held firm, sealing the win with efficient play and strong team effort.

Most Valuable Player: Katie Januszewska was a standout performer, adding four boards and four dimes to her 24-point scoring performance.

Oaklands Wolves 104 – 74 Essex Rebels

Elsewhere on Saturday, table-topping Oaklands faced off against Essex at the Oaklands College Sportszone.

Oaklands came into the game as firm favourites and they quickly proved why. The Wolves opened with a hot offensive start, with Danielle McCray, Lavinia Da Silva, and Sam Ashby contributing early. McCray found success with mid-range shooting, while Ashby added a pair of lay-ups and a deep jumper. Da Silva also showed her finishing ability, and before long, Oaklands had built a commanding early lead.

Essex fought back with lay-ups from Maria Blazejewski and Lauren Park-Lane, but Da Silva’s quick response with a pair of lay-ups pushed Oaklands’ advantage back up. The Wolves’ offense continued to flow and a strong finish from Ashleigh Rafferty extended the lead to 12 by the end of the first quarter, which the Rebels couldn’t close.

The second quarter saw Essex try to claw back into the game. Park-Lane provided a spark with a lay-up and three free throws, pulling the Rebels within single digits. However, Oaklands responded aggressively. Da Silva and McCray added more points to the board, and despite some long-range success from Blazejewski, Essex struggled to find an answer on the defensive end.

Wolves captain Shanice Beckford-Norton joined the scoring party and further contributions from Ashby and Rafferty built a substantial lead again. By halftime, Oaklands had restored their 12-point advantage and were firmly in control of the game.

In the third quarter, Essex’s efforts to find a rhythm were thwarted by Oaklands’ persistent shooting. Taylor O’Brien made a bright start, but the Wolves quickly answered with McCray and Ashby draining shots from mid-range. As the period continued, Oaklands widened the gap to 19 points thanks to more contributions from Beckford-Norton and Da Silva.

With the Rebels unable to slow the Wolves’ offense, Oaklands extended their lead even further. As the quarter came to a close, Bo Guttormsdottir-Frost nailed a three-pointer, giving Oaklands a massive 27-point lead heading into the final frame.

The momentum carried over into the fourth quarter, with Guttormsdottir-Frost adding another basket to start the period. Despite a valiant effort from O’Brien and Blazejewski, the game was effectively decided. Essex’s mistakes began to pile up as Oaklands capitalised on every opportunity.

Beckford-Norton continued to dominate, earning multiple trips to the free-throw line, while Ashby capped off a stellar individual performance with a run that put the game out of reach. With Oaklands cruising to the finish line, the Wolves wrapped up a 30-point victory, solidifying their dominance from start to finish.

Most Valuable Player: Sam Ashby excelled, scoring 28 points, logging two boards and dishing two assists.

London Lions 72 – 87 Newcastle Eagles

London came into the game week, still on the hunt for the first win of the Championship campaign. To get it, they’d have to get through Newcastle, who arrived at the Barking Abbey School with the goal moving into third place.

Newcastle came into the game as clear frontrunners, but London made a strong statement early on. The Lions jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a pair of jump shots from Iwunze, catching the Eagles off guard. Newcastle responded quickly, with Lauren Saiki hitting a mid-range shot to level the score just a minute later.

Monique Esbrand gave the Lions a brief lead with a driving lay-up, but Jada Guinn answered for the Eagles with a similar play, signaling that the visitors were not going to back down. Shannon Hatch and sharpshooter Macy Spinks then traded baskets, with London managing to stay in front for a few minutes. However, Newcastle’s Kendall Currence brought a scoring punch off the bench, and Saiki’s lay-ups tied the game before giving the Eagles a three-point lead as the first quarter ended.

The second quarter saw London fight back but struggle to maintain momentum. Spinks tied the game early on, but Newcastle responded with three unanswered mid-range shots to retake the lead. Lyric Swann then added a tough lay-up, and Currence pushed the lead to seven with a free throw.

Just when it looked like the game might slip away from the Lions, Elizabeth Esan came off the bench and provided a spark with some crucial baskets. Esbrand also contributed with a couple of lay-ups, but the Eagles were quick to answer. Saiki and Guinn led the charge, pushing the lead to double digits. By halftime, the Lions found themselves down by 14 points, with the game slipping further out of reach.

Esan continued to lead the charge for London at the start of the third quarter, scoring at the line and helping to reignite the Lions’ offense. Zere and Trailin contributed as well, but Newcastle’s defence was resolute. Zoe Willis kept the scoreboard ticking for the Eagles, and Guinn drained a three-pointer, stretching the Eagles’ lead to 20 points. Swann and Hatch continued to pile on the points for Newcastle, and despite Esan’s best efforts to reduce the deficit, the Eagles entered the final quarter leading by 15.

The Lions refused to go down without a fight. Esan came out firing in the fourth quarter, scoring three quick baskets to bring the gap back to 10 points. However, Currence and Hatch responded with pull-up jumpers, maintaining Newcastle’s comfortable lead.

As the game neared its end, the Eagles rebuilt their advantage through lay-ups from Willis and Guinn. London – who commanded the boards throughout – continued to battle, with Zere hitting turnaround jumpers and free throws, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Guinn and Hatch took control for Newcastle, leading a professional display in the final minutes to seal the victory.

When the buzzer sounded, the Eagles had earned a 15-point win, leaving the Lions – who need to address the +20 turnover differential in this one – still searching for their first victory of the season.

