Bandits Edge Falcons in Thrilling 77-72 Victory

The Albury Wodonga Bandits secured a 77-72 victory over Newcastle Falcons on Sunday at Newcastle Basketball Stadium in a contest featuring 13 lead changes. The Bandits were powered by Matthew Gray's 22-point performance, as he shot 38 percent from the field and grabbed eight boards. Ahren Freeman recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds while shooting an efficient 61 percent from the floor. Albury Wodonga's defense proved crucial, forcing 17 turnovers and converting them into easy buckets with 14 steals compared to Newcastle's 11. Despite the loss, Newcastle's Eylijah Stephens led all scorers with 19 points, including four triples. Ryan Beisty registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out seven assists. The Falcons dominated the offensive glass with 12 rebounds to Albury's six but struggled from the charity stripe, hitting just 50 percent of their free throws compared to the Bandits' 70 percent. **ALBURY WODONGA BANDITS 77 (Matthew Gray 22, Ahren Freeman 21, Immanuel Allen 10).** **NEWCASTLE FALCONS 72 (Eylijah Stephens 19, Myles Cherry 15, Ryan Beisty 12).** #NBL1East #GameDay ?