Head coach Marc Steutel has returned Eagles Academy graduate Sauveur Kande to his roster for 2025/26. It will be the 23-year-old’s seventh season involved with the senior side.

Homegrown-hero Kande has shown improvement in each of his season’s as part of the Eagles team, after former head coach Ian MacLeod called him up through the club’s performance pathway.

“Sauveur is such an important player and person we wanted to retain”, said Steutel.


Kande made big contributions to key results last season with a senior career high of 28 minutes., 12 points and 3 rebounds. (Photo: Abbie Orwin, Featured Image: Gary Forster)

“He has been part of our programme from our community outreach in primary school working his way through the academy and into the professional team. He truly understands the fabric of the club and the standards we have.”

Last season was Kande’s best in terms of minutes played and production on the court. In November, against Manchester Basketball in the Super League Basketball (SLB) Cup, he had a career senior high of 28 minutes, 12 points and 3 rebounds, showing he belongs at this level.

“Over the past three seasons he has taken huge strides forward in being a professional player and has earned his place this year”, Steutel added.


“He has shown his ability to play at this level in bursts and I want to take steps forward with this, and continue to prove he belongs.

“Sauveur is an incredible role model and has worked tirelessly to be in this position and I love working with him.”

The Eagles Academy graduate has become a part of the senior men’s team’s core through his previous six seasons at top-flight. (Photo: Abbie Orwin)

Kande doubled-up last season also playing for Newcastle University Knights in National Basketball League Division 1, hitting double figures on four occasions in 13 games and averaging 4.8 points and 1.5 rebounds a game.

“I’m excited and grateful to of been given opportunity to run it back with the Newcastle Eagles for a seventh season”, said Kande.


“We have the best fans in the league and I’m looking forward to playing in front of them again.

“This season I’m hoping to take my contributions on the court to another level, which will hopefully result in us competing for multiple pieces of silverware.”

Coach Steutel has been giving more minutes to Kande in recent seasons to the roar of the Eagles crowds. (Photo: Gary Forster)

The local star joins up with fellow returnee Cole Long in coach Steutel’s 2025/26 men’s roster.

Fixtures for the new season are set to be released in the coming weeks as well as a pre-season schedule building up to the first 2025/26 SLB tip-off in September.

The club can confirm that more player announcements are due to drop across it’s channels imminently, with the next reveal scheduled for 12-noon on Saturday, August 9.