Caledonia Gladiators win SLB Betty Codona Trophy for first title
Caledonia Gladiators held off an Oaklands Wolves fightback to claim their first piece of silverware with a 61-59 victory in the 2025 SLB Betty Codona Trophy final.
The Scottish franchise overcame their previously unbeaten opponents in a tight contest at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, on Sunday.
Mathilde Domenger top scored with 17 points in the win as MVP, with Tea Adams adding 15 points as the backcourt duo helped seal the win at the line.
Caledonia had settled the quicker of the two teams in a 10-4 opening, though both sides struggled for rhythm offensively – particularly from outside. Wolves captain Shanice Beckf0rd-Norton provided trademark energy off the bench with six points, though her side trailed by five after 10 minutes.
Tea Adams – who is set to take on GB with Estonia in next month’s EuroBasket qualifiers – came up with back-to-back tough finishes under the basket to keep the Gladiators in the ascendancy with an eight-point cushion.
The first triple of the game was finally netted by Beth Sarson in the final minutes of the first half, with Caledonia taking a 31-25 lead into the break.
Oaklands came out strong when play resumed with a 9-2 run to take the lead on a three-point play from McCray.
However, Caledonia survived the momentum shift; first through a succession of strong drives from their guards, before Delaynie Byrne hit their first three of the game and Aerianna Harris followed with an and-1 play to make it a nine-point lead at 45-36.
Domenger and Kirsty Brown pushed the gap into double figures for the first time early in the fourth to leave Oaklands – who had won all 11 games this season – with an uphill battle down 12 with 9:13 to play.
But this is a team that has got used to winning, and the Wolves hit back with the next nine points in a three-minute spell to make it a one-possession game.
Once again, Caledonia managed to hold on to their advantage and it came down to a tense finale with Adams sinking three of four shots from the line, while Oaklands had the chance to force overtime at the buzzer but came up agonisingly short for their first loss of the season.
Notes
- This was the first final of the SLB era
- Gladiators starters: Domenger, Robb, Tudor, Harris, Brown
- Wolves starters: Albiero, Ashby, McCray, McGhee-Pheasant, Da Silva
- Shanice Beckford-Norton had won four Betty Codona Trophy titles
- Oaklands were competing in their first final
- Caledonia’s last final appearance was in the WBBL Cup in 2018
- Oaklands’ 12-game win streak ended with defeat
The post Caledonia Gladiators win SLB Betty Codona Trophy for first title appeared first on Hoopsfix.com.