Newcastle Eagles moved another step closer to securing the BBL Championship League title after an 82-68 victory over the Marshall MK Lions at the MetroRadio Arena on Friday evening.

It was the Lions who started the stronger and took an early 14-20 lead midway through the opening period, but the Eagles came back into the game in the second quarter thanks to an 11-2 burst to take them into a two-point lead at 34-32. A further 5-0 burst to close out the first half took them into the locker rooms with a 43-39 advantage. The second half saw both sides trading baskets throughout the third period, and it was the Eagles who continued to maintain the ascendency, and lead 62-55 going into the final stanza.

The final quarter saw the home side take control of the game for good with a 12-2 burst midway through the period to take the score out to 80-64, and the home side held on for the all-important victory. Lynard Stewart top- scored for the Eagles with 18 points, while Yorrick Williams was the leading light for the Lions as he also bagged 18 points for the visitors.

Newcastle Eagles 82 (20,43,62) (Stewart 18, Defoe/Babalola 15)
Marshall MK Lions 68 (25,39,55) (Williams 18, Youngblood 14, Jamison 9)