Regular-season champs Endeavour Ipswich Basketball endured their first defeat of the season on the road against Thames Valley Cavaliers, providing some early intrigue at the top of the table.
Plenty of WNBL National Cup games also took place across the weekend, with the bulk of D1W's teams involved across the two days.
We take a look back at all the weekend's contests below, with links to live stats at the bottom of the page.
In what was a thrilling contest from start to finish, Thames Valley held on to beat title rivals Endeavour Ipswich Basketball 80-77 on Saturday.
TVC held the lead for much of the first half, including a double-digit advantage more than once, before the game flipped after the break.
The third quarter was an even affair before Ipswich grabbed a nine-point lead early in the fourth, though both teams would go ahead by five points or more inside the final two minutes.
Yassin Belle-Mbaye (17pts, 7reb) netted six of TVC's points in that final two minute stretch as the hosts swung the game back in their favour, though it was captain Kat Goldsby (26pts, 7reb, 5ast) who would lead all scorers.
Harriet Welham (20pts, 8reb) put any injury concerns to bed as she played the full 40, and was supported well by Maddy Wormald (15pts, 9reb) and Vicky Gray (15pts).
The early-season clash was a great advert for the WNBL and the potential for other match-ups between these sides in both the league and WNBL National Cup is sure to draw plenty of attention across the coming months.
Ipswich will now head home to welcome Anglia Ruskin next weekend, whilst Thames Valley will try to keep the good times going at home to Reading with a firm eye on their trip to CoLA on 26 October.
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Round one of the WNBL National Cup is over, with a number of teams moving into the next round following success this past weekend.
Manchester Mystics had no problem in Saturday's only clash as they beat North West rivals Liverpool 92-50 behind 27 points from Kizzy Spence.
Thames Valley Cavaliers made it a two win weekend as they went to Hemel Storm and grabbed a 70-46 W, and Brent Bulls are also through to the next round as they easily beat London Elite 105-32 thanks to 25 points from Judit Fritz.
D1's Barking Abbey were made to work by local rivals East London Phoenix, eventually coming through 66-54, and Bristol Academy Flyers' trip to Wales was also worth it as they bested Cardiff City 94-47 off the back of a 35-6 opening quarter.
Former winners Anglia Ruskin University are safely through to the next round as they beat Stevenage Royals 83-52, with new import Izabelle Booth dropping an impressive 37 points for ARU in that one.
Reading Rockets put their stuttering D1W form to one side as they put the brakes on London Thunder, winning 66-27, and Loughborough Riders claimed the Midlands derby against Nottingham University Wildcats 69-41 after a 23-8 final quarter.
London All Stars played hard against CoLA Southwark Pride but came up short, going down 74-63 to the 2016/17 winners.
Team Solent Kestrels took the all-D2 clash against Plymouth Marjon Patriots, 77-52, and Bromsgrove Bears won on the road against neighbours City of Birmingham Rockets 74-65 thanks to Becky Brindley's 35 points.
With the opening round of the Cup now completed, teams are looking ahead to round two.
There are a number of all-D1 clashes to get excited for, including Loughborough vs Manchester, Thames Valley vs Anglia Ruskin and Barking Abbey vs Reading Rockets.
The pick of the bunch may well be Brent's trip to rivals CoLA Southwark Pride however, whilst holders Endeavour Ipswich Basketball have a home tie against D2's Milton Keynes Breakers.
The full draw is as follows:
Loughborough Riders vs Manchester Mystics
Worcester Wolves vs Bromsgrove Bears
Cardiff Met Archers vs Bristol Academy Flyers
Thames Valley Cavaliers vs Anglia Ruskin University
Endeavour Ipswich Basketball vs Milton Keynes Breakers
Barking Abbey vs Reading Rockets
CoLA Southwark Pride vs Brent Bulls
Team Solent Kestrels vs Cobham Cobras
All ties are currently scheduled for 3 November 2024.
4:30pm - Thames Valley Cavaliers 80-77 Endeavour Ipswich Basketball - LIVE STATS
3pm - Liverpool 50-92 Manchester Mystics
1pm - Plymouth Marjon Patriots 52-77 Team Solent Kestrels
1:15pm - Cardiff City 47-94 Bristol Academy Flyers
2pm - East London Phoenix 54-66 Barking Abbey
3pm - Hemel Storm 46-70 Thames Valley Cavaliers
3pm - Brent Bulls 105-32 London Elite
3:45pm - Anglia Ruskin University 83-25 Stevenage Royals
4pm - Reading Rockets 66-27 London Thunder - LIVE STATS
5pm - City of Birmingham Rockets 65-74 Bromsgrove Bears
6pm - Loughborough Riders 69-41 Nottingham University Wildcats - LIVE STATS
6:15pm London All Stars 63-74 CoLA Southwark Pride
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