The Newcastle Eagles have confirmed that fan favourite hooper Josh Ward-Hibbert has signed for the Tyneside club for a third consecutive season.
Ward-Hibbert had a stellar season in black and white last time out, where the influential team player and leader firmly established himself as one of the most committed and driven players in the British game.
Averaging 8.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in Super League Basketball (SLB) and 9.3 points with 6.9 rebounds in the European North Basketball League (ENBL), the 6’5″ star will once again be a cornerstone of Head Coach Marc Steutel’s roster for the 2025/26 campaign.
Discussing Ward-Hibbert’s return, Steutel said:
“It was extremely important to return Josh to the Vertu Arena for a third season. After coming off one of his best personal years, where he was rightly recognised with his defensive and British team of the year selections, everyone who follows our club knows the ability that Josh has to impact winning.
“He is a fierce competitor, a selfless leader and someone who embodies what our club and city are about, and I am elated we could retain him for this season.”
Ward-Hibbert added:
“It’s great to be back in Newcastle, I’ve got a lot of connections with this club and it feels like home for me now. I love playing for the Eagles fans, we have the best support in the league and that I’ve played in front of home or away here in the UK and across Europe.
“They’re always super-loud and are the reason we were able to accomplish what we did last year, but I don’t want what we achieved last year to be the end of my journey in an Eagles jersey, I want to continue to push and lead from the front the best I can.”
The Great Britain international’s signature was prized by Steutel, who spoke highly of his commitment, effort levels and leadership in the short film Soaring To History that documented the club’s 2025 ENBL Final Four appearance.
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