It was a rare night to forget for the B. Braun Sheffield Hatters as they lost out in their home return by 29 points.
It was all to play for after the first ten minutes, with Manchester Basketball only leading by one as the buzzer signalled the end of a tightly-fought quarter.
The Hatters have undergone a significant transition over the summer, but were still firm favourites after their clean sweep of all four domestic titles last season. The head-to-head record also reinforced this, as Manchester lost in all four of the previous meetings between the local rivals.
Georgia Gayle was the most significant name to depart from the Steel City. She told Women’s Basketball Weekly that retirement is also being considered. The 2025/26 League MVP Megan Mullins has crossed continents to resume her career in New Zealand.
By half-time, Manchester’s lead had grown to 17 and it was clear to see why. Hatters only converted 35% of their two pointer attempts in stark comparison to Manchester’s 63%. Eva Karasaite was the highest scorer across the contest, with three 3-pointers and 15 points overall.
In the third quarter, the gap grew to 28. Hatters went four minutes without scoring as Manchester netted ten more without reply. The final quarter felt very much like a rendition of the first, with one more point in favour of Manchester, making the final score 59-88.
Laycee Drake was named Most Valuable Player for the Hatters, after her 13 point haul, six assists, and five turnovers.
The results leave Manchester flying high in second in the Super League Basketball Championship table, while Sheffield Hatters sit in an unusually low sixth.
There is an opportunity for the Hatters to bounce back on Saturday at home against Oaklands, who were victorious when the two teams last met back in April – marking one of only three league defeats for Vanessa Ellis’ team.
Image Credit: Joseph D’Ambrosio
