Pride of London sent packing by Magnificent Seven

Eagles’ Magnificent Seven punched their ticket to the 2025 playoff final in sensational fashion to send top seed London Lions packing.

- SIMON RUSHWORTH

Injury ravaged and exhausted fol-lowing a gruelling 60-game season, Marc Steutel’s never-say-die warri-ors somehow found the energy to rack up the most famous of wins.

And in a final set to roll back the years, Newcastle will face fierce rivals Leicester Riders at London's O2 Arena on May 18.

It's a record breaking 11th trip to British basketball’s showpiece finale for the nation’s most successful fran-chise. But Stuetel’s men have fought home and abroad to keep their cam-paign alive.

A third final since January awaits the 2025 Trophy winners and one more win will earn proud owner Paul Blake the organisation’s eighth playoff crown.

Watched by Fabulous Flournoy — the irrepressible player-coach who laid the foundations for two decades of success — Newcastle overcame a 10-point first quarter deficit to come out on top.

And yet again Steutel’s stretched seven-man rotation gave everything to extend an historic season by one more week. Double doubles for Trey Pulliam and Cole Long epitomised the Eagles’ unflinching will to win.

On the night, Newcastle reminded their rivals that history counts for everything where this famous club’s concerned.