Featured images: Andrew Scherer / DLNQNTPHOTOGRAPHY
Zitina Aokuso dominated as the Mount Gambier Pioneers kept winning in the NBL1 South on Friday night while the Pioneers men also beat the Hobart Chargers with Christian Peevy and Titus Robinson combining for 42 points.
The two games of NBL1 South to start Round 11 saw the Mount Gambier Pioneers women beat the Hobart Chargers 67-66 before the men repeated the dose with the 96-70 victory.
RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 10 SUNDAY
WOMEN
Mount Gambier Pioneers (67) defeated Hobart Chargers (66)
The Mount Gambier Pioneers maintained their hold on a top four spot in the NBL1 South holding out the Hobart Chargers in a nail-biting 67-66 contest at home on Friday night.
The Pioneers came into the contest at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre having won their past couple of games to be in fourth position while the Chargers had slipped three games out of eighth spot and continued to be without former WNBL import Kayla Steindl.
Mount Gambier made a hot start opening up a 13-point lead in the first quarter and being on top 22-11 by quarter-time.
It was still the Pioneers leading 37-31 by half-time but Hobart worked back into the contest and then even hit the front thanks to a three-pointer from Zoe Richards with 2:30 left in the match up.
It was up to Mount Gambier to turn the momentum back in their favour and Isa Brancatisano hit two free throws to bring the Pioneers back within a point 30 seconds later.
Zoe Hurley would then score with a minute to play to give Mount Gambier the one-point edge before she also forced the turnover on Cierra Walker, and ultimately Haliegh Reinoehl was fouled going to the rack.
She made the first but missed the second although did grab the offensive rebound only to be fouled again, and this time made both to stretch the Pioneers lead back to four.
Jayda Jansen hit a three with a couple of seconds left to bring Hobart back within a point, but they had no time to force a foul and get one more look with Mount Gambier holding on to win by that point.
The Pioneers improve to 12-5 on the season with the win with Zitina Aokuso a dominant presence finishing with 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots on 11/16 shooting.
Haliegh Reinoehl also had 16 points and six rebounds, Sherrie Calleia 12 points, eight boards and five assists, and Samantha Fatkin five points and six rebounds.
Hobart is now 5-11 on the season having lost seven of the last nine games with Jayda Jansen producing 26 points, six rebounds and three assists with 4/8 three-point shooting.
Chloe Broomhall also had 15 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, and Zoe Richards nine points and eight boards.
The Pioneers don’t play again until next weekend's road double to the Nunawading Spectres and Dandenong Rangers while the Chargers back up on Saturday against Geelong United.
MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEER 67 (Aokuso 25, Reinoehl 16, Calleia 12)
HOBART CHARGERS 66 (Jansen 26, Broomhall 15, Richards 9)
MEN
Mount Gambier Pioneers (96) defeated Hobart Chargers (70)
The Mount Gambier Pioneers moved to top spot in the NBL1 South at least for 24 hours with the dominant 96-70 win at home to the Hobart Chargers.
The Pioneers were home at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre and coming into the round were on the same record at 12-4 of the Sandringham Sabres in the battle over top spot.
So the chance to move into first place at least for now presented for Mount Gambier when hosting a Hobart team still without Tasmania JackJumpers NBL championship winning captain Clint Steindl, and clinging to a place in the top eight.
It was a tight contest in the opening period with Mount Gambier just clinging to the 26-25 advantage by quarter-time before the home team did pull away in the second stanza thanks to an 11-0 run.
That saw Mount Gambier lead 53-42 by half-time before they pulled away further to end up leading by 20 points in the third frame, and 30 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 26-point victory.
The win improves Mount Gambier to a 13-4 record into top spot with Christian Peevy going 9/12 from the field on his way to 21 points, five rebounds and four steals.
Titus Robinson added 21 points, five boards and three steals, Nick Marshall 18 points, 13 rebounds and three assists, Austin Shelley 11 points and seven assists, and Akech Aliir eight points and six rebounds.
Hobart now slips to 9-7 on the season having lost two straight with Terrell Brown delivering 24 points, three rebounds and two assists on 8/14 shooting from the floor.
Ole Angerstein added 16 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots with Jordan Straatsma contributing nine points and three boards.
The Pioneers don’t play again until next weekend's road double to the Nunawading Spectres and Dandenong Rangers while the Chargers back up on Saturday against Geelong United.
MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEER 96 (Peevy 21, Robinson 21, N Marshall 18)
HOBART CHARGERS 70 (Brown 24, Angerstein 16, Straatsma 9)
