At the end of a pulsating 40 minutes of basketball only one thing really counted. The all-conquering London Lions came into the Vertu Arena for the first leg of the SLB playoff quarter-final and left with an 18-point lead to defend at Crystal Palace on Sunday night.

It means the Lions already SLB Trophy, Cup and Regular Season Champions have at least one foot in the semi-finals of the end of season competition if not more. For the Eagles it looks like Sunday may be the last game of a season that promised much but did not quite deliver.

However, the drama before the game, the way the minutes played out and a special, special moment deep in the final quarter means a largely comfortable win for the visitors will still be remembered fondly by the fanatical Newcastle supporters.

To go into such an important game shorn of quality vital players like Ray’Sean Taylor, Maceo Jack, Deion Hammond, and Terrell Burden Jr. was a massive blow to Newcastle. Lions on the other hands only problem was who to leave out of their star-studded stacked roster.

London were expected to take full advantage of the short-handed Newcastle roster lacking four such big hitters, but it was far from that as the game got underway. Both sides attacked but even more so both sides brought a real defensive intensity to their games in a white-hot atmosphere.

Eagles prompted by the excellent Mitch Clarke more than held their own against their illustrious opposition. Clarke getting to the free throw line often early on and young guns Manny Kanwei and Sauver Kande knocking down shots as well.

Newcastle led 5-2 but Lions looked like establishing themselves from their and went seven-up. Josh Ward-Hibbert though led a Newcastle comeback which saw the hosts net eight unanswered points to take the lead at 17-16 on a Gus Okafor triple.

It looked like Eagles would take the period, but GB International Dean Williams came off the bench to nail a triple right at the end giving the visitors the first quarter 21-19. Eagles though had shown great spirit but were hit in the second period by London’s defensive DNA.

The period was to prove decisive in the final reckoning as Lions locked down Newcastle only allowing them 11-points in the quarter whilst through the likes of Chaundee Brown Jr. and Kameron McGusty netting 27-points of their own.

It meant that when the half-time buzzer went London had a real stranglehold on the game with an 18-point lead at 48-30 as the team’s headed for the locker rooms. It looked ominous for Eagles with twenty big more minutes to come.

That it didn’t prove to be that as the second half unfolded was testament to the pride and purpose all of Head Coach Marc Steutel’s showed and exuded. Time and time again London looked like pulling away. But Eagles resisted and continued to fight for every ball on every possession.

Clarke, Kanwei, Okafor and Kande continued to battle and score with Cole Long who had been scoreless in the first half also finally joining the party. It meant that although Eagles could not cut the gap, they also did not let London run away from them.

London were though dominant on the boards more than doubling Newcastle’s tally during the game. Running a fluid 10-man roster as well saw them dish out assists as their team play held strong enough to just give them the period 23-20 and a 71-50 lead to take into the final quarter.

Once again though Eagles rallied. Clarke continually driving them on. Ward-Hibbert playing crucial defence and those around these two giving great support. It meant that London were stifled and could not get further away from their gritty dogged hosts.

Then with two minutes forty-seven seconds left on the clock there was a truly magical memorable and emotional moment. Eagles had gone down by twenty points but were in the middle of an 8-0 run when Steutel introduced Darius Defoe into the game.

The 41-year-old veteran of 22 seasons and over 1,000 games for the Eagles coming on to a standing ovation for almost certainly his last ever competitive action in the black and white. Defoe even managing to grab a rebound before returning emotionally to the bench.

Rapturous applause accompanied him every step of the way and deservedly so. The adopted Geordie forward has dedicated his professional playing career to being a one-club man. Something that never happens in basketball or indeed virtually any sport.

He will take a legacy of winning 28 National titles in his 22 seasons and bow out not just a legend of Eagles basketball but indeed top-flight British basketball. It was an incredible gesture for Steutel to put him on court in such a prestigious game.

It also inspired Newcastle for a while as that eight-point run actually cut London’s lead to 14-points as Eagles threatened to give themselves a real chance down in Crystal Palace on Sunday night. It was not to be though as London finished the stronger to take an 18-point advantage home.

Seven games and seven defeats now for Newcastle against this EuroCup opponent. Morale victories are not something that count but to play three of the four quarters so close with such a short-handed roster was some achievement. Only that second quarter letting Newcastle down.

With the scores level before the tie commenced it looked a tough task for Newcastle. Having so many players unavailable increased that degree of difficulty. Forty minutes later and with forty minutes to go they need virtually a miracle to turn things around on Sunday.

But what Eagles fans saw and appreciated with great support is that this is a team that will give their all and they will go to London for that second leg looking to do exactly the same. It is just a question of which way the ball which is very much in Lions court will bounce and roll.

Sunday’s second leg tip-off at 7pm and is free to watch live on DAZN.