Caledonia Gladiators hosted a Festive Doubleheader at Playsport that delivered plenty of entertainment, with contrasting outcomes for the women’s and men’s teams in front of a strong home crowd.

The afternoon tipped off in emphatic fashion as the Gladiators women produced a dominant 115–70 victory over Newcastle Eagles, a result that sends them into the new year top of the Super League Basketball Women’s table. From the opening quarter, Caledonia set the tone with relentless pace, sharp ball movement and aggressive defence, quickly building a lead they would never relinquish. The Gladiators shot an impressive 54% from the field and 50% from three-point range, while also forcing turnovers and converting them into 18 points.

Tierra Hodges led the way with a superb all-round performance, scoring 28 points while controlling the game on both ends of the floor. Annie Warren added 21 points and six assists, while Maura Fitzpatrick chipped in with 18 points and efficient shooting. The depth of the Gladiators roster was on full display, with 41 bench points and a commanding 52–32 advantage on the boards, underlining a complete team performance that capped off an outstanding first half of the season.

The evening game saw the men take on league-leading London Lions in a closely fought contest that went down to the final minutes. Despite a spirited display and strong stretches of play, the Gladiators narrowly fell 82–74 against one of the title favourites. Caledonia stayed in touch throughout, cutting the deficit to a single possession late on, but the Lions’ experience and execution proved decisive in the closing stages.

Ethan Wright was the standout performer for the Gladiators, finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds in an energetic and committed showing. Matthew Ragsdale added 19 points, attacking the rim consistently, while LJ Bryan contributed 12 points and battled hard inside. Defensively, Caledonia competed well and limited London’s transition opportunities, but crucial shots at key moments swung the balance in the visitors’ favour. Today’s match up also saw the home debut of new signing, Dwaine Jones Jr in front of a loud Playsport Arena.

While the men were left disappointed by the narrow defeat, the overall occasion reflected a positive festive showcase for the club. A commanding win for the women to claim top spot heading into the new year, followed by a highly competitive performance against the league leaders, ensured an exciting doubleheader that gave supporters plenty to celebrate and optimism to carry into the rest of the season.