Caledonia Gladiators fell 91–67 to Newcastle Eagles on Friday night in the Battle of the Border, unable to overcome a difficult start despite a much-improved second-half performance.
Newcastle opened the game with a 9–0 run in the first three minutes, forcing Head Coach Jonny Bunyan to call an early timeout. Braxton Williams got the Gladiators on the scoreboard from the free-throw line before adding a lay-up, with Al-Amir Dawes also connecting from beyond the arc. However, the Eagles maintained control, taking a 26–14 lead into the second quarter after outrebounding Caledonia 15–7.
The second quarter saw the Gladiators find more rhythm offensively, but Newcastle’s defensive pressure and strong rebounding made it difficult to close the gap. The Eagles extended their advantage to 26 points by half-time, leading 54–28. Caledonia struggled from three-point range, shooting just 9% (1-for-11) in the first half.
Coming out of the break with renewed energy, the Gladiators responded with a 5–0 run to open the third quarter. Increased intensity helped Caledonia find momentum and gradually reduce the deficit. Despite Newcastle briefly extending their lead to 29 points, the Gladiators fought back to win the quarter 24–16, cutting the gap to 18 points at 70–52 heading into the final period.
Jay Nagle opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer as the Gladiators looked to build on their momentum. Zac Gattorna brought energy off the bench, helping Caledonia maintain pressure as they searched for a late comeback. However, Newcastle regained control and continued to push the tempo, preventing the Gladiators from closing the gap further.
The Eagles saw out the game to secure a 91–67 home victory. Despite the difficult first half, Caledonia’s response after the break, particularly their third-quarter performance, provided positives to take forward.
The Gladiators will look to bounce back on home court as they welcome Sheffield Sharks to Playsport on Friday, 13 October, with tip-off at home offering another opportunity to get back to winning ways.