Newcastle Eagles made it six wins from their last six fixtures against the Caledonia Gladiators in East Kilbride last night with a superb 90 – 76 road victory. It meant they took their Championship record so far this season to 3 wins and 1 loss as Marc Steutel’s men continue their momentum.

Momentum that came from Friday night’s late home victory against Surrey 89ers and that they were able to carry on with this win despite once again having to do so with a short-handed roster. This time it was Friday’s MVP Cole Long that was unavailable to help Steutel rotate his bench.

Long had been the bright spark in the Eagles offence in the Surrey win with 23 big points. With Captain Darius Defoe and fellow forward Will Neighbour both still out injured Newcastle looked a little light in the front court.

Step forward though the brave eight that were fit and able to play. Especially, once again, with “Money” Mike Okauru leading the way with an excellent shooting performance particularly in the second half to finish as the game’s MVP with 27 points.

At the half it had been De’Sean Allen-Eikens who looked the more likely MVP for Newcastle as he had been the go-ahead scorer that helped his side to a 40 points to 33 half-time lead. It was a lead built on an impressive first quarter effort that the Eagles had taken 24 to 15.

They then held off the troubled Gladiators second period comeback bid. Caledonia eventually sneaking the ten-minute stretch by two points to give the ball game that seven-point differential as the teams headed to the locker rooms.

Coming back on court the third period was an offensive explosion from both sides. Okauru netting 13 points personal for Newcastle in the quarter and receiving great support from Seneca Knight along the way. But it was Caledonia that took the honours by the end of the fast and furious ten minutes.

Taking it by 31 points to 28 after being double figures down overall they had no closed the gap in the game to a mere four points at 64 to 68 and given themselves a real chance at toppling the flying Eagles in the final period.

The home side looked determined and fired up and a Tanner Stuckman triple actually brought them back to within a single point at 67 to 68. However, Newcastle responded with an Okauru free throw, a Malcolm Delpeche deuce and Captain Josh Ward-Hibbert’s triple to stretch their lead to seven.

Gladiators came back to within four points again but two Okauru free throws and then a 2-point driving layup once again stretched Newcastle away from the Gladiators as the game went down the stretch.

Newcastle were now in a relentless determined flow and in no mood to let Caledonia back into the contest with the finishing line in sight. A superb closing final four and a half minutes seeing The Eagles restricting their opponents to only 2 points whilst pouring in 12 of their own.

As the final buzzer sounded it all added up to a well-deserved double-digit win for Marc Steutel and his team who certainly at this moment in time have The Gladiators number. The home side slipping to their 4th consecutive Championship loss to sit at the bottom of the standings.

For Newcastle it was a superb all-round team effort from those that played. They were unsurprisingly out rebounded on the night but took care of the ball much better than Caledonia as well as putting in a much more effective shooting performance than their beleaguered full strength opposition.

The Eagles after a hectic schedule can now have a nine-day rest from games before they have to take to the court in Poland for their next European North Basketball League group game. Precious time that they’ll take to recuperate and refresh and hopefully get one or two injured players back.