Rowan Mackenzie made himself a Bendigo Braves hero four games into his NBL1 South career with a stunning game winner on a dramatic Sunday that included the Mount Gambier Pioneers claiming a thriller with Zitina Aokuso coming up big.
There were four Sunday NBL1 South match ups and the women's results saw the Mount Gambier Pioneers defeat the Ballarat Miners 67-64, Knox Raiders down the Melbourne Tigers 93-75, Bendigo Braves keep winning 114-84 against the Casey Cavaliers, and Keilor Thunder defeat Geelong United Supercats 97-80.
The men's games then had the Miners beat the Pioneers 105-94, the Raiders defeat the Tigers 87-55, the Braves win 81-79 against the Cavaliers and Keilor defeat Geelong United 103-97.
RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 2 SATURDAY
RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 2 FRIDAY
RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 2 THURSDAY
RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 2 WEDNESDAY
WOMEN
Mount Gambier Pioneers (67) defeated Ballarat Miners (64)
The Mount Gambier Pioneers have only just managed to keep their unbeaten start going winning a heart stopper 67-64 at home on Sunday to the Ballarat Miners.
Mount Gambier came into the match up at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre having won their opening three matches of the season including at home to Frankston on Saturday night.
Ballarat arrived having split the opening two matches of its season and it would prove to be quite the entertaining affair going right down to the very final second.
No more than seven points separated the two teams the entire contest with Ballarat leading by two points at quarter-time before the Pioneers did work on top to lead by seven through the second term.
Mount Gambier were leading by five points at half-time but only by two at three quarter-time and then every time the Pioneers threatened to pull away, the Miners would respond.
Alex Bunton brought Ballarat back within two points with three minutes to play but Mount Gambier were back out to a six-point lead when Haliegh Reinoehl scored with a minute on the clock.
The next five points to Chloe Bibby had Ballarat again within one before Zitina Aokuso was fouled up the other end and made both to put Mount Gambier back up three.
There was still time for Ballarat to set up a play but the ball stuck with Micah Simpson. She did get a three-point shot off and it even went in, but it was marginally after time expired.
That meant the Pioneers held on to win by three and improve to 4-0 on the season with the Miners now 1-2.
Zitina Aokuso had a terrific afternoon for Mount Gambier with 30 points, seven rebounds and two assists on 13/18 shooting from the floor.
Sherrie Calleia contributed 14 points, four steals, four assists and three rebounds, and Samantha Fatkin 12 points, 14 boards and five assists.
Chloe Bibby ended up with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals for Ballarat with Alex Bunton contributing 17 points and 10 boards, and Abbey Wehrung 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Mount Gambier are back home on Friday to the Launceston Tornadoes at 6:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. The Miners will also host the Ringwood Hawks on Saturday.
MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 67 (Aokuso 30, Calleia 14, Fatkin 12)
BALLARAT MINERS 64 (Bibby 20, Wehrung 17, Bunton 17)
Melbourne Tigers (75) lost to Knox Raiders (93)
The Knox Raiders hit back from their first loss of the season with Alicia Froling again dominant in a 93-75 Sunday road win against the Melbourne Tigers.
The Raiders won their first two games of the NBL1 South season before a loss back on Thursday night to the Ringwood Hawks heading into Sunday's match up with the Tigers at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
Melbourne too had won its first two games of the season before losing to Ringwood on Saturday so it was always going to be fascinating who bounced back better from losing to the same opponent.
Scores were tied at 19-19 by quarter-time as well before Knox took control in the second term with 27 points to 14 to open up a 13-point advantage by the half-time interval.
That lead ballooned to 26 points in the third quarter for Knox and grew to as much as 29 in the fourth frame before the Raiders won by 18 to improve to 3-1 on the season with the Tigers now 2-2.
Alicia Froling has had a superb start to the season with Knox which continued with another 23 points, 13 rebounds and four assists on 5/8 field goal shooting and 11/12 at the foul line.
