Sharks Edge Panthers in 81-78 Thriller

The Sutherland Sharks edged out the Penrith Panthers 81-78 on Saturday night at Sutherland Basketball Stadium in a nail-biter that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Sutherland's offense was fueled by a balanced attack with Lochlan Hutchison leading the way with 17 points, six assists and four steals. His ability to penetrate and get to the charity stripe proved vital as he went 6-7 from the foul line. The Sharks dominated inside, outscoring Penrith 40-32 in the paint while converting at a higher clip from the foul line (76.9 percent) on their way to a crucial home victory. Despite the loss, Penrith showed fight throughout with Benjamin Kearins contributing 15 points and seven boards, though he struggled from outside, hitting just one of his eight attempts from deep. Lachlan Charlton added 13 points including three triples, while the Panthers held a significant rebounding advantage (48-40), particularly on the offensive glass where they grabbed 17 offensive boards to Sutherland's 13. **SUTHERLAND SHARKS 81 (Lochlan Hutchison 17, Bailey Macarthur 16, Adrian Cabrera 12).** **PENRITH PANTHERS 78 (Benjamin Kearins 15, Lachlan Charlton 13, Makur Jongkuch 12).** #NBL1East #BasketballNSW