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Following a summer of anticipation and preparation, the Caledonia Gladiators kicked off their SLB Trophy campaign with a clash against the Newcastle Eagles.

Starting Five:

  • Caledonia Gladiators: Mathilde Domenger, Hannah Robb, Maya Price, Kat Tudor, Kirsty Brown
  • Newcastle Eagles: Chloe Gaynor, Abby Lowe, Lauren Saiki, Tierra Hodges, Jada Guinn

Maya Price opened the scoring season for the Gladiators with the first points of the game, but early on, the teams traded baskets. The score was 4-3 in favor of Caledonia before the Eagles went on a 4-0 run, tying the game at 6-6. After the first five minutes, it remained a tight contest, with the Eagles edging ahead 9-8. Both teams struggled to take control of the game, with fouls and free throws playing a significant role. By the end of the first quarter, the Gladiators held a narrow 15-14 lead.

In the second quarter, Tierra Hodges scored early for the Eagles, but Kat Tudor responded for Caledonia with two successful free throws. The game continued in a back-and-forth fashion, with neither team gaining a significant advantage. However, the Gladiators managed a small run to take a 27-21 lead after Tudor hit two more from the free-throw line. By halftime, the score was 35-28 in favor of the Gladiators, with Maya Price and Kat Tudor leading the way with 7 points each. For the Eagles, Tierra Hodges had 10 points at the break.

The third quarter began with Hodges scoring again for Newcastle, but Gladiators’ number 13 quickly responded with a basket. Caledonia gradually built a 10-point lead after a 3-pointer from Robyn Lewis, followed by another three from Hannah Robb to extend the advantage to 13 points at 46-33. With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Gladiators were up 46-35. Though the Eagles had opportunities from the free-throw line, they struggled to convert. By the end of the quarter, Caledonia had extended their lead to 55-41.

The Gladiators started the final quarter strongly, with Delaynie Bryne making it a 17-point game at 59-42, forcing the Eagles into a timeout. Shortly after, Bryne sank a 3-pointer to push the lead to 20 points. With five minutes left, the Gladiators were in full control, leading 62-42. A 3-pointer from Robb increased the margin to 25 points at 67-42. The Eagles managed a brief 4-0 run, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap significantly. The game ended with a commanding 69-53 victory for Caledonia.

RAER MVP: Delaynie Bryne, with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 turnover, and an outstanding performance on both ends of the court.

FULL STATS HERE.

Missed the game? Watch it in full here:

Thank you to Scott Laidlaw from Camglen Radio for the match report and Emma McKinnon for the photographs