When you’ve have to play the same opponent in your next game away from home after losing to them a week ago on your own court it’s always going to be a tough ask. But that’s the task facing Head Coach Chloe Gaynor and Newcastle Eagles on Saturday.

They go to Oaklands Wolves whom they went down to a 57-66 defeat in the SLB Championship last week in the Vertu Arena despite leading by 37-28 at half-time. A stifling defensive display by the Wolves denying Newcastle a signature win.

Gaynor spoke honestly and thoughtfully about that game when assessing the performance and looking to the rematch. A vital game for both sides as it is a quarter-final encounter in the SLB Cup. A win or go home game.

“Last week was disappointing. I thought we missed a real opportunity to win and it’s something we’ve reviewed extensively since the game.”

“Whilst there were some positives to take away, we really honed in on film to correct what went wrong and find solutions to the problems we encountered.”

The positives no doubt being able to match a side for long periods that is the reigning SLB regular season champions and also the current Cup holders. The Eagles once again having to go against a top team short-handed.

Gaynor expanded on the work her players, her coaching staff and herself have done during the week to see if they can turn the tides on Saturday evening.

“The girls have done a good job of asking questions and communicating with each other through issues following our review of the game. I’m hoping we see the hunger and drive we came to expect from the team early on in the season.”

Two successive back-to-back defeats in the Championship have dropped the Eagles to a 5 wins 2 losses record in the league. But this is cup basketball and a one-off game where anything can and often does happen.

Gaynor believes if her side can learn from last weekend’s loss and get that committed resilient togetherness and the hunger and drive she mentioned back quickly it will give Eagles a great chance of progressing in the competition. She concluded by saying.

“That’s what will ultimately be key to us winning tomorrow. We’ve done a good job of putting up fights when our back is against the wall so I’m hoping to see that response again from the team in Oaklands on Saturday.”

The action on Saturday evening at the Oaklands College, St. Albans tips-off at 17:00pm. With both sides knowing each other well after last week it will be an intriguing contest as they battle it out to make the last four of the prestigious SLB Cup competition.