Manchester Outpaces Rebels in Super League Basketball Championship Clash

The Essex Rebels women’s basketball team faced a tough outing against Manchester in a Championship clash at the National Basketball Performance Centre.

Right from the start, Manchester’s Bride Kennedy-Hopoate made an impact, hitting a contested jumper to kick off a strong opening run for the home side. With quick contributions from Courtney Shaw and Danni Williams, Manchester soon established a 5-0 lead.

The Rebels responded with Taylor O’Brien driving down the lane to briefly push Essex ahead. However, Manchester’s Davida Dale answered with back-to-back baskets, restoring the lead. Despite a strong effort from Maria Blazejewski to keep the Rebels competitive, Manchester’s control of the pace and consistent execution put Essex on the defensive. A lay-up by Shaw extended Manchester’s lead into double digits, and Kennedy-Hopoate capitalized on Essex turnovers, increasing the gap. The Rebels stayed in striking distance with O’Brien’s efforts, but Manchester entered halftime up by five.

The second half saw Manchester continue to press their advantage. Dale and Kennedy-Hopoate contributed on both ends, and Williams led a steady scoring effort. The Rebels struggled to find their rhythm, missing several three-point attempts and dealing with defensive lapses that allowed Manchester to pull further ahead.

Reflecting on the game, Essex Rebels Head Coach Ashley Cookson noted, “We didn’t respond well to our drop-off in the third, and credit to Manchester—they took advantage of our lack of energy. There are things within our control that we need to improve, and we’ll work on those this week to get back on track for Leicester.”

Manchester closed out with a 26-point win, with the Rebels showing moments of promise but ultimately unable to overcome the hosts’ pace and consistency. Essex will aim to regroup as they prepare to face Leicester away on Saturday, 2 November.

Key Performers Rebels:

• Taylor O’Brien: 24 Points | 5 Rebounds | 2 Assists | 3 Steals
• Maria Blazejewski: 17 Points | 8 Rebounds

Key Performers Manchester:

• Kennedy-Hopoate: 17 Points | 11 Rebounds | 5 Assists
• Williams: 22 Points | 4 Rebounds

The Essex Rebels women’s next home game is on Saturday, November 17, at 4 pm at the Essex Sport Arena, where they’ll face the Durham Palatinates. Tickets are available here.