Surrey’s size on the glass and efficiency in transition steadily wore Caledonia down. The 89ers dominated the rebounding battle 44–28 and moved the ball with purpose, racking up 30 assists to Caledonia’s 18. While the Gladiators fought hard in stretches, particularly early in the first quarter, Surrey’s depth and consistent scoring saw them pull away by double digits and keep control throughout the second half.

For the Gladiators, there were still bright moments on what was otherwise a frustrating afternoon. Andrew Gordon made his home debut off the bench in his first appearance at Playsport. In just under 10 minutes, he contributed efficiently, showing activity on both ends of the floor and giving supporters a glimpse of what he could add as he settles into the squad.

Another standout was Daniel Carr, who delivered a strong late-game performance to spark the Gladiators’ final push. Carr finished with 10 points, shooting 4-of-4 (2-of-2 from three) from the field, and added rebounds and defensive contributions that helped steady the team during a turbulent stretch. His intensity down the stretch prevented the gap from widening further and gave the home crowd something to cheer.

Despite the loss, Caledonia showed resilience and moments of fluid offence, but Surrey’s 34% shooting from three and superior interior scoring proved decisive. The Gladiators will look to regroup quickly as they continue their Championship campaign, aiming to build on the promising individual performances and tighten up the details that slipped away in this matchup. The Gladiators will head down south to take on Leicester Riders in the final game of the SLB Championship before they stop for International Break, before they come back home on the 7^th of December for their first game in the SLB Trophy.