The 2024/25 Newcastle Eagles tasted defeat for the first time this season going down in a thriller at Ellesmere Port on Sunday night. They went into the game with a perfect 4 – 0 record knowing a win would all but seal them a Trophy Semi-Final spot.

But a fourth quarter surge by the home town Phoenix condemned Marc Steutel’s men to a defeat as last game foul trouble saw them concede 34 points in the final quarter to slip to defeat. It means that the North Group is wide-open again especially as Sheffield also won on Sunday against Caledonia.

The Eagles still have both Cheshire and Sheffield to play and the two semi-final spots seem destined to be decided between the three sides. It makes this coming Friday’s return game at the Vertu Motors Arena all the more crucial in the battle for the Super League Basketball’s first domestic Trophy.

In what was a pulsating, exciting hard-fought game of top-flight basketball it may well be that final quarter that will prey longest in Steutel’s thoughts when he comes to analyse the game with his coaching staff and players.

What makes The Eagles task this coming Friday in the crucial return encounter is the fact that following a road win in Caledonia on Friday and this loss at Cheshire on Sunday they have their longest journey of the season thus far on Wednesday when they play in Slovakia.

Their opponents will be Spisski Rytieri in their opening European North Basketball League group game of the season. Last campaign Newcastle had an amazing debut season in this competition and very nearly made it to the competition’s last four play-off weekend.

Steutel will be hoping that his side can bounce back from their first defeat of the season on Sunday with a road win this Wednesday and will no doubt be looking no further ahead than that game. But he will be aware that it’s going to be difficult to prepare for Cheshire on Friday with the European adventure in between.

The players and himself of course will at least appreciate that The Phoenix who had a great season last year in domestic basketball are a tough nut to crack and whatever the outcome in Slovakia on Wednesday will have Sunday’s game fresh in their minds.

It was a titanic clash across all four quarters but in particular the opening two that made up a twenty-minute half where neither side could be separated. The home side edged the first period by a single point 18 to 17 only for The Eagles to hit back and take the second quarter 23 to 22.

It meant the teams went to the locker rooms to talk things over locked together at 40-points all and all to play for in the second twenty minutes. Eagles ‘Money’ Mike Okauru leading his team superbly from the front with Josh Ward-Hibbert and Seneca Knight giving great support.

Okauru and his teammates looked to have made the decisive charge in the third quarter as they took it 23 to 16 to lead by seven points going into the final stanza. That’s when unfortunately, it unravelled for Steutel’s men.

A strong Phoenix opening to the last ten minutes meant they not only retracted the Eagles claws but saw them rise to take a lead with as the clock ticked down. Newcastle though weren’t about to go away and with a shade under three minutes to go only trailed by a point.

That’s when the foul trouble hit and Cheshire were able to take advantage from the free throw line as well as gaining in confidence as they surged to a 12 – 5 run to complete a victory that now makes the SLB North Group a wide-open affair.

Tickets for this Friday’s rematch are available from the box office now and that’s also the place to book your seats to next Tuesday’s first ENBL home game.