Thames Valley Cavaliers vs Leicester Warriors 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 6.00pm
As one of the only teams not in double-header action last weekend, Thames Valley Cavaliers had one shot at getting their record back to .500 and they did so last Saturday night with a 85-81 win over fellow Division One newcomers Nottingham Hoods. The victory got the Cavs back to an even 2-2 record as they sit in ninth place, hoping for more success this weekend to move up into the playoff spots. Last weekend's action saw the Cavs paced by Elliott Defreitas who shot 12-16 en route to 25 points and six rebounds. Aiden Saunders chipped in with 16 points and six rebounds, while Abdoulaye Sylla was efficient as he from shot 7-11 from the floor to add 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Leicester Warriors are coming into this one off a disappointing double-header of back-to-back losses, as they first hosted Reading Rockets last Saturday. The East Midlands side pushed Rockets to work hard for their victory, as Pak Chingombe led the charge with 21 points, six assists and two steals. However, Sunday saw Leicester travel to the North East short-handed for a match-up with Team Newcastle, and the Warriors didn't quite have the legs to compete as they went down by a big margin. Joshua Pollock led the effort on the day with 16 points off the bench, while Brian Orr added 15.
Manchester Magic vs Barking Abbey Crusaders 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 6.30pm
Another side heading into this weekend coming off a disappointing double-header is the Manchester Magic, who picked up two losses last weekend at the hands of Team Solent and Nottingham. The North West squad never troubled the Kestrels, who ran away with a victory on their home floor to remain undefeated, while on Sunday the Hoods came into the Manchester Basketball Centre and put on a defensive clinic as the Magic could only put 55 points on the board. Jonathan Barnes put in two good performances for Coach Aurimas Verukas' side last weekend, so there could be key match-ups inside as Theo Hughes and Nathaniel Powell are tasked with slowing him down.
Meanwhile, Barking Abbey's double-header wasn't any more successful as they lost out in their back-to-back games against Loughborough and Derby. After the home comforts of last weekend, the Crusaders now head on the road to face the Magic - a battle of two young squads which should be played at an exciting pace. Jonathan Brown has been in good form for Coach Lloyd Gardner of late, averaging 18 points over their two contests last weekend. Chris Feeney has also been a threat for the East London side, scoring efficiently from outside the arc this far this campaign.
Hemel Storm vs Bradford Dragons
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 7.00pm
A disappointing trip up to the North East last weekend sees Hemel Storm head into this one with a point to prove, as they were downed 83-80 by Team Newcastle in a game that got away from them down the stretch. Coach Robert Youngblood's side will be looking to eradicate the crucial errors in the final moments that cost them a win, as they will need to be on top form against a hungry Leopards side. Storm relied on 18 points apiece from Levi Noel and Tom Adorian last weekend, while Blayne Freckleton controlled the back-court as he chipped in a double-double of 11 points and 10 assists.
With a long road trip down south ahead of the Dragons, it may be a good change of scenery for Coach Chris Mellor's side as a home double-header did not go as planned last weekend. Saturday night saw them lose out to Worthing, before a close one on Sunday against Reading again did not go their way. The once 3-0 league leading Dragons now sit in seventh place at 3-3, on a bit of a slide of late after some tough encounters. With Drexler Clark likely out for this one because of injury, Coach Mellor will likely rely on the production of his forwards, hoping for continued good form from Rihards Sulcs and Ricky Fetske.
Worthing Thunder vs Essex Leopards
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 7.30pm
Worthing Thunder split their double-header last weekend, as they did the business on the road at Bradford to maintain their unbeaten start, before a tough loss in a Sunday matinee game against Team Solent saw them fall to 5-1 for the season. With the Kestrels enjoying the home comforts of a back-to-back at Places Leisure Eastleigh, the mileage on the Thunder squad's bodies will no doubt have been a factor, as October NBL Player of the Month Zaire Taylor was limited to just nine points on the day.
The visitors in this match-up are the Essex Leopards, who travel down to Worthing coming off a tough loss at the hands of the undefeated Derby Trailblazers. The Big Cats led early on in that one, but quickly fell behind by double digits as their chance at a first league win of the campaign drifted away. Essex head into this one propping up the Division One standings alongside Manchester, both teams 0-4 in search of a first success in league play - a tough match-up here could see Coach Thomas Baker's squad waiting another week for their first triumph.
Team Solent Kestrels vs Derby Trailblazers 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 7.30pm
In the marquee game of this weekend's NBL Division One schedule, a top of the table clash between the only two undefeated teams left in the league sees the Trailblazers travel down to the south coast for an intriguing battle. Team Solent picked up back-to-back wins last weekend, as they were untroubled by the visiting Magic, before dealing Worthing their first loss of the campaign. Unveiling new US import big man Travis Charles on Sunday, the Kestrels are getting stronger by the week, having recently added guard Nick Lewis to an already overwhelmingly talented roster. This encounter has some mouth-watering match-ups in store, with Tre-Shawn Wilford and Herm Senor II going at it on the perimeter, while leaving Charles and Malcolm Smith to do battle in the paint.
