Caledonia Gladiators booked their place in the SLB Cup semi-finals with an impressive 94 – 108 victory over Essex Rebels on the road, continuing their strong momentum in all competitions and sealing their second semi-final appearance of the 2025–26 season.

The Gladiators were tested early as Essex started brightly on home court, keeping the contest close through the opening stages. A close first half would see the home court Rebels take a single point lead into the break, with nothing separating the two, well matched teams in this win or go home battle (Q2 49 – 48).

 Caledonia remained composed and increased the intensity coming out of the break with a huge 36-point quarter to take a commanding lead into the final 10 minutes at the Essex Sports Centre (Q3 67 – 84). A decisive run after half-time saw the visitors pull clear, capitalising on turnovers and consistently finding success in transition. Despite the Rebels attempts to get themselves back into the game during the final quarter, the Gladiators stayed composed and booked themselves into another Semi-Final Appearance (Q4 94 – 108).

Annie Warren delivered a standout performance that would earn her MVP honours for the game, with a dominant offensive display of 36 points. Not far behind her was Captain Tierra Hodges who added an impressive 28 points of her own to the Gladiators’ mission to secure their next Semi-Final Appearance. New Signing, Tess Amundsen has fitted in seamless with the Gladiators aiding the team to victory with a 19-point performance off the bench. With the whole team on the same page and focused on both sides of the court, the Gladiators became unstoppable on their way to victory.

Offensively, the Gladiators were clinical throughout, shooting at a high percentage from the floor and dominating inside the paint. Their ability to share the ball proved crucial, with multiple players contributing as the lead grew in the third quarter. Defensively, the Gladiators stepped up when it mattered, forcing key stops and limiting Essex’s opportunities during decisive stretches of the game.

Despite a late push from the Rebels, the Gladiators maintained their focus in the final quarter, managing the game well to close out a deserved away win. The victory not only sends the Gladiators into the SLB Cup semi-finals but also reinforces their growing confidence and consistency as the season progresses. The SLB Cup Semi-Final will take place next month, but the Gladiators have many battles to fight prior to the next round of the Cup, include defending their SLB Trophy on the first of February in the SLB Trophy Final in Birmingham against the Sheffield Hatters.