Newcastle Eagles went out of the Women’s Super League Basketball Cup at the quarter-final stage down at the Oaklands College St. Albans on Saturday night. Their 79-56 defeat meaning that the Oakland Wolves completed a quick-fire double over the Eagles.

The two sides produced a great game and close fought contest the week previous week at the Vertu Arena. Wolves in the Championship over turning a nine-point deficit at half-time in that game to win by nine-points in the end 66-57. Saturday’s game was more comfortable for the hometown Wolves.

Not that it didn’t have some positives despite the final score line for Head Coach Chloe Gaynor although she and her players may see that as scant consolation. Jada Dapaa was back from her long-term injury and although only on the bench and playing limited minutes that was good to see.

Top scorer and leading rebounder Andrea Daley had a disruptive week in practice and was not expected to play. But she ‘laced them up’ and tried to fight through the pain barrier for her side. Nowhere neither at her effective best but again valuable minutes.

But ultimately having two big players like Dapaa and Daley restricted was always going to make Eagles task tough. Then add in the complete absence of high scoring energy sparking guard Alyssa Marin through a broken hand and it made the job even harder.

Gaynor and her roster can’t seem to get a run of luck when it comes to availability. They haven’t yet been able for numerous reasons been able to field and rotate a full bench this season in any game. When they do so they will surely be one of the most effective teams in the SLBW.

With Daley and Dapaa on the bench and Marin unavailable it was Wolves strong fully-loaded starting five that took full advantage from the first tip. The always impressive Danielle Mccray causing Eagles problems from the off supported well initially by her captain Shanice Beckford-Norton.

It all added up to a 15-zip start for the home side that gave them very early complete control of the contest. Alex Campbell netting the Eagles first two points and then tripling when Wolves threatened again. Daley came off the bench to add two more but it was still 23-9 Oaklands after the first period.

Wolves looked in no mood to let Newcastle come back as once again they started the second quarter strongly and had the lead up to 34-15 before Gaynor found a line-up that responded really well to the onslaught.

Zoe Willis, Sarah Wells, Shanique Lucas, Maria Mongomo and Daley combining for an excellent 12-0 run for Newcastle that seemingly brought them back into the game as Wolves’ lead was cut to seven points. Teresa Da Silva though had the last word of the first half hitting a late trip for Oaklands.

It did though mean the Eagles had won the quarter and looked to be back in the game at only ten points down. Wolves taking a 37-27 lead into the locker rooms as both sides sought to find the way forward for the second twenty minutes.

Unfortunately for Newcastle it was Oaklands that had the strategy and plays that completely broke the game open as the third quarter unfolded. They once again as they had the previous week locked down the Eagles in that ten-minute period.

An 18-2 run in the fist five minutes plus giving them a 26-point advantage that at one point they got up to a game-high 29 points. Eagles were now in the position of knowing their destiny as the quarter ended with them 65-40 behind.

The final period though showed Gaynor that she has real character and spirit in her side and no little talent. Her players not buckling nor standing down showed real determination in that last ten minutes taking the period by two points. A good effort but ultimately a forlorn one as they went out of the cup.

Once again Gaynor, her coaching staff and players will assess, refocus and look to come back stronger. They were certainly outshot on the night and 26 turnovers in a game is too many to concede on the road to such a strong opponent.

But they will take some small consolation in that they won two quarters and have managed to ease Dapaa back into the rotation. It is how they build on those factors that will determine how their season progresses in the Championship.