Derby were able to stay perfect at 5-0 last weekend as they completed a road double-header in the South East, first dispatching Essex on Saturday, before defeating Barking on Sunday. Malcolm Smith continued his onslaught of scoring displays, as the US forward had 35 and 26 in the back-to-back to pace Coach Matt Shaw's side. Their toughest test of the season stands in the Blazers way, after notable wins against Bradford and Reading, the East Midlands side are battle-tested enough to take on the talented Kestrels.
Blazers' Coach Matt Shaw said ahead of the match-up, "So far we’ve managed to find ways to win games and our guys are really tuned in to work out a way in which h we can succeed on the south coast on Saturday. Solent have a couple of new players on board, who we’ll be hoping to keep quiet and fingers crossed they won’t be fully integrated into their systems just yet."
Manchester Magic vs Team Newcastle 
Sunday 11 November 2018 - 5.00pm
As one of two teams in double-header action this weekend, the Magic will have two cracks at picking up their first win of the league season in front of their home fans. The last time these two sides faced off in National Trophy pool play, the fans were treated to an overtime thriller, as Eric Stafford had his way down the stretch to down Manchester in their season opener. The North East side will come into this one full of confidence, picking up back-to-back wins last weekend after a 0-3 start to the season. Coach Ian Hewitt's side were paced to their victories by an NBL Player of the Week worthy weekend from young forward Tosan Evbuomwan, who averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds over their two encounters with Hemel and Leicester. The big question heading into this match-up will be if the Magic's Loick Pouale, Andre Gayle or any of their talented youngsters can do anything to slow Evbuomwan down.
Reading Rockets vs Hemel Storm
Sunday 11 November 2018 - 5.00pm
After the home game the night before, Sunday evening sees Hemel Storm make the trip to Berkshire to face the Rockets. Two tough tests this weekend against Bradford and Reading will see Coach Robert Youngblood's side desperate to improve on their current 1-3 record, as the reigning National Cup champions will likely be disappointed with their early season form. Meanwhile, Reading head into this one coming off back-to-back wins last weekend which saw them get back above .500 with a 3-2 record, good for fifth in the standings. AJ Carr was instrumental in the wins for the Berkshire-based squad, while Sydney Donaldson has also been making his presence felt with efficient scoring from the back-court. The battle of the guard-play could be crucial in this one, with Donaldson, backed up by Adrian O'Sullivan and Trae Pemberton, doing battle with Blayne Freckleton, Levi Noel and Storm skipper Bode Adeluola.
Loughborough Riders vs Ipswich 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 2.00pm
The Riders head into this one coming off a disappointing overtime loss last weekend at the hands of Sevenoaks. Despite leading by double figures into the fourth quarter, the East Midlands side gave up key scores down the stretch that sent the game into an extra period as the Suns grabbed a come from behind victory. Coach Krumesh Patel's squad now sit in eighth place with a 1-3 record, hoping for a good performance on their home floor against Ipswich.
After a short two-game skid, Ipswich got back to winning ways last weekend with a dominant home win over Birmingham. Coach Nick Drane's side had picked up some tough loss over the previous fortnight, but a refocused performance got them the win over Elite as they improved to 3-2 on the season. With Becky Hardwood-Bellis joining the line-up after time out with injury, Ipswich's talented young core has another weapon to throw at the Riders in this one.
Anglia Ruskin University vs Team Solent Kestrels
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 4.00pm
Anglia Ruskin's last league action in WNBL Division One was close to a month ago, after a postponement against Southwark Pride has seen them only feature in the National Cup of late. The Rhinos sit in sixth place in the standings, with games in hand, as their 2-0 record sees them hold the title of the only remaining undefeated team in the league. The returning core of Nadege Talva, Katrin Hulme and Jazmin Gyulai have all been on form for the Cambridge-based side, so the Kestrels could be in for a tough one here.
Team Solent have also had a few weeks away from league action, since their victory over Loughborough in October. Coach CJ Lee's side are perched in third place with a 3-1 record, their only loss thus far coming at the hands of Ipswich in a close game. Andrea Kurkowski and Geena Gomez have been the Kestrels' key weapons thus far, with Gomez picking up October's WNBL Player of the Month award, suitable reward for her scoring displays so far.
Barking Abbey vs Team Birmingham Elite 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 4.00pm
Barking came away disappointed from their London derby against Southwark Pride last weekend as they let a good start to the contest go to waste as the Pride put together good second and third quarter performances to build a commanding lead and take the game. Ann Sheaia has been in good form recently, and paced the visitors with 17 points against Southwark, while Precious Adediran has also been a scoring threat, as she added 11 against the Pride.
