Another tough night in the SLB Championship for Newcastle Eagles down in Manchester led to a sixth successive league defeat as their domestic struggles continue. Indeed, in all competitions Newcastle have only won one game this calendar year against SLB opposition.

Their last Championship win came on 30/12/2025 away at Surrey 89ers by 88-82. Ironically the 89ers are the Eagles’s next opponents in the Championship. They come to the Vertu Arena on Friday night 48 hours after the latest disappointing loss in Manchester.

Manchester had actually defeated Surrey over two-legs in the SLB Cup semi-final at the weekend as well as very recently confirming their qualification for the ENBL play-off rounds with a very good top eight finish.

It was always going to be a tall order for Newcastle to win in Manchester and so it proved. The Eagles conceding over 100 points for the second time in a month at the National Performance Centre. It leaves them with much to ponder going forward.

Head Coach Marc Steutel was not on the bench for the game as he served a one-match disciplinary suspension following an incident at the end of the Bristol home loss last month. Whether his presence would have elevated his team is difficult to say but he was missed.

Assistant Roberto Fois took the reins on the night and in the first half his playcalling followed his Head Coach’s scouting report and plan at least at one end of the court. Steutel had talked about the need to slow Manchester down and play a good defensive performance.

For twenty minutes that’s what the Eagles did. Restricting the home side to only 39 points in the first two quarters. Unfortunately, they could not turn that defensive prowess into effective offence at the other end and only managed 34 of their own.

So, a low scoring first half did not give any clues as to what was about to happen in the second. All that hard defensive effort was completely blown away in the third and fourth quarters as Manchester turned up the heat and simply clipped the Eagles wings in dramatic fashion.

Eagles actually started the game well. After conceding the game’s first basket Maceo Jack netted seven points personal and Deion Hammond tagged on another deuce to put Newcastle 9-2 ahead. They actually increased the gap by another point at 14-6 before Manchester hit back.

Ten unanswered gave the home side their first lead of the night. Jack and the Eagles went back in front by a point at 17-16 but Jordan Johnson came off the bench to significant effect for Manchester. Hitting all seven points in a 7-3 run to end the period giving his side a 23-20 lead.

Manchester were never headed again although Newcastle never let them get away in the second period, the Eagles were denied every time they went close to getting level or going in front. Manchester just about controlling the game and able to take a five-point lead at half-time.

What followed next as the two teams recommenced battle in the third quarter was a complete turnaround of the first two. The home side netted the first five points of the period to give them their first double-digit lead of the night.

Eagles looked in trouble and Manchester looked confident and really turned the screw at that point. A devasting 14-4 run saw them lock down Newcastle as they capitalised on their defence and scored at will at the other end.

During what in the end was probably the game’s decisive run Newcastle were hit with another body blow as point guard Terrell Burden limped off court clutching his hamstring with 4:43 to go in the third and Eagles at that stage only down 51-40. He did not return.

By the end of that third period Eagles had been doubled up on. Only 16 points scored compounded by 32 conceded and at 71-50 down there was never going to be a way back for a side that desperately needs a change in fortunes.

The final ten minutes did see Newcastle have their best offensive return with 29 points, but it wasn’t enough as they failed to stop the Manchester freight train. The in-form home side exploding offensively again to pour in 34 more points and complete a clean sweep of all four quarters.

At the end of the game all 11 players on the Manchester roster had scored points with Jordan Johnson and Pat Smith Jr. particular impressive. Max Jones and Olu Adetukasi, their main support also in double figures.

For Newcastle Maceo Jack was the MVP adding 10 rebounds to his 25 points for an impressive double-double. Deion Hammond his main support with 18 points. Cole Long and Ray’Sean Taylor netting double-digits from the bench.

But it was not enough and if statistics sometimes don’t lie this was the perhaps the night that was true as Manchester won all the categories where it mattered and took a deserved victory. For Newcastle they need to regroup and quickly with the in-form Surrey 89ers up next on Friday night.