The Caledonia Gladiators celebrated a perfect Sunday as both the men’s and women’s teams secured victories, with the men fighting back for a narrow road win against Manchester Basketball before the women delivered a commanding home performance against Newcastle Eagles in the Battle of the Border.
The men kicked off the day on the road against Manchester Basketball, facing an early challenge as the hosts quickly built a double-digit lead. However, the Gladiators refused to back down, gradually working their way back into the contest through a strong collective effort. Al-Amir Dawes led the scoring with 22 points and 6 assists, while Christian Keeling added 21 points and 5 rebounds to keep the visitors firmly in the fight. With the game going down to the wire, the men held their nerve in the closing moments to secure a thrilling 92 – 94 victory and complete an impressive comeback on the road.
Back at Playsport Arena, the women continued the winning momentum with a convincing 104 – 82 victory over Newcastle Eagles. The Battle of the Border proved competitive in the early stages, with Newcastle’s aggressive play challenging the Gladiators to find their rhythm. MJ Johnson once again delivered a standout performance, recording 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Frannie Hottinger contributed 20 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds to help drive the home side forward.
Despite the Eagles keeping the contest close for much of the game, the Gladiators found another gear in the final quarter. Raising their intensity on both ends of the floor, the women pulled away to turn a competitive matchup into a commanding 22-point win in front of the home crowd.
Two teams, two victories and a memorable day for Caledonia. The men showed resilience and composure to battle back in Manchester, while the women made a statement at Playsport Arena, giving the Gladiators plenty of momentum to carry into the next round of fixtures. Both teams will be back on Home Court in a Playsport Doubleheader on November 1st, with the women taking on Nottingham Wildcats at 2pm followed by the men taking on Newcastle Eagles at 5pm.
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