Dominant Newcastle Eagles cruise their way to Super League Basketball Trophy gold against Bristol Flyers

Newcastle Eagles won the 2025 Super League Basketball Trophy Final in emphatic fashion, beating Bristol Flyers 97-78.

Mike Okauru was named Final MVP with 19 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds, going off for 17 in the first quarter.

Starting Fives

Newcastle Eagles: Josh Ward-Hibbert, Mike Okauru, Seneca Knight, Malcolm Delpeche, De’sean Allen-Eikens

Bristol Flyers: Keddy Johnson, Jared Sherfield, Owen McCormack, Demond Robinson, Kendall Lewis

First Half:

After a pair of missed Newcastle lay-ups started the action, Keddy Johnson opened scoring for Bristol, finishing an acrobatic drive to create an early lead. The Eagles found a response in the form of an Okauru three pointer and a crafty De’sean Allen-Eikens lay-up.

Bristol edged ahead for a couple of minutes, until a couple of unforced turnovers invited Newcastle to enjoy a strong offensive run. A scoring surge from Okauru and Seneca Knight pushed Marc Steutel’s team ahead, before an ‘and-one’ play from Allen Eikens widened the gap to double-digits.

A tip-in dunk from Kendall Lewis and contested three-pointer from Jared Sherfield offered some slight resistance from Bristol, but Newcastle would not relent. Okauru’s offensive barrage continued, as the American guard let it fly from deep, before carving through the paint for an assured lay-in.

When Okauru drained his fifth shot from beyond the arc with two seconds left in the opening frame, he opened the Eagles advantage up to 12.

As the second quarter began, Evan Walshe made an impact for both teams. He pulled up from deep to bring the deficit back to single digits. Knight responded swiftly for Newcastle, hitting three consecutive jump shots from different spots to push them further ahead.

The Flyers found difficulty on offence, missing open looks within a couple of minutes as they experienced a dry spell. As a result, the Eagles stretched the margin to 18 through close-range makes from Knight and Jordan Spencer.

Buckets from Knight and Allen-Eikens kept Newcastle rolling, as they controlled the pace of the game entirely. When Knight sliced through the lane for a smooth lay-up near the end of the half, the Eagles took a 21-point lead to the locker room.

Second Half:

Newcastle started the second half as they ended the first with a 6-0 run, scoring by committee to further tighten their grip on the contest. A few moments later, Okauru drove through the lane for a lay-up that widened the gap to 30 points.

Kendall Lewis acted as a beacon of hope for Bristol, scoring five points in 17 seconds to chip away at the seemingly insurmountable deficit, but they could not stop Newcastle on the other end. Cole Long nailed a three and Jordan Spencer converted from the line, as they re-opened a 32-point chasm.

A late-quarter run offered the Flyers fans a chance to celebrate however; Walshe and Corey Samuels sank contested threes, narrowing the margin to 23.

As the final quarter began, hometown hero Samuels made a pair from downtown in consecutive possessions, clawing Bristol back to within 17. The atmosphere changed in the arena, with both sets of fans questioning the feasibility of an unlikely Flyers comeback.

Just when things became nervy for the Eagles though, they found an answer in Christian James, who scored from three-point land and converted at the free-throw line to make things a little more comfortable for his team.

Despite trailing, the Flyers did not give up; Lewis and Owen McCormack found some easy looks as the quarter developed, but it was far too late.

Newcastle controlled the pace down the stretch and when time expired, they had become the Trophy champions, further bolstering their rich history in winning.

Player of the Game: Mike Okauru headlined an incredible Newcastle display, scoring 19 points with five three-pointers, pulling down three boards and dishing out five assists.