The Newcastle Eagles picked up their second Women’s SLB Championship win of the season in the Vertu Arena on Saturday night to maintain their 100% record in league play. It was another solid professional performance built on the platform of an excellent first half showing.

Once again Newcastle had to go into the game short-handed with Jada Dapaa, Sarah Wells, Chloe Gaynor joined by a fourth injury absentee Natalie Cernohorska on the bench all unavailable to play. Gaynor though in her usual position on the side-lines as Head Coach and play-caller.

The Eagles though still had enough in reserve to shoot down the Lions with Maria Mongomo, Alyssa Marin and Shanique Lucas all playing big minutes and contributing double-digit scoring efforts with Alex Campbell doing well in an unaccustomed starting role.

From the bench Zoe Willis, Sarah Birkett and 18^th birthday girl Grace Rae who got her first competitive minutes as a senior player all playing a crucial and valuable role. And then there was Andrea Daley who turned in yet another sensational double-double MVP performance.

Daley was dominant throughout at both ends of the floor. Not just making crucial baskets but pulling down rebounds, stealing the ball on defence and dishing out assists to her teammates. 25 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals an outstanding individual effort helping lead her team to a great win.

Eagles started well in the first quarter. Daley, Mongomo with a triple, Campbell and Lucas giving them a 9-2 start that they converted into a 20-10 opening ten minutes that established their platform. Just enough offence but great defence and it already looked ominous for Lions.

That theme continued in the second period with Eagles led by the almost unstoppable Daley continuing to pull away from their Capital opponents. Daley’s colleagues adding to the mix as Newcastle went 38-21 in front.

They then closed the half and the quarter out with an impressively strong 11-3 run to take a 23-point lead at 49-26 into the locker rooms with the job looking virtually done and leaving Lions with a lot of questions to ponder for the second twenty minutes.

Marin opened the second half with a deuce continuing Gaynor’s sides run and giving them their biggest lead of the game at 25 points. London at this point could have easily folded and been blown away. But Head Coach Kyla Nelson’s side showed great character and spirit as they held steady.

With Mya Procter doing well inside and out and Annika Shah always looking dangerous the visitors showed great determination and commitment and started to find the basket. They actually took the third period by 16-20 to be 19 points down going into the final ten minutes.

That ten minutes saw both sides slow down the pace considerably as a fast-paced well competed opening thirty minutes began to take its toll and tiredness set in. The two sides not able to make a run on each other of significance as the offences dried up.

It meant a tied final stanza at 14-14 which confirmed the Eagles final winning margin of 19 points as they deservedly took the victory on the night. Newcastle have a team that looks strong, has great weapons and a real togetherness.

When they get their injured players missing pieces back on court they are looking as if they could be a real force to be reckoned with in the SLB Championship. Especially with Daley in their ranks.