A brutal schedule caught up with a Newcastle Eagles team running on fumes as Manchester Basketball strengthened their bid for a top four finish.

A third game in four days was 40 minutes too far for a side that had been beaten in a bruising European North Basketball League final just 48 hours earlier.

But the fixture list doesn’t get any kinder for injury-hit Newcastle with Sunday’s trip to Sheffield Sharks looming large.

Only the most optimistic of homecourt fans could have hoped for a full-blooded Eagles performance so soon after a physically and emotionally draining trip to Slovakia.

And sure enough fatigue played a major part in a below-par display punctuated by uncharacteristic errors and missed opportunities.

The men in black shot just 31 per cent from the field — converting only six of 31 from beyond the arc.

But it was under the boards where the tired hosts looked at their most vulnerable with Manchester outrebounding the 2025 SLB Trophy winners 51-34.

Herman Mandole’s men cleaned up at the offensive end to grab 23 second chance points.

And with Seneca Knight side-lined in a protective boot, Marc Steutel’s men were never able to mount a serious challenge to the resurgent visitors.

Newcastle big Will Neighbour was handed a rare start against a Manchester side boasting significant inside power in the shape of Jonas Zohore, Donovan Mitchell and Zak Irvin.

But Knight’s absence robbed the Eagles of critical energy at both ends of the court as Mandole’s men were able to exploit wide open spaces from the tip.

The hosts’ trademark press and sharp transition lacked its usual bite with Steutel trying every combination possible off the bench to get things going.

The frustrated Vertu Motors Arena faithful could hardly fault the effort of a team that had been afforded no time to recover from a shattering ENBL final defeat.

But in the unforgiving battle that is the fight for a top four Championship finish, Newcastle needed to bring their A-game against high-flying Manchester.

The visitors sensed an opportunity early on and cruised into a 16-point lead at the half.

Dangermen Makai Ashton-Langford and Cody John both made early contributions but coach Mandole took the chance to run a 12-strong rotation.

All 12 Manchester players picked up points as the SLB’s form team edged all four quarters.

And for long periods the Eagles were left chasing shadows as a night to forget lurched from bad to worse.

Ashton-Langford grabbed a Manchester high 18 points, while Irvin hauled down 10 boards in just 23 minutes.

But Money Mike Okauru’s 21 points — including seven from eight from the bonus stripe — at least suggested the US star can get back to his prolific best in the season run-in.

And the bigger picture is all about ensuring Okauru, Knight and co. are playoff ready ahead of the Eagles’ final tilt at silverware this season.