The Newcastle Eagles have a huge opportunity to build upon some very impressive foundations next season.

Chloe Gaynor and the Newcastle Eagles will be looking to carry forward the momentum they created as the 2025-26 Super League Basketball Women’s (SLBW) season came to an end, but following this offseason checklist will be essential.

Uncovering a primary ball handler

After the loss of the genius Lauren Saiki, the Newcastle Eagles lacked a true point guard who could dictate offensive proceedings consistently — which is normal when a player of that calibre departs.

While the Eagles boasted one of the league’s elite scorers in Andrea Daley, a high percentage of her points did not come through creative playmaking. Daley took matters into her own hands to charge coast-to-coast on several possessions a game.

In fact, Newcastle’s only player to feature on the SLBW’s top ten assists per game standings was Daley herself — averaging 3.8 assists per game.

Behind Daley, Shanique Lucas proved she could take the mantle of the Eagles’ next creative force if she was provided the responsibility to do so. Lucas recorded 3.5 assists per game, over 17 appearances for the franchise.

If Newcastle can retain the core of their squad for next season, adding a recognised playmaker into the mix would only strengthen their bid to become championship contenders.

Established 3-pt shooter

Alongside a primary ball handler, the Newcastle Eagles require an established 3-point shooter at this level — as do most of the teams in the SLBW.

Now, the chances of finding one player that fits both of these profiles without acquiring two options are slim, so the Eagles’ scouting department will have to be on overdrive to solve this puzzle.

Given the dominance of Andre Daley on the interior and with the support of Jada Dapaa in a similar area, spacing the floor and hitting shots from deep would give these two players more space to breathe.

Before announcing she was going to miss the rest of the season because of pregnancy (congratulations!!), Maria Mongomo led the Eagles with 71 3-point attempts on the year, draining 24 of them (33.8%).

Andrea Marin (35.8%) and Shanique Lucas (32.7%) also shot an impressive clip from that range, but did not have the opportunity to do so on a regular basis.

The Newcastle Eagles had a fantastic 2025-26 season considering they lost stars such as Lauren Saiki, Tierra Hodges, and Jada Guinn, but they must aim to carry this momentum into a new year and can’t afford to rest on their laurels.