Team1234TResult
Newcastle Eagles Women2521213299Win
Oaklands Wolves1617221772Loss

Nette Lewis and Katie Nolan cruised to their latest double doubles as Newcastle Eagles WBBL eased to a second league win of the season.

Lewis added 14 rebounds and four steals to her 18 points as Noelia Cacheiro’s side put on an offensive masterclass.

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And Nolan was back to her dominant best with 22 points and 10 boards — converting 10 from 12 from the free throw line.


Five Newcastle players hit double figures with standout displays across the court throughout a must-win bottom four clash.

Maggie Justinak fell narrowly short of a famous triple double as she packed the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

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And skipper Marin Fernandez added four steals and seven boards to her 22 points on a night when the Eagles fell one point short of the century.


Marina Fernandez won game MVP with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. (Photo: Dave Moore)

Ex-Eagle Jorjah Smith returned to the Vertu Motors Arena after exploding with 32 points in 32 minutes against Cardiff the previous week.

And the in-form Aussie took just 12 seconds to open her account against Newcastle with a neatly taken shot inside.

But that was as good as it got for Smith as the hosts dominated the first quarter on the back of a stifling forecourt press and some sublime finishing.

Fernandez hit eight Eagles points on the bounce to open up a 22-11 lead.


And Wolves had no answer to Newcastle’s high-energy game as the visitors turned the ball over 12 times inside the opening 10 minutes.

Eagles picked up an impressive win with a great whole team performance and five players in double figures. (Photos: Dave Moore)

Fernandez had 12 points and three steals as the women in black headed into the second period with a 25-16 lead.

But not for the first time this season it was the Eagles’ inside power that proved decisive with Lewis adding four boards to her six first quarter points.

Lewis, Nolan and Chloe Gaynor represent the WBBL’s most potent threat in the paint.

And suddenly coach Cacheiro has a genuine weapon at her disposal as Newcastle look to climb the Championship table on the back of their ‘big three’.

Lewis, Nolan and Gaynor combined for 16 rebounds at the half and the home side was firmly in control heading to the locker room.

Antoinette Lewis posted an impressive double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds. (Photo: Dave Moore)

A 6-0 Oaklands tear had trimmed the deficit to nine points with two minutes and 42 seconds of the half remaining.

But the Eagles responded with a 6-0 burst of their own — sparked by a Rachael Bland triple from the corner — to lead 46-33 at the halfway stage.

Justinak was playing an increasingly influential role for the hosts and her 10 first half points and five assists caught the eye prior to the interval.

Cool under pressure and able to convert on the run, the aggressive all-rounder has proved a key addition to a team in transition.

And it was Justinak’s determination under the glass — grabbing successive offensive boards — that created the chance for Nolan to convert Newcastle’s first points of the half from the bonus stripe.

To their credit, Wolves refused to wilt under wave after wave of Eagles pressure and Cacheiro’s side couldn’t quite shake their gutsy rivals.

But Nolan made the most of regular visits to the free throw line to move to 14 points and Justinak arrived just in time…whenever Oaklands came knocking.

Busy at both ends of the court, the former Denver Roadrunner kept the scoreboard ticking over and kept her opponents keen.

And all-rounder Justinak came within touching distance of a triple double as Newcastle took a 67-55 lead into the fourth quarter and closed out a big win in style.