Emma Pearce top-scored with 22 points on 10/17 shooting with Kiera Rowe putting up 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, Leah Santomaggio 13 points, three boards and two steals, and Paige Bradley eight points and five rebounds.
Jade Melbourne delivered another 21 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and three assists in the loss for the Tigers with Cierra Dillard contributing 14 points and 11 boards, and Sam Simons 12 points, five rebounds and two assists.
The Raiders are away to the Dandenong Rangers on Saturday at 6pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App while the Tigers are away to the Waverley Falcons at 6.30pm.
MELBOURNE TIGERS 75 (Melbourne 21, Dillard 14, Simons 12)
KNOX RAIDERS 93 (Pearce 22, Froling 21, Rowe 13, Santomaggio 13)
Casey Cavaliers (84) lost to Bendigo Braves (114)
Amy Atwell continued her hot start to the NBL1 South season and the Bendigo Braves continued their remarkable unbeaten run with the 114-84 road win against the Casey Cavaliers.
Bendigo has started the 2024 season right where they left off going through 2023 without losing a game along the way to the NBL1 South and National Championship triumphs.
The Braves had won their first three games of 2024 as well ahead of arriving at Casey Stadium on Sunday to take on a Cavs team still hunting their first win of the season.
Bendigo put up 34 points in the opening quarter to already be leading by as much as 12 points before continuing to stretch that lead throughout the afternoon.
The Braves would lead by as much as 24 points in the second stanza, 27 in the third and then 37 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 30-point win to improve to 4-0 on the season and to be on a 29-game winning streak since the 2022 Grand Final.
Amy Atwell has come into the NBL1 South season after a standout WNBL campaign at the Perth Lynx and was on fire again on Sunday with 35 points, five rebounds and five assists on 13/15 shooting from the field and 7/8 from beyond the three-point arc.
Megan McKay added 22 points and nine rebounds for Bendigo, Kasey Burton 17 points, four boards and two steals, Ally Wilson 13 points and six assists, and Cassidy McLean nine points, four boards and two assists.
Remarkable veteran Kelly Wilson also had another six points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes.
Esra McGoldrick put up 21 points and four rebounds for the now 0-4 Cavaliers with Alex Wittinger contributing 19 points and eight boards, Sharne Robati 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Lauryn Hippolite 12 points and two steals.
The Cavs are away to the Keilor Thunder on Saturday at 6pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App with Bendigo hosting the Nunawading Spectres on Sunday.
CASEY CAVALIERS 84 (McGoldrick 12, Wittinger 19, Hippolite 12, Robati 12)
BENDIGO BRAVES 114 (Atwell 35, McKay 22, Burton 17)
Keilor Thunder (97) defeated Geelong United Supercats (80)
Keilor Thunder kept its unbeaten start to the NBL1 South season rolling with a 97-80 home victory on Sunday against the Geelong United Supercats.
Keilor had opened the season with wins on the road to Frankston, Diamond Valley and Kilsyth ahead of playing at home for the first time of 2024 at Keilor Stadium up against a Geelong team hunting a first win of the campaign.
Even though the Thunder opened up a 14-point lead during the second quarter, the Supercats did well to fire back and by half-time it was just a seven-point ball game.
But Keilor pulled further away in the third quarter with an 11-0 scoring streak to open up a 19-point lead and then end up winning by 17 to open their season at home in style and improve to a perfect 4-0 record.
Tera Reed finished with 21 points, four assists and three rebounds in the win for Keilor with Penina Davidson contributing 21 points, seven boards, five assists and two steals on 10/13 shooting.
Issie Bourne also delivered 16 points and 15 rebounds with Maddy Rocci contributing 14 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals, and Lilly Rotunno 10 points and five assists.
Lasha Petree put up 22 points and five rebounds for Geelong United even though they slipped to 0-3 with the defeat.
Shaneice Swain also had 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals, and Sarah Elsworthy 21 points, four boards and two assists.
