East Recap | Anzac Round Friday

Image credit: @jasondaann

Will Mayfield hit the game winner for Canberra Gunners, Mirko Djeric helped shoot Inner West Bulls to an Anzac Day win and Kristina Moore, Carla Pitman, Sydney Hunter, Ella Dent and Sitaya Fagan produced match winning NBL1 East showings.

EAST RECAP | ROUND 3 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Bankstown Bruins (77) lost to Inner West Bulls (84)

The Inner West Bulls have now made it consecutive wins with the 84-77 Anzac Day road victory against the Bankstown Bruins with Kristina Moore delivering 27 points.

The Bulls broke through for a first win two days short of in exactly a year going back two weeks when they beat the Penrith Panthers ahead of taking on the Bruins at Bankstown Basketball Stadium as the NBL1 East season resumed after the Easter break.

The Bruins were still in the hunt of their first win of the season as well and it would prove a tight contest between the two teams up until the final quarter.

Inner West did get the better of the start going on a 10-0 scoring run to help them to the 27-20 advantage by quarter-time.

It was Bankstown's turn to get on a roll in the second term and the home team outscored Inner West 24 points to 14 to go into the half-time break leading 44-41.

The Bulls were able to put together 10 straight points in the third quarter to reclaim the lead and be narrowly on top 59-55 by three quarter-time.

Inner West were then able to pull away by completing an 11-0 run and they would end up leading by as much as 15 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the eventual seven-point victory.

Having lost 20 straight matches in the NBL1 East, the Bulls have now won consecutive games with Kristina Moore outstanding with 27 points, five rebounds and three assists on 10/12 free-throw shooting.

Tylah Mundine added 15 points and eight rebounds with 3/6 shooting from beyond the arc while Tahlia Tupaea was out there for every second and ended up with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The Bruins are now on a 10-game losing streak dating back to last season with Kiahna Davis-White finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds with 3/5 shooting from three-point territory.

Sienna Tutani played all 40 minutes for 15 points and three rebounds on 7/11 shooting with Shalome Dunlop contributing 13 points, four boards, three assists and two steals, and Jane Dunlop 11 points and two assists.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 77 (Davis-White 16, Tutani 15, S Dunlop 13)

INNER WEST BULLS 84 (Moore 27, Mundine 15, Tupaea 14)

Sydney Comets (64) lost to Norths Bears (84)

The Norths Bears continued their undefeated start to the 2025 season with Sydney Flames WNBL star Carla Pitman starring in the 84-64 road victory over the Sydney Comets.

The Comets were looking to improve on their .500 record to start the season when hosting the unbeaten Bears on Anzac Day at Comets Stadium.

Sydney started well on their home floor to be leading 22-20 by quarter-time but Norths took over the contest in the second frame with 21 points to 12 to see them leading 41-34 at half-time.

The Bears then locked in further defensively in the third frame to hold the Comets to just the nine points while scoring 25 themselves to end up leading by 23 points having gone on a 15-0 run.

That lead got out to 24 points in the fourth quarter too with the Bears ending up winning by 20 to improve to 5-0 on the season as they look to put themselves in the hunt for a second championship in three years.

Carla Pitman is full of confidence after a strong WNBL season with the Sydney Flames and she is carrying that into the NBL1 East. She put up 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Bears on 11/18 shooting.

Emma Donnelly provided 12 points, four rebounds and two assists, Holly Wills 11 points and six boards, Maddie O'Hehir 10 points and eight rebounds, and Ruby Perkins 10 points, seven boards, five assists and two steals.

The Comets are now 2-3 following the defeat with Abi Curtin finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds and two assists with 10/23 shooting from the floor and 9/10 at the foul line.

Kelly Chasse added 14 points and two rebounds, Mikayla Pirini six points, three assists and two boards, and Alexandria Oliver four points and 10 rebounds.

SYDNEY COMETS 64 (Curtin 30, Chasse 14, Pirini 6)

NORTHS BEARS 84 (Pitman 25, Donnelly 12, Wills 1)

Maitland Mustangs (91) defeated Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders (71)

Sydney Hunter delivered 31 points and 16 rebounds as the Maitland Mustangs handed the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders a first loss of the season with the 91-71 victory.

The Mustangs were back home on Anzac Day at Maitland Federation Centre hosting the undefeated Spiders in what shaped as a fascinating match up coming out of the East's Easter break.

After Hornsby were leading 15-13 early on, Maitland responded by scoring the next 10 points and that saw the home team go into quarter-time leading 28-20.

The Mustangs remained in control with another 21 points to 16 in the second frame to end up leading by as much as 16 and to go into half-time on top 49-36.

Maitland remained in control throughout the second half even leading by as much as 22 points in the final quarter on the way to the eventual emphatic 20-point win to give the Spiders a taste of defeat for the first time in 2025.

Maitland improves to 3-1 on the season with the win with Sydney Hunter producing a dominant showing made up of 31 points, 16 rebounds and two steals on 10/17 shooting from the field, 3/7 from downtown and 8/10 at the foul line.

