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22 December 2025  4 min read

Women's National Cup Final set, WNBL D1 Recap (20-21 Dec 2025) - results, stats, streams and more

Anglia Ruskin and Bristol both ended the year on a high, picking up valuable wins to set themselves up for the new year.

The WNBL National Cup also has a pair of finalists after two hard-fought semi-finals. Manchester Mystics and London Cavaliers both progressed to next month's showpiece, moving to within a single victory of making history.

Get your tickets for the National Cup Finals

Saturday 20 December 2025 

3:45pm - Anglia Ruskin University (7-5) 78-62 Endeavour Ipswich Basketball (7-4) - LIVE STATS

5:15pm - London All Stars (3-7) 47-48 Bristol Flyers (4-8) - LIVE STATS

Sunday 21 December 2025 - WNBL National Cup

5pm - London All Stars 59-79 London Cavaliers - LIVE STATS

5pm - Manchester Mystics 57-52 Loughborough Riders - LIVE STATS

View all the Results

WNBL National Cup

Four became two after a pair of thrilling WNBL National Cup semi-finals as Manchester Mystics and London Cavaliers both progressed to January's showpiece

For the Cavs it's a third final in the last four years after they eased past London All Stars 79-59.

A 21-12 opening frame allowed the visitors to lead from tip to buzzer behind a 27/10 double-double from Chinwe Iwunze plus 12 points from former Cup Final MVP Helene Trailin.

Twenty five points from Josephine Maignomo and 22 more from former Cav Kat Goldsby couldn't slow the 2022/23 winners down as they now go hunting for another impressive chapter in the club's recent history.

Standing in their way will be Manchester Magic after they edged out Loughborough Riders 57-52.

The hosts held the Riders to 12 points in each of the first three quarters, slowly building a lead that they'd never relinquish thanks to a 30-point ball game from guard Kizzy Spence.

Despite their standing in the women's game, the North West outfit have never won the WNBL National Cup, setting up an equally interesting storyline in the upcoming battle for this year's title.

Get your tickets for the National Cup Finals

 

 

 

 

 

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Standout WNBL1 performances

Just two games made up the weekend, but they both provided big results.

Anglia Ruskin pushed themselves right into the top four conversation with a 78-62 victory over Ipswich, using a 49-27 second half to nab their seventh win of the season.

Bristol strengthened their grip on a playoff spot as they held on to beat London All Stars 48-47.

Leading 45-28 going into the last, Bristol appeared to be cruising but a 19-3 final frame brought the scores right back together, with the Flyers keeping themselves ahead by the narrowest of margins come the final buzzer.

What does it mean for the standings? 

With neither side in D1W action, CoLA and Manchester will end 2025 as joint leaders on 16 points.

ARU's win over Ipswich keeps them into the top four, with the Suffolk side taking their scheduled Sunday matchup with injury-stricken Worcester 20-0 to hurt the Wolves' chances of a title push.

Loughborough and Bromsgrove will finish the year in the bottom two, though just a win away from London All Stars and Brent Bulls in ninth and eighth respectively.

WNBL Division One Standings

2025/26 Playoff Structure

Player-of-the-week candidates 

Ruskin's win over Ipswich was headlined by Vicky Gray (20pts, 12reb), Abby Conlee (21pts, 7reb) and Faye Parker (15pts, 11reb) as all three put up double-doubles to get into the POTW mix.

Durga Dharmadhikari's team-high 12 points went with 11 boards as the standout for Bristol in their win over the All Stars, with Veronica Iweanya pulling down 16 boards to go with her five points.

Ipswich's Maisie Keyes (15pts, 15reb) and London's Katherine Goldsby (16pts, 6reb, 4stl) both had solid efforts in defeat. 

Watch out for the winner on our social channels, with the announcement going live at 7pm on Monday evening.

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Main image credit - Luke Simcock