As Oaklands Wolves gear up to face Sheffield Hatters in the SLB Play-off Final at the O2 Arena, head coach Lee Ryan is leaving nothing to chance.

“We know anything can happen in a final, so this week we’re preparing for all eventualities to give ourselves the best chance of ending this incredible season with the top prize,” said Ryan.

“Sheffield have matched us stride for stride all year. They’re a physical, disciplined team with real depth and multiple players capable of stepping up. Georgia Gayle is one of the league’s standout performers and will no doubt be key for them. Inside, they’re strong, and the recent return of Shauna Washington only adds to that. They’ve also got dangerous shooters—Emma Gandini proved that in their semi-final win—so we’ll need to be at our best on both ends of the court.”

Having already won two trophies this season, Ryan knows what it will take to complete the treble.

“We’ll need to control the tempo and play the defensive game of our season if we’re going to come out on top. The players are giving everything they’ve got to be the ones lifting the trophy on Sunday.”

It’s a fitting finale to the inaugural Super League Basketball season—formed after the top division restructured from the British Basketball League—with the league’s two top teams set to meet.

Wolves dropped just two games on their way to the regular season title—one coming after they had already secured top spot—while two of Hatters' three losses came at the hands of Oaklands.

Their first encounter in December saw Wolves earn a 79–72 road win behind Tay McGhee-Pleasant’s 14 points and eight rebounds, as five players hit double figures. The return fixture in March was a classic, with GB internationals Shanice Beckford-Norton and Sam Ashby holding their nerve at the free-throw line to seal a dramatic 75–72 comeback win. Beckford-Norton finished with a game-high 28 points.

The teams also clashed in the SLB Cup Final in Nottingham, where McGhee-Pleasant’s 14 points and seven rebounds led Oaklands to their first piece of top-flight silverware with a 65–51 victory.

The Hatters, led by Tyia Singleton (16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds) and Georgia Gayle (16.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists), boast a balanced offence, with Laura Zolper also contributing 16.1 points, 4.4 assists, and a team-high 2.7 steals per game.

While Oaklands are chasing a historic treble in their debut top-flight season, they face a club with a storied legacy—Sheffield Hatters remain the most decorated team in British basketball history, with 23 league titles, 18 play-off wins, and 19 cup or trophy victories, although they haven’t lifted silverware in the past six years.

Watch the game here