Head Coach Chloe Gaynor’s Newcastle Eagles got their Super League Basketball Championship campaign off to a winning start with a great road victory at Leicester Riders on Sunday night. The 91 – 70 margin of victory in truth could have been wider but in the end was a good opening win.

One suspects that had Gaynor been offered a 21-point win before the first ball was tipped, she probably would have shook hands on the deal and walked away. But after the powerful first half display her side put in, she may well be a little bit disappointed at the end result.

Not that you should ever be disappointed with a W which is after all a tick in the right column. Just after dominating the first two periods the Eagles did allow Leicester to win the last two periods which took a little of the gloss off the performance.

Polly Storie was unavailable for the game through injury and Natalie Cernohorska continues to rehab from last season’s injury and is not yet ready to return. It meant an 8-player rotation for Gaynor. That eight including Gemma Campbell making her SLB senior debut and Grace Rae.

Rae who was with the side for the majority of last season only played limited minutes in the last campaign. The Sport Newcastle Rising Star Award winner is looking to cement more minutes this season and justify Gaynor’s faith in her talent.

The other player coming off the bench was Alex Campbell who Gaynor has named as Captain of her squad. A big ask for the still relatively young player but a show of how much Gaynor believes her experience of the Club and the SLB can help those around her.

It meant a starting five of the four import USA players Nala Williams, Jaykala Johnson, Raven Thompson and Cordasia Harris alongside Maddy Hinton who thankfully was cleared to play after fears that her paperwork would not be completed in time.

The starters all proved their worth especially in that first twenty minutes and were given good support from the Brits on the bench. All five starters ending the game in double figures as did Captain Campbell from the bench.

Leicester led 1 – 0 and 3 – 2 early on but the first big Eagles run of 14-unanswered points started by a Williams triple and some incisive scoring from Hinton, Thompson and Johnson saw them forge in to a lead they never relinquished thereafter ending the first period 27 – 14 ahead.

The second period was even better. An early 9 – 0 burst seeing the Eagles lead soar to 19 points. They then produced their best defensive stand not allowing Leicester to score in the final 4:39 of the half. Netting 11 points of their own it meant a 54 – 27 lead at the half-time buzzer.

Twenty-seven in front as the teams headed for the locker rooms meant that perhaps the job was done? It looked that way when two Williams free throws took the lead to 29-points at 56 – 27 as the third quarter opened. That was the high point and biggest lead of the game for the Eagles.

But Leicester did hit back and a 12 – 0 run got them back in the game before an Alex Campbell free throw and two from Hinton stopped the rot. Riders though were getting looks that Newcastle had not allowed in the first twenty minutes and increasing in confidence.

It all added up to them taking the third by three points, but they were still 24 down on the night and Eagles were still very much in the driving seat. Gaynor’s side though did ease off again in the final ten minutes and cruised through rather than putting their foot down.

It meant Riders also took the fourth quarter by three points to make a comfortable 21-point win for Newcastle seem as though it was a lot closer when in reality it was not and they came away from Leicester with a comfortable well-deserved win to start their campaign.

The team was led in scoring by Hinton who had 20-points adding in 6 rebounds and 4 assists for a tenacious MVP performance. Williams not far behind with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals. Johnson had 15 points 5 rebounds and 4 assists in support.

Thompson was also in double figures with 13 points adding in 7 rebounds and 5 assists whilst Cordasia Harris had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Captain Alex Campbell adding 10 points from the bench to be the sixth Eagle in double figures.

A spread of scoring and associated statistics that suggest that this season’s Eagles side may well be on that shares the load perhaps a bit more than in previous seasons. Time of course will tell on that thought.

Gaynor will no doubt assess and analyse the game with her coaching staff and the players this week in practice as they prepare for their home opener next Sunday in the Vertu Arena at 5pm against Nottingham Wildcats. Tickets are available from the box office .