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Gladiators got the season off to a hot start with a blowout victory over Manchester 99-77.
It was a party atmosphere before the game as a sellout crowd filled the fanzone before the first game of the new Super League season.
The Gladiators kept the party going on the court with a fast start on defence with team captain Fahro Alihodzic and new recruit Toto Fagbenle getting an early block and steal respectively. The offence got firing behind another rookie Isaiah Hill, the Fresno State graduate started 3-3 in the first quarter as the gladiators opened up a ten-point lead.
Manchester struggled from deep in the first quarter, but substitute Hafeez Abdul led the charge with some timely shooting to bring the game within two.
The defence from the Gladiators switched back on after a timeout and a 16-5 run capped off by an incredible sequence of six straight offensive rebounds to end the quarter meant the Gladiators went into the half up by 13.
The third quarter is where the game left Manchester’s reach as the gladiators crashed the boards hard and their aggressive, switch-heavy defence began firing on all cylinders as they held the visitors to just 17 points and extended the lead to 22.
In the fourth quarter the Gladiators went cold from deep- going 0-4- but continued to pound the paint and dominated the rebounding battle before Toto put the exclamation point on the victory with a breakaway dunk with a minute to go.
MVP of the game went to Patrick Whelan with 22 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. He was a steady scorer all night long, especially devastating off drives and added 3 offensive boards.
Honourable mention to Tanner Stuckman who had a double-double while drawing six fouls; Isaiah Hill who pressed his matchup at full court all night long and was effective in transition and out of the pick and roll with 9 assists; and the bench contributions of Trevond Barnes and Kyle Jimenez.
It’s a strong start to the domestic season for the Gladiators who bounced back from their midweek disappointment in Europe and will look to keep the good start going in Newcastle on October 4th.
Caledonia Gladiators- Coach: Gareth Murray
#2 Hill (13 pts 5-10, 9 ast); #12 Whelan (22 pts 8-18, 5 rebs, 6 ast); #11 Fagbenle (10 pts 4-5, 2 blks); #24 Stuckman (17 pts 5-9, 11 rebs); #25 Alihodzic (6 pts, 9 rebs, 2 stl)
Manchester- Coach: Callum Jones
#5 John (16 pts, 2-4 3pt%); #93 Lewis (8 pts, 4 stl, 5 to); #24 Youssouf Ali (9 pts, 5 ast); #13 Cayo (9 pts, 0-5 3pt%); #21 Delpeche (20pts 8-15, 12 rebs)
WATCH THE FULL HIGHLIGHTS ON DAZN.
Match report by Jed Forson and Images by Nathan Harper