The Supercats will play host to the Frankston Blues on Saturday at 5pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. The Thunder are at home also to the Casey Cavs at 6pm.
KEILOR THUNDER 97 (Reed 21, Davidson 21, Bourne 16)
GEELONG UNITED SUPERCATS 80 (Swain 22, Petree 22, Elsworthy 21)
MEN
Mount Gambier Pioneers (94) lost to Ballarat Miners (105)
The Ballarat Miners produced a tremendous second half to come from behind and hand the Mount Gambier Pioneers their first loss of 2024 with the 105-94 road victory.
Mount Gambier came into the game back home at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre looking to continue its unbeaten start to the NBL1 South season up against a Ballarat team having split its opening two matches.
It was Ballarat clinging to a two-point lead at quarter-time 30-28 but by half-time it was the Pioneers narrowly holding a 54-53 advantage.
It was the visitors who worked on top in the second half, though, with the Miners opening up a 14-point advantage during the fourth term and ending up outscoring Mount Gambier 52 points to 40 to claim the 11-point road win and improve to 2-1 as a result.
Tyler Rudolph came up huge in the win for Ballarat with 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 12/17 shooting from the floor and 6/6 from the charity stripe.
Luke Rosendale added 22 points, five assists and five steals, Nick Stoddart 14 points and three assists and new signing Majok Majok 14 points and 14 rebounds who is teaming up with coach Luke Brennan once more with the pair having previously worked together both at the Perth Wildcats and Warwick Senators.
It was the first loss of the season for Mount Gambier with Nick Marshall putting up 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals with Austin Shelley contributing 21 points, Akech Aliir 16 points and seven rebounds, and Tom Daly 11 points and three assists.
Mount Gambier are back home on Friday to the North West Tasmania Thunder at 8:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. The Miners will also host the Ringwood Hawks on Saturday.
MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 94 (N Marshall 29, Shelley 21, Aliir 16)
BALLARAT MINERS 105 (Rudolph 31, Rosendale 22, Stoddart 14, Majok 14)
Melbourne Tigers (55) defeated Knox Raiders (87)
The Knox Raiders had a couple of days to stew over their first loss of the season and took that frustration out on the Melbourne Tigers on Sunday with the 87-55 victory.
On the back of winning both the NBL1 South and National Championships in 2023, the Raiders started the 2024 season impressively with wins over Sandringham and Kilsyth before a narrow loss to the Ringwood Hawks on Thursday.
With the Tigers looking for their first win of the season, the job was ahead of them up against the defending champions and that's exactly how it panned out.
Knox took control virtually from the outset and after scores were tied at 6-6, the Raiders scored the next 18 points to go into the quarter-time break on top 18-6.
The Raiders continued to control the contest from there on the way to leading by as much as 22 points in the second period and then 34 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 32-point win to improve to 3-1 on the season.
Championship hero KJ Feagin put up another 17 points, six rebounds and two assists in the win for Knox with Jacob Foy contributing 16 points and two steals, and Malith Machar 13 points and nine rebounds.
Anzac Rissetto also finished with 11 points and six rebounds, Brody Nunn 11 points, five assists and four rebounds, Kyle Bowen 10 points and seven boards, and Javonte Perkins nine points and five rebounds.
It was a tough afternoon for the Tigers with Tom Wilson top-scoring with 18 points, four rebounds and two steals.
The Raiders are away to the Dandenong Rangers on Saturday at 8pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App while the Tigers are away to the Waverley Falcons at 8.30pm.
MELBOURNE TIGERS 55 (Wilson 18, Gaze 8, Wearne 7)
KNOX RAIDERS 87 (Feagin 17, Foy 16, Machar 13)
Casey Cavaliers (79) lost to Bendigo Braves (81)
The Bendigo Braves have found a way to pull off the most remarkable of victories thanks to a banked in three-pointer from new signing Rowan Mackenzie on the buzzer in the 81-79 win over the Casey Cavaliers.
