Newcastle Eagles head coach Marc Steutel new-look squad got valuable court minutes into their legs to start their pre-season against a valiant Newcastle Basketball Development Combine squad last night at the Vertu Arena.

Intended opponents and Super League Basketball (SLB) compatriots Surrey 89ers unfortunately had to withdraw their invitation to be the first side to test Steutel’s 2026/27 roster at the 11th hour creating a gap that needed filling at such short notice.

In the end it was a team brought together from the club’s performance pathway partners, with players from the Newcastle College Eagles Academy’s Elite Academy Basketball League (EABL) team and the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) sides of Newcastle University and Northumbria University.

Led by Eagles Academy coach Anth Reed, assisted by former-Eagle and Northumbria University coach Drew Lasker, the youngsters gave it their best efforts and never let their heads go down, but in the end were no match for their professional opponents.

Steutel was though able to rotate all his available players giving them all significant minutes in this warm-up game, including Jalen Shirley who was announced pre-game. A promising young British guard coming to the UK following time in Canada where he played college ball at the University of British Colombia Okanagan.

Shirley will split his time on Tyneside between the Eagles and Newcastle University, where he will play in British Championship Basketball (BCB) competition for the Newcastle Knights.

Eagles started with new signings Cam Christon, Adam Hamilton, and Tavis Smith alongside returnees Cole Long and Mitch Clarke in a side captained by Josh Ward-Hibbert who is now back to full fitness.

Hamilton was very impressive netting a game-high 27 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Smith had 21 points and 8 assists whilst Christon contributed 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Second top scorer for Newcastle was another new signing Kyle Carey who had 22 points.

There were also double figure contributions from Clarke who added 8 assists to his 15 points and Long who has 11 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Another new Eagle Trevond Barnes had 8 points and 8 rebounds and Ward-Hibbert 8 points and 5 assists. Shirley picking up 2 points.

For the Development Combine side, Newcastle University’s Adam Lukosevicius top scored with 12 points from only a near 12 minutes played while starter and Northumbria University student Ravi Singh finished second-top with 9.

Newcastle College Eagles Academy EABL player Luca Snee score 8 points and grabbed 2 rebounds as he and his teammates gained valuable experience playing at this level.

Statistics aside this game was all about the opportunity for court time and a chance to see both new-look Eagles and some stars of the future, to the delight and appreciation of the hundreds of fans that supported the teams on Sunday afternoon.

It certainly wont be the last fans will see of some of the Development Combine’s line-up with a number of them expected to join the Eagles men’s training roster and continue their progression through the club’s performance pathway.

Steutel will also be bolstering his core roster for this season with a replacement for injured incoming guard Dwayne Cohill expected imminently.

For the Eagles, there will of course be far sterner tests ahead this coming weekend with Caledonia on Friday, September 11th, at the Vertu Arena. Then this Sunday the Sheffield Sharks complete coach Steutel’s pre-season schedule.

For now though, the pre-season is off and running. Tickets for the next two fixtures are available from the box office.