It’s the first 2025/26 Women’s Super League Basketball (SLB) Championship game of the season for the Newcastle Eagles tonight and it could hardly be a more difficult task for Head Coach Chloe Gaynor’s side with the rampaging Essex Rebels heading to the Vertu Arena.

The Rebels have made a perfect start to the season and currently have 5 wins from 5 games in all competitions. They cruised through their SLB Betty Codona South Group winning all four games without really being troubled.

Then last weekend they got their Championship campaign off to a great start defeating Caledonia Gladiators 74 to 70 to kick start their SLB Championship in fine style backing up those Trophy results that have seen them through to the semi-final stage.

Coach Gaynor knows her players have a job on their hands but with the opener at home in front of her own fans she is hoping for a flying League start for her Eagles.

“You always want to get off to a good start, that’s the aim of any team, but more importantly I think for us this week it’s about resetting and righting the wrongs from the Caledonia game”, said the Eagles head coach.

“That being, getting back to the style of basketball we want to play, playing together as a unit with high energy. That being said the championship is a different competition, now.

“We’re playing all the teams across the league, and I think the Trophy games have been great preparation for this. Now we get to test ourselves against the top seed in the South Group.

“Essex have certainly recruited well over the summer and have brought in some high calibre players with experience under their belt to support the likes of Maria Blazejewski, who was a stand out for me last season.”

They’re quite versatile with Nat Chou looking an outstanding pick-up. They are strong in transition, so I think we have to be aware of those factors.”

The Eagles haven’t played since the Caledonia loss and have had time to reflect, recharge and refresh with the clash against The Rebels a keenly anticipated thought in their minds as they look to move forward as a team as Gaynor was quick to point out.

“I would say the break has been a tale of two halves in the sense that we had some really strong and positive conversations about where we are at and where we’d like to be and our mentality surrounding that”, Gaynor added.

“We highlighted areas as a team, including coaching staff that we’d like to improve alongside recognising what we’re already doing well – which I think is key.

“We’ve had some really positive practices but of course are still hampered with injuries and illness. These aren’t excuses though, we have to go out and give the best version of us we can.

With that in mind and given the strength of the Rebels 2025/26 roster Gaynor wants her side to play out what’s in front of them and concentrate on getting their own style to the standards she’s looking for.

“Very simply – discipline, commitment, making the ball do the work”, the player-coach continued. “We have a group of players who are for the team so much that sometimes it takes away from their ability to shine their own light in the best way.

“We have spoken about being disciplined and committed to the task and that will lead to the positive outcomes for the group.

“I’d like to thank our fans for the support they have given so far. They truly are the sixth Eagle. Their energy spurs the team on and it’s what we feed off of and contributes to our runs or getting that extra stop on defence.

“The team are committed to providing our fans with entertaining basketball week in and week out!”

That starts on Saturday night with the challenge of a strong Rebels outfit that should ensure a great game of WSLB basketball at the Vertu Arena that tips off at 7:30pm.

Tickets are still available from the box office and on the door.