Feature image via: Ian Knight
Heading into the tip-off of Round 14 tonight, this is the closest the NBL1 South has ever been.
With nine men’s teams and eight women’s teams competing for their respective four-through-eight seeds in the Finals brackets, every play will matter.
Only two wins separate the fourth and tenth in both divisions, meaning the final round will be some of the most competitive basketball the league has ever seen.
See the full fixture here.
Starting tonight with the Sandringham Sabres hosting the Frankston Blues, there will be four more games on Thursday before the rest of the conference kicks into its do-or-die round.
If you can’t decide which games to watch, check out some of the games with the biggest finals implications below:
Women’s
Mount Gambier Pioneers vs Ringwood Hawks
Friday, live from 6:00pm ACST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
While they may be 12th on the ladder, the Hawks have been feisty all season. The championship DNA from 2022 still lives on, and if the Pioneers want to secure home-court advantage, they’ll have to take down Latvian star Digna Strautmane and her squad.
Geelong United vs Waverley Falcons
Saturday, live from 6:00pm via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
The eighth and ninth seeds respectively will go head-to-head on Saturday, featuring WNBL stars Shaneice Swain and Bec Cole – it’s a classic win-or-go-home clash.
Shaneice Swain was COOKING ??
40 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in Geelong's win over Nunawading.
Watch NBL1 South via https://t.co/NEk1I7kaV8 or the NBL1 App ? & ? pic.twitter.com/gcIgRKFhjo
Men’s
Ballarat Miners vs Eltham Wildcats
Saturday, live from 8:00pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
In a “prove it” game for Eltham, Owen Foxwell and Angus Glover will have a mammoth task in trying to take down Ballarat. Not only to ensure a spot inside the top-four on the bracket, but to stop Ballarat from claiming home-court advantage in the first three rounds.
Knox Raiders vs Keilor Thunder
Saturday, live from 8:00pm AEST live via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
The defending champions are on the bubble, with the final game at home, they must beat Keilor to even qualify for the Finals. Led by KJ Feagin, the points percentage will matter so they’ll have to make a hot start to get past the Thunder.
Kj Feagin on the buzzer! ?
Watch the NBL1 South Heritage Round via https://t.co/NEk1I7kaV8 or the NBL1 App ? & ? pic.twitter.com/slrk1VMR3u
