The Newcastle Eagles women’s team and Head Coach Chloe Gaynor now know the standards they have to hit if they are to have a successful season in 2025/26. The Sheffield Hatters came into The Vertu Motors Arena and put a real marker down for the season ahead with a comprehensive victory.

Prior to this opening competitive game for both side’s Sheffield’s Georgia Gayle who was the MVP in the SLB Playoff Final victory for her side back in May talked about how one title last year for Sheffield was a good season but not a great one.

She said the Hatters aim with the recruitment they’ve done has to be a clean sweep of all the domestic trophies. After this powerhouse statement performance that aim may not look as fanciable as it could have sounded.

For Newcastle and Gaynor this was a reality check. After a superb campaign last season when Gaynor scooped the Coach of the Year award for leading her side to a third-placed finish and almost a Playoff final the hope was to build on that for this season.

On the evidence of only one game which is dangerous in itself that hope may be a tough ask of theis very new and much changed Eagles roster. But, there were still some positives to take in a 30-point defeat against a side that already look Champions-elect.

Gaynor was also restricted in her line-up and had her planning for the game severely affected by the unavailability of point guard Shanique Lucas who was not allowed to play in this game due to administrative difficulties not of the Eagles doing.

It made what on paper was always a tough assignment an even tougher one on court going in a player down against such a strong opponent. Also a measure of the changes from last season saw Gaynor name a starting five which had no-one that had been with The Club last season.

There was Jada Dapaa in that starting five who had averaged almost 16 points and 9 rebounds a game during her short tenure with the Eagles in 2023/24 but had not played a single minute of competitive basketball since her injury that forced her out of the 2024 Playoff Final.

Dapaa’s performance on the day she started as Eagles on-court Captain was excellent given the possible doubts she and her coach may have had after such a long time out. Andrea Daley also had a very good home debut and looks likely to become a firm fan’s favourite.

Of the other starters Alyssa Marin looked lively and full of promise whilst Maria Mongomo and Sarah Wells battled game fully and showed glimpses of what they can bring to the table. All three though got into foul trouble and were out of the game long before the final buzzer sounded.

For Sheffield there were stars everywhere and great support for those stars from their supporting cast. Emma Gandini was simply superb 29 points including 7 from 8 from 3-point range, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists and zero turnovers in an MVP performance.

Her main support coming from ex-Eagle Antoninette Lewis, Nina Krisper and Gayle herself who were all in double figures for a Sheffield side that were relentless and never let up in a ruthless display of power and efficiency.

Eagles did actually make the better start and were actually 10 to 5 up in the early going. They still led 17 to 13 with 4:03 remaining in the first period before a strong Sheffield 9 – 2 run took the visitors into their first lead that they would never relinquish.

A 10 to 1 start for The Hatters gave them a double-digit lead which they continued to build on and by the time the buzzer went to end the half the gap had reached 19-points at 49 to 30 as the side’s headed for the locker rooms to talk things over.

Newcastle were better defensively in the third period and slowed Sheffield down. However despite the best efforts of Dapaa in particular and Daley they simply couldn’t find enough firepower to claw any points back in the third ten minutes.

Then with foul trouble playing a big part and Marin, Mongomo and Wells all out of the game Gaynor introduced herself to the fray completing a return from last season’s severe injury to confirm her position as Player-Coach but despite her spirited effort it failed to stem the Sheffield tide.

The visitor’s going on to record a very big win to set themselves off on a Betty Cordona Trophy hunt and leave Gaynor and her players with plenty to ponder before their remaining group games.

They travel to Nottingham Wildcats and Manchester Basketball before they return home to face Caledonia Gladiators at home on October 19^th and may have to win all three games if they are to qualify from the group stag