Super League Basketball Trophy action heats up with six super clashes lighting up the weekend

Round Two of Super League Basketball Trophy action is in the books and boy, was it a good one!

Marc Steutel’s Newcastle Eagles were the only team to win both of their games, with Caledonia Gladiators and Cheshire Phoenix splitting theirs one apiece. Bristol Flyers, B. Braun Sheffield Sharks, and Leicester Riders also won as Manchester Basketball and London Lions still await their first wins of the new Super League Basketball campaign.

Manchester Basketball 79-89 Cheshire Phoenix

The north-west derby always provides epic contests as a rivalry was rekindled on Friday, with the Phoenix drawing first blood this season en route to an 89-79 win on the road.

With the scores knotted up at 44-44 at the break, it was a question of who would blink first in this intense showdown.

Manchester made their move early in the third as triples from Nicholas Lewis, Junior Madut, and Nathan Cayo gave the hosts a 55-51 advantage, but Cheshire countered immediately with an 8-0 spurt, followed by an 11-4 finish to the period to lead 71-64 heading into the fourth. From there, the Phoenix moved up a gear, leading by as many as 20 points to secure victory.

Cam Holden shot 8/11 from the field, leading the Phoenix with 25 points. Cayo shot 75% from the floor for his 21 to lead Manchester.

MVP: Cam Holden (Cheshire Phoenix)

Newcastle Eagles 93-88 Caledonia Gladiators

Newcastle Eagles prevailed with a 93-88 win over Caledonia Gladiators in a highly physical battle on Tyneside, where neither side enjoyed a lead bigger than eight points.

It was a game of fine margins, but what set the Eagles apart was their composure and security on the ball. They committed only eight turnovers, compared to 19 from Caledonia.

Off those 19 takeaways, Newcastle scored 22 points, compared to just six from the Gladiators.

The game, however, was still in the balance late on until Jordan Spencer connected on a three-point play with less than 45 seconds left to give the home side a 91-84 cushion, which effectively sealed the deal.

Mike Okauru fronted a balanced Eagles scoring effort with 18 points, as six players hit double figures. Fahro Alihodzic only missed one field goal attempt in ten tries for his game-high 22 for the visitors.

MVP: Mike Okauru (Newcastle Eagles)

Bristol Flyers 86-79 Surrey 89ers

In the sole Saturday game, Bristol Flyers were finally cleared for take-off at the second time of asking with a narrow 86-79 win over the Surrey 89ers in the south-west.

With Bristol clinging on to a 62-60 lead after three-quarters of play and neither side enjoying a sizable lead heading into the fourth period, it was a game where something had to give.

A turnaround jumper from Cam Gooden handed Surrey their biggest lead of the game, 69-62, with more than three minutes played in the final quarter, as Surrey looked to ground the Flyers for the second week running.

But Bristol pushed and remained calm, as their patience was rewarded with a little over two minutes to play as Jered Sheffield scored for 78-77, and with the hosts up by three with 40 seconds left, Kendall Lewis rejected Dame Adelekun’s effort to keep the Flyers’ lead going for good.

Trey Tennyson led the winners with 26 points, shooting 64% from the field. Lewis posted an impressive double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Gooden had 18 for Surrey.

MVP: Kendal Lewis (Bristol Flyers)

Cheshire Phoenix 100-102 B. Braun Sheffield Sharks

Prentiss Nixon took the individual acclaim as he exploded for 39 points to lead the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks to a 102-100 road win over the Cheshire Phoenix in Ellesmere port on Sunday.

Nixon went a jaw-dropping 14/18 from the field, pulling down seven boards and dishing out eight assists in a masterclass that left the Phoenix struggling for answers to slow the Sharks floor general.

After a thrid quarter where it felt like the visitors couldn’t miss, the Phoenix had a lot to do going into the fourth but rallied exceptionally thanks to the support of their fanbase and had their chance in the final minutes to retake the lead, as a pair of free throws from Skylar White made it a one-possession game.

The Sharks remained cool under pressure, however, to ice matters at the line and gain revenge for last weekend’s opening Trophy loss at the Canon Medical Arena, although Cheshire will take the head-to-head should it be required by virtue of points difference in this match-up.

Tyreek Scott-Grayson led six Cheshire players in double figures with 18 points on 58% shooting.

MVP: Prentiss Nixon (B. Braun Sheffield Sharks)

Manchester Basketball 87-91 Caledonia Gladiators

Caledonia Gladiators bounced back from heartbreak in Newcastle to edge Manchester 91-87 on Sunday and keep them winless this season.

It was a fourth-quarter ambush from the visitors that ultimately separated the two teams as Caledonia stormed out the blocks, trailing 68-63 after three quarters.

Whelan scored the Gladiators’ first 13 points in the fourth as part of a 13-2 run to give the visitors control. From that point, the lead peaked at eight points to ultimately give the Scottish side the victory.

Whelan ended with 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists for the Gladiators.

MVP: Patrick Whelan (Caledonia Gladiators)

London Lions 66-89 Leicester Riders

Leicester Riders made the trip back from the capital a happy one, dismissing the London Lions 89-66 at the Copper Box Arena on Sunday.

Jaylin Hunter led six Leicester players in double figures with 21 points, adding seven assists for good measure. The Riders led from the start in a solid all-around performance that saw them shoot 42% from the field, the same as the Lions, but connect on eight second-chance points after out-rebounded London 48-28.

Jaiden Delaire amassed 17 points for the Lions.

MVP: Jaylin Hunter (Leicester Riders)