Both teams were looking to continue their winning form on Sunday afternoon at Casey Stadium and it would prove to be a game with the most incredible of finishes.
The Cavs won their first game of the season back on Wednesday against the Sandringham Sabres while the Braves arrived having won their past two matches.
Casey got off to a strong start on its home floor leading by eight points at quarter-time but Bendigo worked into the contest in the second period to be only a point down at half-time.
Both teams then had their turns leading throughout the second half but the Cavs looked to have done enough leading by two with possession and with just 2.3 seconds on the clock.
All Casey had to do was get the ball in play and the Braves would be forced to foul and to try and do it quickly to avoid time expiring. However, the inbounds pass from Adam Thoseby sailed out of bounds without any time coming off and that left the door open for Bendigo.
They advanced the ball out of a timeout and then a tech foul on Adjehi Baru for infringing defending the inbounds pass saw Rowan Mackenzie step up to make the shot to cut the margin to one.
It was still the same scenario for the Braves and the ball got to Mackenzie who despite being guarded by two Cavaliers defenders, he got the three-point shot off and banked it in sparking wild celebrations for Bendigo.
It was the most incredible of road wins and endeared the West Australian to the Braves instantly with the Lakeside Lightning product and former Perth Wildcats development player joining Bendigo this season to play under fellow West Australian coach Steve Black.
Not only did Mackenzie hit the spectacular game winner, but he finished with 23 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals on 8/12 shooting.
Andrew Robinson added 20 points, Lachlan O'Brien 14 points and five rebounds, and Koch Bar eight points and eight boards.
It was a heartbreaking way for Casey to lose with Dillon Stith finishing with 22 points and 14 rebounds with Preston Bungei adding 16 points, five boards and three assists, and Josh Tomasi 12 points and seven rebounds.
The Cavs are away to the Keilor Thunder on Saturday at 8pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App with Bendigo hosting the Nunawading Spectres on Sunday.
CASEY CAVALIERS 79 (Stith 22, Bungei 16, Tomasi 12)
BENDIGO BRAVES 81 (Mackenzie 23, Robinson 20, O'Brien 14)
Keilor Thunder (103) defeated Geelong United Supercats (97)
The Keilor Thunder got 32 points from Jalen Gibbs and took charge in the third quarter and then held out the Geelong United Supercats late for the 103-97 Sunday home victory.
Keilor came into the contest having won one of its first three matches of the season on the road ahead of a first game at Keilor Stadium for 2024 up against a Supercats team arriving with a 1-1 record.
What unfolded was quite the fascinating contest with Keilor leading early by eight points but then Geelong scored the next 10 to grab the lead before the Thunder were up by three at quarter-time.
The Supercats then took charge with 25 points to 16 in the second quarter to go into half-time on top 50-44.
It was Keilor's turn to take over in the third period and the home team piled on 33 points to 19 with that lead for the Thunder getting out to as much as 13 points early in the fourth before the Supercats made another charge.
It would just fall short with Keilor holding on to win by six points to improve to a 2-2 record with Geelong now 1-2.
Jalen Gibbs came up huge for the Thunder with 32 points, eight rebounds and four assists on 9/15 shooting from the floor and 12/16 at the free-throw line.
New NBL free agent Kyle Zunic also had 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals for Keilor with Trevor Lakes contributing 20 points on 6/9 three-point shooting, and Jayce Beasley 10 points and three rebounds.
Latrell Jones delivered 26 points, five rebounds and four assists for Geelong United with DeMarcus Gatlin putting up 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, Desmond Owili 16 points and five boards, Cohen Blythe 11 points, and Liam Herbert 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
The Supercats will play host to the Frankston Blues on Saturday at 7pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. The Thunder are at home also to the Casey Cavs at 8pm.
KEILOR THUNDER 103 (Gibbs 32, Lakes 20, Zunic 20)
GEELONG UNITED SUPERCATS 97 (Jones 26, Gatlin 19, Owili 16)