Meanwhile, playing in their third road game on the bounce, Team Birmingham are still searching for their first league win of this campaign. A 0-4 record to start the season doesn't do their narrow losses justice, but the West Midlands side haven't been able to get over the line thus far. Single digit losses against Southwark and Solent leave Elite still hunting their first triumph, and this road trip to East London could be their chance, against a 1-5 Barking Abbey side.
Reading Rockets vs Bristol Academy Flyers 
Sunday 11 November 2018 - 2.30pm
The lone Sunday game in WNBL Division One sees Reading host the league-leading Bristol Academy Flyers. After a 1-2 start to the season, Reading sit in seventh place in the standings, looking up at their opponents in this one, the 4-1 first-placed Flyers. Having not been in league action for a couple of weeks, Coach David Sanchez' squad are sure to be raring to go for this challenging match-up. A good start to the season for Monica Herranz de Antonio has seen the Rockets rely on a mix of their returning seniors, new talent and emerging youngsters from John Madejski Academy.
An undefeated October saw Flyers' coach Gareth Till named WNBL Coach of the Month, with the Flyers going 4-0 as they surged up to the top spot in the standings. No league action last week for the South West side means they will hope to carry over their form from a fortnight ago which saw them down Loughborough Riders on the road. Cristina Bigica has fitted in nicely to an already talented Flyers unit, as she paced them in scoring against the East Midlands side with 18 points.
Myerscough College vs East London All Stars 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 2.00pm
Myerscough head into this one coming off their first loss of the league season, dealt to them by the Sussex Bears. The loss saw Myerscough drop to 2-1 on the season, falling to to fourth place. Coach Neal Hopkins will hope for a repeat of form for Sanmi Fajana who paced them with 18 points, while return for his starting back-court Mate Okros and Callan Low will bolster their effort.
A week off for East London will see them hopefully forget their disappointing performance the last time out against Liverpool, as the Merseyside squad took a commanding win. An even 2-2 record for the All Stars thus far has seen them rely on the production of young dynamic back-court Aaron Badibo and Jonathan James.
Greenwich Titans vs London Westside 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 3.00pm
A narrow loss last time out for the Greenwich Titans saw them fall behind late on against London Greenhouse Pioneers after a competitive first half. Arturo Noah-Pascual was the high point man on the day for the Titans, chipping in 23 points in the losing effort.
Meanwhile, Westside come into this one off a loss of their own, as Westminster Warriors were dominant in a blow-out win last week. An improved second half performance from Westside saw them compete down the stretch, but the damage had been done early on.
Westminster Warriors vs Sussex Bears 
Saturday 10 November 2018 - 5.30pm
A commanding win for Westminster last week against Westside was paced by 16 points from Justin Hitchman, as player-coach Jon Johnson got into the act with a double-digit scoring effort of his own. The Warriors are perched in second in the standings, with an early 2-1 record.
Sussex dealt Myerscough their first loss of the league campaign last weekend, behind a Player of the Week performance from Cordaris Townes who paced the Bears with 22 points while stuffing the stat-sheet. The Bears are an even 2-2 on the early season, so Coach Gary Smith will be hopeful of another big result in this one.
Myerscough College vs Ipswich
Sunday 11 November 2018 - 3.00pm
Myerscough's second chance at reversing their woes from a week ago comes on Sunday as they welcome Ipswich. With the North West having faced East London the day before, the Suffolk will have the fresher legs going into this one. A week removed from a heavy defeat at the hands of Liverpool, Ipswich will hope for another balanced attack - paced by academy stand-outs Ethan Price and Veron Eze.
London United vs London Greenhouse Pioneers 
Sunday 11 November 2018 - 4.00pm
London United's youngsters will return from EYBL and head straight into this contest on Sunday afternoon, two weeks removed from their last league action. A victory over Sussex Bears was the result on that day, as United hold an early 2-1 record that is good for third place in Division Two.
Meanwhile, the Pioneers will hope to continue their good form after a win over Greenwich Titans in their last time out. The victory was the Pioneers first of the league season, as their 1-2 record brought them off the foot of the table as their sit in tenth place. Coach Predrag Krneta will hope for the good form of former Player of the Week Max Hufschlag to continue into this tough encounter with United.
Derbyshire Arrows vs Liverpool 
Sunday 11 November 2018 - 4.00pm
The Arrows head into this one off a week off, vital preparation time for this encounter with the league-leaders. Coach Jonny Kelly will require big performances from stars Joseph Baugh, Sheu Matewe and Premek Milak if his Arrows side are to give Liverpool a scare in this one.
The Merseyside squad that top the table are 4-0 on the early season, behind the play of NBL Player of the Month David Ulph - consistent 20 and 10 producer. Coach Delme Herriman also picked up Coach of the Month last week after his squad's hot start to this campaign, as he will hope they can go 5-0 after this weekend.
For full Scores & Schedules from this weekend's action, click the link below:
