The Grand Finals are set in the NBL1 East after a dramatic semi-final day with the Norths Bears and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles winning through on the women's side, and the Maitland Mustangs and Sutherland Sharks from the men's.
The women's NBL1 East semi finals saw the Norths Bears defeat the Sydney Comets 87-67 before the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles downed the Centre of Excellence 81-74.
The men's semi finals then saw the Sutherland Sharks defeat the Centre of Excellence 89-82 before the Maitland Mustangs won the Grand Final rematch with the Canberra Gunners 88-75.
NBL1 EAST RECAP | ELIMINATION FINALS
WOMEN
Anderson stars as Bears book in Grand Final spot
The Norths Bears became the first team into the NBL1 East Grand Final for 2023 by beating the Sydney Comets 87-67 at home in the semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears finished the regular season in third position at 18-4 before beating the Maitland Mustangs in the elimination finals to maintain home court advantage for the semi-final at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre.
Their opponents were the Comets who finished seventh at 13-9 before Shyla Heal put up 43 points in last week's elimination final win against the second ranked Newcastle Falcons.
What a move by Carla Pitman ?
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That set up a tantalising semi-final match up on Saturday with a Grand Final spot at stake and it was only late in the first quarter when the Bears began to pull away to lead 23-19 by quarter-time.
Norths then took further control in the second period extending that lead out to as much as 16 points and still being on top 51-40 by the main break.
The Bears continued to pull away throughout the second half with the lead growing to 19 points in the third quarter and 22 in the fourth before settling with the 20-point victory.
The result sees Norths advance to next Saturday's Grand Final while the season is over for the Comets.
Shyla Heal has the ball on a string ?
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Jolene Anderson produced an outstanding performance for the Bears in the win with 26 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals connecting on 5/9 from three-point territory.
Carla Pitman continued her impressive form from the quarter finals with 23 points and seven rebounds with Emily Simons adding 12 points, nine boards, two assists and two steals.
Jessica Bygate also had nine points and seven rebounds for Norths, and Madeleine O'Hehir nine points.
Shyla Heal top-scored once more for the Comets with 23 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals with Jada Crawshaw adding seven points, four assists, two rebounds and two blocked shots.
Vanessa Panousis also contributed seven points, four assists, two rebounds and two blocks, and Alex Kayrouz seven points, 11 boards, three assists and two steals.
Jolene Anderson is on FIRE ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 5, 2023
She has 5?? triples half way through the third ?
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Sea Eagles come from behind to beat CoE
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have been the standout NBL1 East women's team all season but they had to come from behind to beat the Centre of Excellence 81-74 in Saturday's semi-final to reach the Grand Final.
The Sea Eagles dominated the regular season in the NBL1 East winning 20 of the 22 games to finish clear in top spot before beating the defending champion Albury-Wodonga Bandits in last week's elimination final.
That meant Manly Warringah remained at home at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre for Saturday night's semi-final against a Centre of Excellence team who ended the regular season in fourth place.
The CoE then beat the Sutherland Sharks in impressive fashion in the elimination finals to book in the battle with the Sea Eagles.
Manly Warringah started well on their home floor to lead 21-15 by quarter-time but the Centre of Excellence responded strongly in the second period with 20 points to 13 on the way to the 35-34 lead at intermission.
It was still the CoE clinging to a one-point lead by three quarter-time and suddenly the Sea Eagles' brilliant season was in serious jeopardy of ending in the semi finals.
However, Manly Warringah did dig deep to outscore the CoE 26 points to 18 in the fourth quarter to end up winning by seven and advancing to the Grand Final against the Norths Bears next Saturday.
Felicity Henderson came up huge in the win for the Sea Eagles and only narrowly missed the triple-double ending the night with 21 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds on 7/11 shooting from the floor, 2/3 from downtown and 5/6 from the free-throw line.
Kim Hodge added 18 points and eight rebounds for Manly Warringah, Bree Delaney 14 points and three boards, Antonia Henderson 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals, and Alex Delaney seven points, 10 boards and three steals.
Saffron Shield finished the season for the Centre of Excellence with another standout performance made up of 22 points on 7/12 shooting with Isla Juffermans adding 15 points and nine boards.
Monique Bobongie also had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and the UC Capitals bound Jayda Clark eight points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Sea Eagles ??? ??????? to the NBL1 East Grand Final ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 5, 2023
Felicity Henderson led the way with:
2??1?? points
1??0?? assists
9?? rebounds
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MEN
Mustangs get revenge on Gunners
The Maitland Mustangs earned a measure of revenge for last year's Grand Final in the NBL1 East by beating the Canberra Gunners 88-75 on Saturday night to earn a spot in this year's decider.
The two teams played off in a dramatic Grand Final in the NBL1 East last season before Glenn Morison inspired Canberra to the eventual championship triumph to also earn them a place at the National Finals.
On the back of winning last year's championship, Canberra finished the 2023 regular season in third place at 15-7 before beating the Hills Hornets by 21 points in last week's elimination final.
Maitland, meanwhile, finished seventh at 14-8 and then knocked off the second ranked Inner West Bulls by 11 points in the first round to set up the Grand Final rematch at Belconnen Basketball Stadium.
It was an exciting opening to the contest and by quarter-time it was Canberra leading 26-25. Maitland was able to keep its scoring going in the second term with another 25 while holding the Gunners to 19 to go into the half-time break leading 50-45.
After Maitland stretched its lead out to 11 points in the third quarter, Canberra fired back feeling their title defence slipping away. The Gunners fired back with a big finish to the third stanza to briefly grab the lead.
Scores were then all tied at 67-67 at three quarter-time but it was all the Mustangs in the final period with 21 points to eight.
That saw the Mustangs earn that revenge on the Gunners with the 13-point win to get another crack at an NBL1 East championship in the Grand Final against the Sutherland Sharks.
James Hunter knocked down 5/9 from three-point land for Maitland on his way to 19 points and three rebounds for the Mustangs with Billy Parsons adding 15 points and 12 boards.
Luka Vea also had nine points and 11 rebounds, Will Cranston-Lown eight points, four assists and three boards, Jack Edwards eight points, six assists and four steals, and Daniel Millburn eight points and two assists.
Last year's Grand Final MVP Glenn Morison delivered 19 points, six rebounds and three assists for Canberra with Lachlan Smith adding 16 points and four boards, Pietro Badalassi nine points and three assists, and Shaun Mills nine points and three steals.
Sharks hold out CoE to book in Grand Final spot
The Sutherland Sharks became the first team to advance to the 2023 NBL1 East Grand Final after surviving a late scare from the shorthanded Centre of Excellence on Saturday afternoon.
The Centre of Excellence were the standout team throughout the regular season in the NBL1 East winning 20 of 22 matches and they then started the finals beating the Newcastle Falcons last week 103-71.
That saw them remain home at the AIS to host the semi-final on Saturday but being without Ben Henshall, Alex Toohey and John Furphy meant they came into the game without their three leading scorers.
It also meant coach Robbie McKinlay only had seven available players to suit up and Sutherland was able to take full advantage.
The Sharks finished the regular season in fifth spot at 14-8 before beating the Norths Bears in the quarter finals to set up their semi-final match up with the Centre of Excellence.
Despite missing some bodies and key players, the Basketball Australia young guns still started the game well going on an early 10-0 run to open up a six-point lead before Sutherland began to assert their control.
By quarter-time, the Sharks were leading 20-17 and then with another 27 points to 20 in the second quarter, the visitors went into the half-time interval leading 47-37.
The steal and the foul ?
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Sutherland then dominated the third quarter even further with 23 points to 12 to open up a 23-point advantage, and to still be leading 70-49 by three quarter-time.
The only people who might not have thought the game was done in the huddle was the Centre of Excellence players and they came out to score the opening 13 points of the fourth quarter.
Having also hit the last two points of the third term, it was a 15-0 run the CoE were on to cut the deficit to eight with six minutes to play. It was then six shortly after with a bucket to Bowyn Bett, and they kept on coming.
Suddenly it was a three-point ball game with 30 seconds to go when Kye Savage knocked down three free-throws but Sutherland answered with two at the stripe also from Lochlan Hutchison. Jordan Mitchell then also iced the win at the line to send the Sharks to the Grand Final.
Jordan Mitchell led the way in the win for the Sharks finishing the game with 26 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two assists on the back of shooting 9/15 from the field and 8/10 at the foul line.
Lochlan Hutchison also delivered 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals, Deng Gak 14 points, four boards and two assists, Marquel Beasley 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and Geoff Gerlach 12 points, four boards and four assists.
It was a commendable performance from the Centre of Excellence to make such a game of it with only seven players available and none of their three leading scorers.
All seven players were out there for at least 20 minutes with Kye Savage top-scoring with 19 points with 4/11 three-point shooting.
Jacob Furphy added 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Bowyn Beatty 15 points and 11 boards, James O'Donnell 12 points and six rebounds, and Emmett Adair 10 points and four boards.
A quick ? points for Marquel Beasley ?
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