The Caledonia Gladiators headed down to Cardiff for the final game of the 2024/25 Super League Basketball Championship. A must win for the Gladiators, with the team in search of a top four seeding and home court advantage in the SLB Playoffs next weekend. The game would start off close, with the Archers looking in control early in the first but the Gladiators would find their rhythm and take home the win in their final SLB Championship game, hoping to continue this momentum into the Playoffs next week.
Both teams started the first quarter with intense defence, shown by the multiple steals and blocks that both teams achieved within the first 5-minutes of the game. The Gladiators would see themselves being anchored defensively by forward Kirsty Brown, 2 steals and a block within 5 minutes, with Delaynie Byrne and Kat Tudor putting up 7 points between them to start the first quarter. Despite strong defence, the Gladiators found themselves trailing of much of the first quarter, but a clutch 3-pointer from Kat Tudor with 12 seconds left saw the Gladiators level the game going into the second quarter. The first quarter was close throughout with the game always within a single possession. The first quarter ended tied at 20 – 20.
The Gladiators took the lead at the beginning of the second quarter, but the Archers answered back quickly, taking their largest lead of the game with 4-points in the first 2 and half minutes of second quarter action. Against the strong defence of the Archers, the Gladiators only points in the first 5 minutes of action in the second quarter would come from the free throw line, with Kirsty Brown and Mathilde Domenger converting their opportunities at a high percentage to take away the Archers lead and tie the game with five and a half minutes left of the first half. Hannah Robb got the first basket from open play for the Gladiators in the second quarter with a strong three to retake a Gladiators lead. With minutes left in the first half, the Gladiators turned up the pressure, behind Captain Erin McGarrachan who put up four points in the last minute and a half to help the Gladiators to a 7-point lead into the half time break.
The score at half time was 36 -43 to the Caledonia Gladiators.
Despite the Archers getting onto the scoreboard to start the second quarter of action, the Gladiators began to increase their lead early on in the third quarter. Taking an quick double-digit lead, the Gladiators were in the driving seat of this game on the road. A low scoring quarter saw both teams battling hard, with the Gladiators coming out on top. The Gladiators had a double-digit lead with minutes left of the third quarter, but the Archers were able to cut the lead to 6-points, keeping the game within touching distance on their home floor. The score entering the final 10 minutes of action at the Archers Arena was 51 – 57 to the Gladiators.
The pace would pick up in the final quarter at the Archers Arena, with both teams pushing the ball up the court in transition fighting hard for the win. The Gladiators kept their cool throughout the quarter, keep themselves in the lead by at lead two possession for the entirety of the final quarter of action on the road. The Gladiators came in clutch, hitting their free throws, and keeping their defensive intensity to finish out the game. Huge performance from guard, Téa Adams, on both ends of the ball. Adams would create chances for herself and her teammates, putting up 14 points and dishing out 5 assists while shutting down the Archers with 3 steals and a block.
The score at the end of the game was 58 – 76 to the Caledonia Gladiators. The Gladiators will now wait for the results to playout in the rest Super League Basketball action today to find out where they will be playing in the first round of the Super League Basketball Playoffs. Stay tuned for more information about the Gladiators playoff journey on our social media.
Today’s MVP is Téa Adams, who put in the work on both sides of the ball:
