There were a trio of single-digit wins across six league games in the last few days, and yesterday's rematch between CoLA Southwark Pride and Endeavour Ipswich Basketball in the National Cup didn't disappoint.
We take a look back at all of the action below, with links to live stats and live streams at the bottom of the page.
Brent's title ambitions took another knock yesterday as they were beaten 81-74 in Thames Valley.
TVC would lead the contest for almost the entirety, but an enthralling fourth quarter would see the hosts lead by double digits at 68-58 as well as being tied at 73-73 with 1:44 remaining.
Kat Goldsby would score three of the Cavs' ensuing points from the line to finish on a team-high 20 to go with six rebounds and four assists, with Helene Trailin (15pts, 20reb) and Katie Richards (15pts, 8reb) both playing well in support.
The Bulls fought hard throughout, though the telling bucket to push themselves into the lead would always prove elusive. Judit Fritz (22pts) was a standout for the visitors and Jess Davies (20pts, 9reb) continued her good form.
The result pulls the Cavs and Bulls level on three losses for the season, though both trail the likes of CoLA (7-2) and Ipswich (9-1), with neither side looking likely to slip up any time soon.
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Thames valley claim the win in the London Derby #NBL2324 pic.twitter.com/iz7dCVOHPy
— NBL (@NBLengland) December 10, 2023
Loughborough Riders (7-4) moved onto 14 points for the season with a 66-59 win against Barking Abbey (4-6).
A 21-11 third frame made all the difference for the hosts as Sasha Lecuyer also enjoyed a team-high 18 points.
Team Solent Kestrels (1-7) are winless no more as they beat City of Birmingham Rockets (2-7) 66-64.
Solent must have feared the worst trailing by 15 midway through the third quarter but refused to go quietly, stealing the spoils at the death behind 16 points from Tilly Goddard.
CoLA Southwark Pride's (7-2) came through a low-scoring grinder against Anglia Ruskin University (3-8), winning 63-45.
ARU were held to just 18 second-half points as CoLA collected their seventh win of the year, with Glory Kabia hitting four triples on her way to a game-high 19 points.
Bristol Academy Flyers (4-6) came up short against leaders Endeavour Ipswich Basketball (9-1), with an 82-61 final score.
Reigning Player of the Week Harriet Welham showed no signs of slowing down with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double, though teammate Liv Forster would steal the headlines with an impressive 23-point, eight-rebound, six-assist ball game.
The weekend closed with an easy win for Reading Rockets (4-4), beating Manchester Mystics (4-6) 83-50.
Manchester had taken the opening quarter 22-14 but went off the rails from there, scoring just 28 points in the remaining three frames.
Lindsey Cleary (23pts, 14reb) was the standout for the Rockets, with Alicia Guerra-Rainford (23pts, 4/6 3pt) enjoying a strong debut.
Liv Forster hits from deeeep to beat the halftime buzzer in Endeavour Ipswich’s 82-61 win over Bristol Flyers!#NBL2324 pic.twitter.com/fxBqfcOTp9
— NBL (@NBLengland) December 10, 2023
The quarter-final battle between former D1W winners CoLA Southwark Pride and Endeavour Ipswich Basketball lived up to its billing, with Ipswich sealing their spot in the semi-finals following a 78-70 road win.
When the two sides met in league action last month it produced an OT thriller, with CoLA coming through as 102-95 winners. The Suffolk side were able to avenge that defeat thanks to 23 points from Harriet Welham and 22 more from Liv Forster, pushing the D1W leaders into the next round at their rival's expense.
The result completes the field for the semi-finals, with the following ties scheduled for next Sunday:
1pm - Loughborough Riders 66-59 Barking Abbey - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM
3:30pm - Team Solent Kestrels 66-64 City of Birmingham Rockets - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM
4:15pm - Anglia Ruskin University 45-63 CoLA Southwark Pride - LIVE STATS
5pm - Bristol Academy Flyers 61-82 Endeavour Ipswich Basketball - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM
2pm - Thames Valley Cavaliers 81-74 Brent Bulls - LIVE STATS
3:45pm - Reading Rockets 83-50Manchester Mystics - LIVE STATS
National Cup - 4:15pm - CoLA Southwark Pride 70-78 Endeavour Ipswich Basketball
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Main image credit - Luke Simcock
