A game that somehow slipped from the Eagles grasp after they had controlled almost 35 minutes of a close fought exciting top-class game of SLB basketball. Head Coach Marc Steutel, his staff, and players may well see this as a lost opportunity to gather momentum.

After an excellent road win in Caledonia on Sunday this was a chance to finally nail the hoodoo of a Manchester side that seem to have an Indian sign over the Eagles this season. This latest win giving the high-flying North West outfit a clean sweep of the league series between both sides.

Four defeats from four opportunities will seem to the naked eye a statistic that expresses superiority. This was anything but. Eight in the table losing to third from top is another statistic that also suggests superiority. Again, it was anything but.

For long, long stretches of this basketball game a neutral observer would have struggled to know who the higher placed team were. But the end analysis was a win for Manchester to cement their play-off place and one that left Newcastle searching for answers to explain the loss.

Manchester have been in more close games this season and come away with wins in tight situations. Eagles have not managed enough of those situations. Crucial defensive assignments were missed particularly down the stretch and arguably some decisions did not go Eagles way.

On offence Newcastle were consistent all game and certainly caused the visitors problems time and time again. Five players in double figures led by Ray’Sean Taylor’s 19 points, Gus Okafor with 17 and two more just outside that showed a balanced shared scoring load.

For Manchester, the prolific Max Jones and Pjay Smith led the game’s scoring with 21 points a-piece but perhaps the telling contribution came from returnee DJ Mitchell. The Australian returning to Manchester colours for the first time since a successful campaign with them last season.

Through the first two quarters Newcastle just about held sway. Manchester never went away but taking both the opening periods gave the Eagles a platform to build on. It was tight it was tough and it was terrifically well fought basketball from both sides.

Eagles though were just that shade better in the opening twenty minutes. Taylor leading from the front and getting superb support from Okafor and Terrell Burden from the bench in particular. It enabled them to get ahead and take the first period by 24-21.

The second saw Newcastle in control. The closest their opponents got was within three points as twice Steutel’s men went up by eleven. Maceo Jack’s deuce towards the end of the half making it 48-37 although Manchester did cut that to single figures by the half.

A 26-20 second period showing Newcastle’s determination and defensive intensity as they took a 50-41 lead into the locker room.

The third quarter initially followed the pattern of the opening half with the Eagles players all contributing. Triples from Cole Long, Mitch Clarke and a driving layup from Burden giving the men in black their biggest lead of the night at 70-57 with a tick over two minutes to play in the third.

That’s when the game turned. With Newcastle in foul trouble and Manny Kanwei picking up an unfortunate unsportsmanlike foul Manchester took advantage. They scored the last eight points of the period, six of them from the free-throw line to be only five down heading into the final quarter.

The Eagles still continued to lead throughout most of that final crucial ten minutes but every time they made a run Manchester countered and then inside the last two minutes Gabe Osabuohein netting two from the charity stripe to bring the sides level at 91-91.

The same player tipped in an offensive rebound to give Manchester their first lead since midway through the first quarter and in a frantic finish with Newcastle searching to regain the lead they had to foul. Smith netting the last two points with ten seconds left to give Manchester a 3-point lead.

Jack’s Hail Mary triple attempt at the buzzer falling short and giving Newcastle a loss that had not seemed likely for much of the game and Manchester a win that had seemed unlikely for most of the forty minutes.

A disappointing and frustrating night for all connected with Newcastle and one that will have hurt Steutel and his players for sure. Things particularly in the final quarter not going their way at both ends of the floor.

They now have four games left to improve their regular season record and try to move up the table and secure a better play-off spot. This defeat will sting but has to be put immediately behind them as they prepare and travel to Surrey to take on the 89ers in another vital game this Sunday.

It’s a packed scheduled dow the stretch for our Eagles who return to the Vertu Arena floor on Friday 17 April against Sheffield Sharks. Tickets available on the box office.