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May 2, 2025
Game Report: Newcastle Eagles 78-71 Manchester
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Manchester Basketball will have to overcome a seven point deficit in the Super League Basketball Playoff Quarter-Final, after losing the first leg 78-71 on the road to Newcastle Eagles.
A hot start saw Manchester lead the game by double digits in the first half. However, a third quarter surge from the Eagles means they hold a narrow advantage heading back to the North West.
Makai Ashton-Langford, fresh off being named April’s SLB Player of the Month, led the game with 26 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals, stuffing the stat sheet in 39 minutes of action. He was named CultureBox Player of the Game.
Newcastle’s leading scorer on the season, Mike Okauru, led the hosts with 19. He went 6-10 from the field and 6-8 from the foul line in an efficient outing.
Now the sides will suit up in front of a sold out crowd on Monday evening, with Manchester in need of an eight point home win to progress to the Semi-Final.
Ashton-Langford leads Manchester to double-digit first half lead
13 points, 6 assists and 3 steals in the first half from Ashton-Langford led Manchester’s efforts.
The American put on a clinic with 5-8 shooting from the field and an index rating of 20 heading into the locker rooms. He scored seven straight points to give the visitors their first lead of the game at 12-11 with three minutes remaining in the first.
Manchester took an early advantage through their point guard’s play, making the difference as much as 10 points in the second period. However a late scoring flurry from the hosts brought them back into contention by the break.
Cole Long and Okauru combined for 18 at the half, and Seneca Knight, on his return from injury, hit a three to close the second quarter, making the score 39-35 in Manchester’s favour at the end of the period.
Newcastle fend off Manchester’s fourth quarter comeback
9 points in the third from Okauru meant the Eagles saw a seven point swing in the quarter. The Eagles took a three point lead into the fourth, as Newcastle went on a 13-2 run led by Okauru to flip the tie.
Marcus Delpeche cut the deficit to one point to start the fourth quarter for Manchester. However, the Eagles were able to hold the visitors at arm’s length for most of the fourth despite Manchester making runs back into contention.
Manchester cut it to a one score affair with 26 seconds on the clock, following back-to-back buckets from Ashton-Langford and Ian Dubose.
But a difficult sequence featuring an Ashton-Langford transition turnover and a DJ Mitchell foul saw the Eagles put up four points in 9 seconds to rebuild the lead going into the second leg.
Manchester on Monday for the Second Leg!
The return fixture will be played at the National Basketball Performance Centre on Monday, May 5 at 5 pm.
The game is a sell out, and we need you to bring the noise for the city to help us through to the next round!
Manchester Basketball will have to overcome a seven point deficit in the Super League Basketball Playoff Quarter-Final, after losing the first leg 78-71 on the road to Newcastle Eagles.
A hot start saw Manchester lead the game by double digits in the first half. However, a third quarter surge from the Eagles means they hold a narrow advantage heading back to the North West.
Makai Ashton-Langford, fresh off being named April’s SLB Player of the Month, led the game with 26 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals, stuffing the stat sheet in 39 minutes of action. He was named CultureBox Player of the Game.
Newcastle’s leading scorer on the season, Mike Okauru, led the hosts with 19. He went 6-10 from the field and 6-8 from the foul line in an efficient outing.
Now the sides will suit up in front of a sold out crowd on Monday evening, with Manchester in need of an eight point home win to progress to the Semi-Final.
Ashton-Langford leads Manchester to double-digit first half lead
13 points, 6 assists and 3 steals in the first half from Ashton-Langford led Manchester’s efforts.
The American put on a clinic with 5-8 shooting from the field and an index rating of 20 heading into the locker rooms. He scored seven straight points to give the visitors their first lead of the game at 12-11 with three minutes remaining in the first.
Manchester took an early advantage through their point guard’s play, making the difference as much as 10 points in the second period. However a late scoring flurry from the hosts brought them back into contention by the break.
Cole Long and Okauru combined for 18 at the half, and Seneca Knight, on his return from injury, hit a three to close the second quarter, making the score 39-35 in Manchester’s favour at the end of the period.
Newcastle fend off Manchester’s fourth quarter comeback
9 points in the third from Okauru meant the Eagles saw a seven point swing in the quarter. The Eagles took a three point lead into the fourth, as Newcastle went on a 13-2 run led by Okauru to flip the tie.
Marcus Delpeche cut the deficit to one point to start the fourth quarter for Manchester. However, the Eagles were able to hold the visitors at arm’s length for most of the fourth despite Manchester making runs back into contention.
Manchester cut it to a one score affair with 26 seconds on the clock, following back-to-back buckets from Ashton-Langford and Ian Dubose.
But a difficult sequence featuring an Ashton-Langford transition turnover and a DJ Mitchell foul saw the Eagles put up four points in 9 seconds to rebuild the lead going into the second leg.
Manchester on Monday for the Second Leg!
The return fixture will be played at the National Basketball Performance Centre on Monday, May 5 at 5 pm.
The game is a sell out, and we need you to bring the noise for the city to help us through to the next round!
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