It was a winner-take-all SLB Betty Codona Trophy Group game in The Vertu Arena on Sunday evening. Simply put the winners of the game would advance to the semi-final stage and the losers would be out. The pace, tenacity, commitment and endeavour of both side’s showed that and more.

In what was a fantastic advert for senior Women’s top-flight basketball in the UK it was the Scots that knocked out the English after a titanic intense contest that saw no quarter asked nor conceded. A quality game of basketball that confirmed both sides as ones to watch this season.

For Caledonia it furthers their chances of holding on to a Trophy they won at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena in January of this year against Oaklands Wolves. For The Eagles it’s reflection, education and time to get ready for The SLB Championship season which is coming soon.

Eagles despite sorting out all their visa and paperwork issues to give them an opportunity to run their full roster for the first time were still a player down. Co-Captain Jada Dapaa picking up an injury in training to keep her out for the second game in a row.

A bitter pill to swallow as everyone had been looking to the match-up between Dapaa and former Eagle Tierra Hodges who returned to Newcastle for the first time since her move to Caledonia. Hodges captaining a full Gladiators roster and receiving a warm reception from the Eagles fans.

Its always difficult to return to a former Club where you made such a mark and push sentiment to one side. But Hodges did so with a MVP performance of 17 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists to help see The Gladiators through to that semi-final stage.

Hodges had good support from Hannah Robb who came off the bench to tremendous effect nailing four triples as she contributed 14 points before fouling out of the game. Maura Fitzpatrick had 12 points and Brynn Masikewich contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds for the winning visitors.

Eagles meanwhile had the games top scorer in the impressive Maria Mongomo who knocked down five triples on her way to 21 points, another double-double of 15 points, 10 rebounds from Andrea Daley, 12 points from Alyssa Marin and 10 points from Sarah Wells being the double-digit support.

Newcastle came out firing after conceding the first two points of the game to Masikewich. Mongomo hit her first tripe in reply as the Eagles ripped off the next eight points to take an early six-point advantage.

Head Coach Chloe Gaynor’s girls kept driving hard and in the first ten-minute period earned themselves 14 shots from the free-throw line netting 12 successfully enabling them to see out a breathless opening quarter 19 to 14 in front.

Mongomo already had eight points which included a second triple and Wells six points all from the charity stripe. It showed the level of commitment from an Eagles side that were not taking a backward step at all.

But this is a heavily invested in Caledonia roster and they began to show their depth in the second half period with Robb coming off the bench to net 3 triples and 11 points personal and Anastasia Warren netting nine points they took another frenetic period by 26 points to 22 points.

It meant they were only a single point down at 41 to 40 as the sides headed for the locker rooms. Eagles’ Mongomo ending the half with 16 points and Daley 11 after an 8-point haul in the second quarter.

The half-time scoreline reflecting the standard and closeness of two teams who were matching each other step-by-step and blow for blow. Half-time probably coming as a relief for both sides after the efforts they had put in.

The third period saw Gladiators edge in front as they did a good job defensively on Mongomo and Daley in particular slowing down Newcastle’s two main threats on the evening and restricting the home side to a mere 13 points in the period whilst netting 18 of their own to take the lead.

Still Newcastle battled but with no real support from their bench they relied entirely on their starters for points. It was not enough. Robb contributing all of her points from a bench that had twenty in all in what was a second half where defences were on top.

It meant down the stretch that the Gladiators were always just about in control of the situation and able to rotate their roster effectively whilst Newcastle just ran out of steam in those closing stages. Had Dapaa played perhaps it might have tipped the balance Eagles way but that is conjecture.

Eagles in the main did a fine job on the night but too many turnovers at crucial times and missed baskets when they needed one were their downfall. In the end Caledonia took the spoils and rewards  on a night when Hodges enjoyed her return to her old stomping ground.