Most Valuable Player: Jada Guinn was punishing, recording 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on her way to victory.

B. Braun Sheffield Hatters 93 – 50 Durham Palatinates

Saturday hoops action started at the Canon Medical Arena, when the Palatinates arrived to face off against the high-flying Hatters.

The game began with Nina Krisper putting the hosts on the scoreboard first with a lay-up. Durham quickly responded, with Eliza Brault converting an “and-1” play to push the Palatinates ahead. Marina Fernandez Pardo then added a basket to create a four-point lead for Durham. However, Sheffield fought back through Georgia Gayle and Tyia Singleton, with Singleton hitting a go-ahead three to put the Hatters ahead.

Fernandez Pardo drained a three for Durham, temporarily tying the game, but Sheffield quickly regained control. Emma Gandini added a triple, while Nija Collier hit a couple of mid-range shots to extend the Hatters’ advantage. Sheffield’s offense was firing on all cylinders, and despite more scoring from Fernandez Pardo, the Hatters finished the first quarter ahead by seven points.

In the second quarter, Durham struggled to respond. After an early free throw from Brault, Sheffield began to dominate. Krisper completed a difficult lay-up, Collier scored inside, and Walker added two more lay-ups to push the Hatters’ lead into double digits. Singleton kept up the pressure with another lay-up, further adding to Durham’s woes.

For the final four minutes of the half, Durham went scoreless, as Sheffield went on a 13-0 run to open up a commanding lead. At halftime, the Hatters had built a massive 27-point advantage, and Durham had no answers to Sheffield’s offensive onslaught.

The second half continued in the same vein, with Sheffield extending their lead even further. Lucas provided some early scoring for Durham, but Sheffield responded with relentless offense. Krisper scored a pair of lay-ups, and Singleton added a reverse lay-up to give the Hatters a 32-point lead. Harrison then drained a three to further cement Sheffield’s dominance.

As the third quarter continued, Krisper and Gandini combined for another strong offensive run, and Durham was increasingly frustrated, unable to stop Sheffield’s offensive flow. Brault managed to score a couple of baskets late in the quarter, but Durham still trailed by 34 points heading into the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, Durham’s hopes of mounting a comeback quickly faded. Lucas converted at the free-throw line, but Sheffield continued their impressive run. Gandini and Gayle scored a steady stream of baskets, and Singleton and Collier added lay-ups to push the lead to a staggering 43 points.

The game was won on the boards, where Sheffield dominated, pulling down double the number of rebounds and finishing with 35 more than Durham. As the final buzzer sounded, the Hatters had cruised to a 43-point victory, a dominant performance from start to finish.

Most Valuable Player: Tyia Singleton led the way for Sheffield, recording 19 points, 10 boards and three assists.

Caledonia Gladiators 95 – 75 Manchester Basketball

At the Playsport Arena, Caledonia welcomed Manchester to town. With the teams so close to each other in the Championship table, fans expected an exciting contest.

The game began with a strong start from Caledonia, as Kat Tudor led the charge. She drained shots at the free-throw line and hit from beyond the arc, helping the Gladiators jump out to a 5-0 lead early on. Manchester’s Anastasia Warren responded with a three-pointer of her own, but the Gladiators quickly stretched their lead through lay-ups from Tudor and Kirsty Brown. Tudor then hit twice in quick succession, giving Caledonia a double-digit lead before the first quarter came to a close. Danni Williams offered some resistance for Manchester, but baskets from Domenger and Harris allowed the home team to finish the period ahead by 10.

In the second quarter, Manchester came out with renewed energy. Davida Dale carried the momentum from the first half into the second quarter, while Lauren Thomas-Johnson joined her to make lay-ups, pulling Manchester closer. Caledonia quickly responded, though, as Tea Adams hit a lay-up to maintain their advantage. Delaynie Bryne then added a couple of shots from close range, pushing the Gladiators ahead by 17 points.

Despite the deficit, Manchester mounted a mini comeback. Thomas-Johnson scored six unanswered points, and with lay-ups from Dale and Williams, the visitors managed to reduce the gap to just nine points by halftime, leaving the game very much in the balance.

The third quarter started with a back-and-forth exchange of shots between Manchester’s Williams and Caledonia’s Harris. However, the Gladiators soon took control. Bryne and Harris both scored lay-ups, Tudor attacked the basket aggressively, and Brown capitalized at the free-throw line. The defensive intensity from the Gladiators frustrated Manchester, and Tudor drained a three-pointer to give the home team a commanding 27-point lead.

Though Manchester found some important buckets from Dale and Williams, their efforts weren’t enough to close the gap. Despite their determination, the visitors entered the final quarter trailing by 21 points.

In the fourth quarter, Caledonia shifted into game-management mode. Erin McGarrachan made a solid contribution off the bench, and both teams struggled to find quality scoring opportunities until midway through the period. Despite valiant efforts from Warren and Williams, Manchester couldn’t close the gap. Harris and Domenger continued to score under the basket, while Adams made a decisive drive to seal the win for Caledonia.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Gladiators had earned a 20-point victory, pulling themselves closer to Manchester in the standings. It was a strong team performance from Caledonia, with Tudor, Harris, and Domenger leading the charge offensively, while their defence ensured they maintained control of the game throughout.

Most Valuable Player: Tudor led scoring for Caledonia with 21, while also bringing down four boards.

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