A second final of the season proved a game too far for Newcastle Eagles as the club’s dreams of a first overseas title were cruelly dashed in Slovakia.

Last season’s runners-up turned silver into gold as CSO Voluntari defeated the men in black 95-82 to claim a first European North Basketball League (ENBL) crown.

But Newcastle should look back on a breakthrough campaign with pride after proving they can comfortably hold their own against crack continental opposition.

CSO were beaten by four points on Tyneside earlier this season as Marc Steutel’s men staged a thrilling come from behind win at a rocking Vertu Motors Arena.

And after topping their qualification group and coasting through the knockout stages, Newcastle were favourites to go all the way in Bratislava.

But after the scores were tied at 46 heading into the half, Voluntari took control of the 2025 final midway through the third quarter.

The Eagles trailed by six heading into the fourth period before Christian James and De’Sean Allen-Eikens trimmed the deficit to three.

But that was as good as it got for the Super League Basketball side as Mike Caffey stepped up to kill off Newcastle down the stretch.

The CSO guard hit 10 points in the final 10 minutes to see his side to victory and leave an exhausted Eagles roster wondering what might have been.

Steutel’s side had stormed into the final on the back of a brilliant win against the Poles of Dziki Warszawa just 24 hours earlier.

And for the first 20 minutes of a full-blooded final the most successful side in British basketball looked every inch European champions in waiting.

Mike Okauru and Seneca Knight brushed off below par performances the previous night to combine for 24 points at the half.

At the same time veteran Darius Defoe stayed out of foul trouble to stamp his own mark on one of the biggest games of a decorated career.

The 21-season veteran drained his first three buckets to level the scores at 12 apiece midway through the first quarter.

And with Trey Pulliam gradually growing into the clash it looked like Newcastle’s main men were determined to bring their A-game to the Gopass Arena.

Tied at 22-22 after the opening 10 minutes, a fascinating affair ebbed and flowed throughout period two.

And it was Pulliam who converted the final play of the half in some style — a buzzer-beating triple locking things up at 46-46.

As the two teams headed to the locker room it was impossible to predict just who would be heading home with silverware.

But a Caffey-inspired CSO closed a cagey third quarter on the back of a 9-3 run as Ainars Bagatskis’s men capitalised on some sloppy Eagles ball handling.

Voluntari refused to relinquish that prized lead despite the best efforts of Okauru and co.

And the result never looked in doubt in the dying minutes as a tough run of three games in six days finally caught up with Newcastle.

Now attention turns back to the SLB Championship and what looks like a must-win homecourt clash against Manchester in the race for a top four finish.