WBBL Trophy First Round weekend (Streams & recaps)

The WBBL Trophy adopts a new format for the 2022-23 season with four invitational teams making up a 16-team field.

The first round takes place this weekend with all games being held at the Essex Sports Arena with four games each on Saturday and Sunday.

Keep updated throughout the weekend with recaps from each game with all the streams below each fixture.

Sunday 8th January, 2023

Oaklands Wolves 53-104 Leicester Riders – 11am

Leicester Riders cruised into the quarter-finals of the WBBL Trophy after beating Oaklands Wolves 104-53 to start the second day, in Essex.

Oliana Squires top scored with 24 points in the win with Ashley Arlen adding 21 points as the duo combined for 10 made threes in the game. McKenzie Johnston weighed in with seven points, 12 rebounds and six assists, while Kirsty Brown posted 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Box score.

The Riders used a 20-6 spell in the first quarter to take control with Squires quickly into double digits, while Arlen hit four triples during the opening period including a stepback at the buzzer to make it 37-19.

Squires matched that tally from downtown at the start of the second as Leicester continued to pull away with a commanding 54-35 advantage at half-time. Jorjah Smith had an and-1 early in the the third on the way to a team-high 19 points for the Wolves, but the deficit moved beyond 40 points.

Jess Eadsforth-Yates hit a couple of threes in the fourth with the Riders reaching the century mark off consecutive threes from Con Selby to cap a comprehensive victory. Leicester will meet Caledonia in the last eight.

Manchester Met Mystics v City of London Academy – 1:30pm

Manchester Met Mystics ended their losing start to the 2022-23 season after overcoming WNBL D1 reigning champions CoLA in a hard-fought 68-42 success.

Shae Sanchez had 22 points, six rebounds and four steals with Sam Keltos contributing a double-double of 21 points and 17 rebounds along with five blocks.

Box score.

Keltos picked up two early fouls, but also hit two early threes in an 11-2 start with her Canadian compatriot Sanchez combining to account for 20 of the Mystics’ 22 first quarter points.

CoLA kept it competitive in the second without being able to put together a pivotal run as they trailed 35-28 at the half. Keltos collected a fourth foul at the start of the third, but Sanchez scored six points in quick succession to spark a big second half as the Mystics held their opponents to just

Newcastle Eagles 90-82 Nottingham Wildcats – 4pm

Newcastle Eagles held off a late fightback from Nottingham Wildcats to book their spot in the quarter-finals.

Antoinette Lewis starred with 19 points, 15 rebounds and five assists for the victors with Maggie Justinak leading the scoring with 23 points, while Marina Fernandez posted a 19-7-7 line.

Box score.

Sheffield Hatters 137-72 Ipswich Basketball – 6:30pm

Sheffield Hatters became the final team into the quarter-finals as they put on an offensive clinic in beating WNBL D1 side Ipswich 137-72.

Karly Murphy had a monster game with 16 points, 20 rebounds and seven rebounds inside three quarters with Helen Naylor coming close to a triple-double with 23 points, nine boards and eight assists.

Ipswich were unable to stop their more experienced opponents, but put up a good account of themselves with 21 points from Ava Battese and a further 18 from junior international Olivia Forster.

Box score.

Saturday 7th January, 2023

Brent Bulls 42-98 London Lions – 11am

London Lions began the defence of their WBBL Trophy title with a commanding 98-42 victory over WNBL D1 side Brent Bulls. Paulina Hersler top scored with a game-high of 25 points with Shequila Joseph adding 19 points.

Box score.

It was a routine win for the two-time Trophy winners even without Kennedy Leonard and Kiki Herbert-Harrigan, who picked up an injury in Thursday’s EuroCup triumph.

The Lions jumped out to a 32-8 start in the opening quarter with Hersler quickly into double figures, while Joseph adding further punch from downtown. Shanice Beckford-Norton’s basket to beat the half-time buzzer put her side up 56-25.

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The gap extended to 40 points at the end of the third quarter and London closed out a convincing win in a low-scoring final period. Brent were forced into 32 turnovers and held to under 30% shooting with London 10-of-33 from downtown.

Durham Palatinates 80-85 Cardiff Met Archers – 1:30pm

Cardiff Met Archers came from 16 points down in the third quarter to defeat Durham Palatinates 85-80 with an impressive late charge.

Issy Bunyan had a team-high 23 points, while Shannon Hatch posted 17 points, 19 rebounds and three blocks with Lauren Saiki dishing out 11 assists to go with 16 points and five steals.

Durham made a bright start with the added inside presence of the returning Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby – after a few years overseas – providing seven points in the opening quarter in a 22-17 lead. The former GB international moved into double figures with back-to-back baskets as the Palatinates stretched their advantage to eight points.

Saiki had five points in quick succession to get the Archers ahead in the midst of a 9-0 run, but Durham restored control with a big finish to lead 47-37 at the half despite Bunyan’s three at the buzzer.

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Bunyan continued to carry the scoring load for Cardiff as they battled to stay in contention with foul trouble allowing Durham to move further ahead – leading by as many as 16 in the third. Cardiff then put together a 25-11 fourth period to snatch the win and set a meeting with London.

Ottewill-Soulsby finished with a huge double-double of 27 points and 19 rebounds with Elle Hendershot adding 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks.

Essex Rebels 79-64 Sevenoaks Suns – 4pm

Essex Rebels defeated Sevenoaks Suns for the first time at the 15th attempt as they advanced to the quarter-finals with a 79-64 triumph on home soil.

Megan Haines provided an early spark with 15 points off the bench with Sune Swart contributing 15 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double as well as six blocks in the win. Daniella Turner added 14 points, while Tia Freeman posted nine points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Box score.

Janice Monakana opened the scoring from beyond the arc, but it was the Rebels who asserted control from three-point range with two of four coming from Ashleigh Munns to help build an 18-10 lead. Haines continued the momentum with a string of tough finishes as the lead grew into double figures.

Essex maintained their highly efficient shooting on their way to a 49-36 half-time advantage, going into the break at 58%. There was little to separate the teams through much of the third, but Jade Mbam hit a trio of triples to keep the hosts in firm control at 69-52 with 10 minutes to go.

Swart’s patrolling of the paint halted any potential Suns revival in the fourth and they were able to secure a double-digit victory.

“It’s a very good feeling,” said Ashleigh Munns post-game. “It’s been a long time, not ever beating them. It’s very satisfying. To beat a really good team you have to be on your game. I’m just so proud of my team and how everyone came together and played their part.”

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Caledonia Gladiators 69-47 Thames Valley Cavaliers – 6:30pm

Caledonia Gladiators rounded out the first day of the First Round weekend with a 69-47 victory over WNBL D1 side Thames Valley Cavaliers.

GB star Chantelle Handy finished with an all-round effort of 16 points, five rebounds and five assists with Erin McGarrachan leading the way with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Box score.

The bracket for the quarter-finals is as follows:

Essex Rebels v Newcastle Eagles
Leicester Riders v Caledonia Gladiators
Cardiff Met Archers v London Lions
Manchester Met Mystics v Sheffield Hatters