The 2026/27 Newcastle Eagles after a solid pre-season unbeaten warm-up programme faced the reality of the opening SLB Championship on the road in London against last season’s 4-time National trophy winning Lions. After a tough forty minutes of basketball it ended in an away defeat.

However, Head Coach Marc Steutel’s new-look roster will take some solace even if it’s little consolation that they gave almost as good as they got throughout a tight encounter. In the end it was Newcastle’s shorter roster and foul trouble that tipped the balance in the Lions favour.

Eagles captain Josh Ward-Hibbert was inactive the game played in the confines of New City College Hackney. His leadership presence and defensive ability being a factor in the end result although his teammates almost covered for his absence.

A strange start to the game saw almost two minutes elapse before Lions’ Josh O’Garra netted the first two points of the contest. It led to a London 6 – 0 start before Tavis Smith tripled for Newcastle 3:24 in to register his and his side’s first points.

Mitch Clarke came off the bench to great effect in the first period and a quick five points enabled Newcastle to turn the game around and take a 10 – 9 lead. Clarke going on to score 12 of his game 15 points in the opening ten minutes.

A 12 – 2 run in fact which included Blondeau Tchoukiegno’s first three-ball in the SLB actually gave Newcastle a ten-point lead at one stage before they ended the first period ahead by eight at 24 – 16. A lead they increased to nine at 27 – 18 in the second on an Adam Hamilton dunk.

London hit back and then with a 9 – 0 run that included six free-throws took their first lead in the game at 32 – 31. Cam Christon tripled for the Eagles to put them back in front but again London levelled the contest up.

Both sides were in the penalty now and a succession of free-throws, 6 to 3 in Eagles favour saw Lions take the second quarter 21 – 16 but not the lead which Newcastle held 40 – 37 at the half.

Once again Newcastle started well in the third quarter and went up by nine at 48 – 39. Lions though showed no signs of panic or worry and reeled off a 13 – 3 run that took them back in front in a see-saw encounter.

Clarke hit another 3-ball for Newcastle but London hit back with seven unanswered points to take a six-point advantage before Tchoukiegno tripled again meaning it was 59 – 56 to the Lions with ten minutes to play.

Smith hit a triple then a deuce to confirm his top scoring effort for his side and put Eagles back in front by two. From that juncture the sides went back and forth trading scores until at one point down Lions made the crucial late run inside the final two minutes.

Eagles had Clarke, Smith and Christon foul out of the game as Lions produced the game-breaking 9 – 0 run that gave them just enough breathing space to take a hard-earned win and condemning Newcastle to an opening game loss for the season.

Steutel will know his side did not shoot the ball well only making 38% overall on the day and 22% from the 3-point line. That will be something he will look to rectify. Eagles got more looks and a lot of good ones but were not at their sharpest on the day.

There is though plenty of talent, togetherness and determination in Steutel’s latest roster and plenty of positives to work with as collectively they look forward to their opening SLB home game of the season at the Vertu Arena this coming Friday night against Bristol Flyers.

Tickets for the home opener this week can be purchased from the box office.