The Newcastle Eagles women are off and running for the competitive season. A tough but excellent road win at Nottingham on Saturday night kept their SLB Betty Cordona Group stage qualification hopes alive.

It was a game that Head Coach Chloe Gaynor’s side took control of early and led from first buzzer to last although the Wildcats never went away throughout a hard-fought 40 minutes. The Eagles had needed a response after losing by thirty points at home the previous week against Sheffield.

Despite once again having issues with administration protocols and having to suit up against Nottingham without Maria Mongomo and Natalie Cernohorska. However, Shanique Lucas who missed the Hatters game was able to make her competitive Newcastle debut and was in the starting five.

Lucas went on to top score for the Eagles in an 8-player rotation that also saw big contributions from Andrea Daley who took the MVP award after dominating on the boards, Jada Dapaa and Alyssa Marin. Great backup support from player Gaynor, Sarah’s Wells and Birkett as well as Zoe Willis.

Daley, Wells with an and-1 and Dapaa getting the Eagles on the board early as they opened with a 7 – 0 run to establish a platform. Wildcats hit back and closed to within two at 6 – 8 but Lucas and Marin hit their straps and a Birkett triple took Newcastle into a 12 – 21 lead.

Nottingham scored the last five points of the first period to cut the gap to four and then scored the first two of the second to make it a two-point game once again. Newcastle though were controlled and a 9 – 0 run saw them take their first double-digit lead of the contest at 19 – 30.

Daley was pulling down rebounds at both ends as well as adding points at a regular basis and the two guard combo of Marin and in particular Lucas were going well. Captain Dapaa also leading from the front.

It meant as the sides headed to the locker rooms the Eagles were in the ascendency taking an 8-point lead with them but fully aware that this tough Nottingham outfit were not in the mood to surrender home court advantage.

A strong start to the third period saw Lucas and Daley combine for a 7 – 2 run that gave Newcastle their biggest lead of the night. It was thirteen points at 29 to 42 but once again the home side rallied and a great run of 14 – 4 threatened to wrestle control from the visitors.

However, Coach Gaynor turned player and Marin with a deuce and an and-1 restored the Eagles control as they closed out the period leading 44 to 49 with ten minutes left to play. That final quarter was a real ding-dong affair.

Gaynor’s side continued to lead and Nottingham continued to threaten. Every time though the Wildcats looked as if they were going to edge in front someone from a determined Newcastle side produced a crucial bucket.

But it was tight and with only 2:02 to go in the game Nottingham had made their last committed run and closed to within a single point at 54 – 55. The Eagles though were in no mood to waste their good work and opportunity to win on the road.

Dapaa with yet another Eagles and-1 and Lucas with her final basket edged their side into a crucial six-point advantage and although Nottingham replied with a deuce it was Gaynor that gave her side the vital win sealing the deal with two composed free-throws from the line.

A battling performance from The Eagles on the road and a great way to bounce back after the heavy Sheffield loss. They are still not able to call on all pieces to give identity to their jigsaw but showed that they are committed and determined as they adopted that ‘next-man-up’ mentality.

Gaynor was naturally delighted at the final buzzer and gave her post-game thoughts at how the game and her team had gone.

“I think overall it’s an improvement on what we saw last week. I think we have to continue building on our fundamentals and execution and that will be the key to us progressing throughout the season.”

“I thought as a unit, we dealt well with the physicality of the game and adjusted well from our foul trouble last week.”

“Certainly, things to work on from the game, but we have an extremely self-aware group who genuinely want the best for the person next to them, and it’s just about continuing to build on that.”