Head Coach Chloe Gaynor and her Newcastle Eagles face a tough test on Sunday afternoon as they take their 100% Women’s Super League Basketball (SLB) record to Scotland and East Kilbride to face the also unbeaten Caledonia Gladiators. The Gladiators having won both of the opening games as well.
Newcastle were expected to beat both Leicester and Nottingham, but they did and in great style to get their season off to a flying start. Caledonia likewise against Essex and London came through with expected wins to set-up a game where something has to give.
If Newcastle are to crack the ‘top four’ position in the standings by the end of the season which is their aim this is a game that they would very much like to win against one of those vying for that placing.
“We performed well in the first halves of both our wins but not so well in the second halves and we’re going to have to be on top form to beat Caledonia,” said Gaynor.
“For us to achieve the goal we want we’re going to have to take a game from one of the perceived top three of which Caledonia are one.”
Gaynor’s team take a trip to face a Gladiators side that are very much in the upper echelons of the SLB.
“We’d love to go there and take a win from them. We saw them in pre-season. That was a tough game and it’s always a tough place to play,” Gaynor added.
“They do a great job of getting a significant number of people there to attend the games. It’s great to play in a place like that.
“We’ve learnt and developed what we want to be working on in the last two games. Caledonia will provide a much more competitive test. We’d love to be up by 20 to 30 points by half-time but that’s unlikely.
“It’s going to be a much closer scoreline and that’s going to test the resilience of our squad. They’re going to punish our mistakes or errors and we can’t fall asleep. That’s where we’re going to learn a lot more about our character and identity.”
Gladiators also started their season on back-to-back wins making the Sunday afternoon clash an important one at the top of the table with four teams, including Caledonia and Newcastle alongside Manchester and Oaklands, all carrying momentum.
The Eagles head coach continued: “Caledonia are very good in transition. They don’t have too many set plays they’re more read and react and have strength in depth. With even their younger players getting significant minutes.
“They have a lot of transition and 3-point threats and whilst they are a relatively new team, they have a players that have played a lot of basketball and recognise the smarts of the game. Our transition defence is going to have to be on point to stop them.
“So, it’s about knowing our personnel knowing where they are at committing to doing what we’re doing and making them uncomfortable. Make sure they aren’t getting the shots they want to get but getting the shots we want them to get.
“Not allowing them to dictate on the defensive end and making sure that we maintain that spread of scoring we’ve seen in our previous two games.”
Tip-off at the Playsport Arena is at 4pm and it could be a game that helps define the season ahead for the Newcastle Eagles.
The game is free to watch live on the Women’s SLB YouTube channel.
