Positives to Build on as Wolves BWB Premier League Women Slip to Opening Day Defeat

Saturday January 17th 2026

By Oli Russell

Wolves got their British Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Premier League season underway at the University of Worcester Arena on Saturday 17th January.

The Wolves side bolstered with a few fresh faces for the 2026 season battled well and will be buoyed by plenty of high quality action on display. However, the hosts just lacked that clinical edge to overturn a strong Teesside Mohawks side, who came out on top as the match ended 61-88.

It was clear straight from tipoff that both sides were eager to stamp their authority on the new season. The visitors won the tip and wasted no time at all, racing away to put up their first points of the new campaign.

Wolves replied instantaneously, with Lucy Robinson audaciously picking out Ellan Fraser to tie up proceedings, setting the basket-for-basket tone for the afternoon’s early action.

Continuing to exchange jabs, Fraser ruthlessly found her range, as she put up a further six points within the first five minutes to set a serious statement.

Wolves’ Jade Atkin then joined the party, adding four points of her own, however the Mohawks found a few stops late in the quarter, helping to establish an 11-point lead.

The second quarter saw Worcester employ patient build up play around the arc, which had perhaps got away from them late in the first quarter. Elegant progression from their own baseline into Mohawks territory saw Van der Poll’s attempt pop agonisingly back off the hoop, in what was one of Worcester’s most fluid offensive drives of the night.

As the first half ended, both sides headed for the locker rooms with the score at 31-41 in favour of the Mohawks, whose solid defence had stopped Wolves chipping away further into their lead.

With work to do in the second half of the season’s opener, Worcester came out with the bit between their teeth. Yet more patient team play from Clare Griffiths’ side impressed the home faithful in the stands, and applied the pressure firmly on to the Mohawks defence.

Frustratingly for the hosts however, shots continued to fade agonisingly off the ironwork as Teesside professionally weathered Wolves’ storm.

The away side then found their shooting touch once more and pushed their lead to 21 at the third quarter’s conclusion.

As time drifted away in the fourth and final quarter, the Mohawks had established an unassailable lead. This certainly didn’t dampen home spirits however, as Worcester continued to display some impressive passages right up until the match’s last moments.

Encouraged by a spirited Wolves sideline and those in the University of Worcester Arena, safe hands and accurate interchange from Worcester’s Clare Griffiths and Jade Loughlin ended with Lucy Robinson sinking two points whilst drawing a foul in the process. Robinson then effortlessly sunk her attempt from the stripe to round off the three point play.

As the final buzzer sounded on the Wolves’ BWB WPL curtain raiser, the home side unfortunately came out on the wrong side of the result.

There were plenty of positives to take from the match however, and as a squad still in its very early stages, Wolves proved that there is lots to be excited about for the season ahead. Wolves Women’s Premier League team are next in home action on Friday 30th January (7:30pm), welcoming the Loughborough Lightning to the University of Worcester Arena