Newcastle Eagles snatch OT victory over Caledonia Gladiators

The Eagles get the job done in overtime thanks to a 40-point haul from Mike Okauru and a tireless performance from veteran, Darius Defoe, which saw the Eagles come out 86-81 victors.

After a flat start from the Eagles, the Gladiators took an early 8-point lead after the first five minutes which was somewhat a cause for concern. However, the Eagles fought back, levelling affairs by the end of the first quarter, 23-23.

The Gladiators however, did not let the Eagles fightback deter them. New signing for the Gladiators, Deveari Ramsay caught the eyes of spectators, his neat handles and swift ball carrying proved a handful for the Eagles on defence. Through Ramsay, the Gladiators found themselves up by one at half time, 40-41.

The Caledonia Gladiators didn’t stop there, finding themselves entering the final quarter of regulation seven points to the good, giving their travelling fans something to cheer for.

Going into quarter four, the Eagles needed someone to step up. Up stepped Mike Okauru, finding the basket on countless occasions during the fourth quarter, driving the Eagles into the lead with two minutes to go. However, the action did not stop there, the Gladiators Toto Fagbenle scored a tipped lay-up with only 30 seconds to go which saw the action continue to overtime!

The Eagles, with strong backing from the home crowd, got the job done. Winning overtime 10-5 and the game 86-81. The Gladiators gave the Eagles a strong test, but the home sides resolve cannot be questioned.

I caught up with Newcastle Eagles and Team GB Head Coach, Marc Steutal at full time. Who had plenty praise for his opposition, describing Caledonia as a ‘good outfit’ and a ‘tough test’. Marc also highlighted the performances of Defoe and Okauru and how pivotal they were in getting the job done.

I also spoke with Defoe after the game concluded and when asked about his own performance, he underlined how important his communication is to his team’s success and how he ‘likes talking to his teammates on the court’. Defoe then concluded the interview pointing out his excitement for a good rest after today’s gruelling game of Basketball.