Shakera Reilly also had 19 points, three rebounds and two assists, Alexis Plater 15 points, six boards and four assists, and Kasey Neubert 13 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai are now 3-1 following a first loss of the season despite Ay'Anna Bey finishing with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Lucy Mead also had 14 points and four rebounds for the Spiders, Keira Hudson 13 points, four boards and three assists, and Nicole Hutchins 11 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 91 (Hunter 31, Reilly 19, Plater 15)

HORNSBY KU-RING-GAI SPIDERS 71 (Mead 14, Bey 14, Hudson 13)

Sutherland Sharks (75) lost to Illawarra Hawks (88)

The Illawarra Hawks came from behind at three quarter-time with Ella Dent finishing with 31 points in the eventual 88-75 road win on Anzac Day over the Sutherland Sharks.

The Sharks broke through for a first win of the season leading into the Easter break having welcomed Vanessa Panousis into the line-up ahead of hosting the Hawks on Anzac Day at Sutherland Basketball Stadium.

The Hawks were looking for their first win of the season and it was the visitors leading by a point at quarter-time.

Things remained close leading into half-time and by the break scores were locked at 38-38.

The Sharks managed to go into three quarter-time leading 59-57 and when Panousis landed a three ball early in the fourth quarter for Sutherland, scores were back level and the game was up for grabs.

That's where Illawarra took control by scoring the next 16 points in a stunning run to see them claim their first victory of the season to the tune of 13 points.

The Hawks are 1-3 following the win ahead of now hosting the unbeaten defending champion Newcastle Falcons on Saturday.

Ella Dent played a starring role in the win for Illawarra with 29 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals with 7/9 shooting from behind the three-point arc.

Kiara Bell added 17 points and 12 rebounds, Ruby MacDonald 14 points, four boards and two steals, and Tsubasa Nisbet 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The Sharks are now 1-3 on the season following the loss with Aliza Fabbro ending up with 22 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Maddie Norris also ended up with 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Panousis 11 points, 10 boards, six assists and three steals.

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 75 (Fabbro 22, Norris 19, Panousis 11)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 88 (Dent 29, Bell 17, MacDonald 14)

Canberra Nationals (68) lost to Centre of Excellence (83)

The Centre of Excellence was back in action in the NBL1 East for Anzac Day and Sitaya Fagan starred in their 83-68 victory against the Canberra Nationals.

The Centre of Excellence were playing their first game since beating the Bankstown Bruins back on March 30 while Canberra were home at Belconnen Basketball Stadium looking for a second win of the season and to bounce back from a heavy loss to the Norths Bears before Easter.

Canberra did manage to open up a seven-point lead in the first quarter but by quarter-time the Basketball Australia future stars levelled scores up at 19-19.

Again the Nationals were able to lead by as much as seven points in the second quarter and this time maintained an edge to be on top 36-31 at the half-time break.

Coming out of half-time and the CoE took complete control of the contest outscoring Canberra 27 points to eight and that set them up for the eventual 15-point victory to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Sitaya Fagan was the standout in the win for the Centre of Excellence with 26 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.

Isabel Smith also had 16 points, three rebounds and two assists, Zara Russell 13 points, three boards and two assists, Emilija Dakic 11 points, five assists and three rebounds, and Jade Crook eight points, seven boards and two blocked shots.

Canberra is now sitting at 1-3 following the loss with Carlie McAlister (nee Smith) doing all she could to get her team over the line with 21 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Abby Solway added 19 points and three assists, Jasmyn Boutzos 10 points, three rebounds and two steals, and Callie Bourne eight points, seven boards and three assists.

CANBERRA NATIONALS 68 (McAlister 21, Solway 19, Boutzos 10)

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE 83 (Fagan 26, Smith 16, Russell 13)

MEN

Bankstown Bruins (84) lost to Inner West Bulls (102)

The Inner West Bulls welcomed former NBL sniper Mirko Djeric and he hit six three-pointers while Maxwell Clark put up 31 points in the 102-84 road win over the Bankstown Bruins.

The Bulls had recorded their first win of the season prior to Easter against the Penrith Panthers ahead of taking on the Bruins at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on Anzac Day.

Bankstown came into the match up having split their opening four matches of 2025 as well and it was the Bruins who started well to open up an early seven-point lead.

Inner West responded with 11 straight points of their own on the way to the 22-19 lead by quarter-time.

That lead for the Bulls grew out to 20 points in the second frame and they ended up leading 51-35 going into half-time on the back of outscoring the Bruins 29-16 in that quarter.

The advantage for Inner West got out to as much as 21 points in the second half as well and even with a 12-0 scoring run from Bankstown, the Bulls still held firm for the eventual 18-point victory.

The win improves Inner West to the 2-1 record on the season with Maxwell Clark outstanding with 31 points and two steals with 7/11 three-point shooting.

Mirko Djeric was also into the Bulls line-up and the former Townsville Crocodiles, Illawarra Hawks and Cairns Taipans NBL guard landed 6/13 from downtown on his way to 18 points, five assists and four steals.

Ramon Cao also had 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Dalen Ridgnal 12 points, eight boards, four steals and three assists.

Bankstown is now 2-3 following the loss despite a big performance from Hayden Blankley who had 27 points, 11 rebounds and two steals on 11/20 shooting from the floor.

Charlie McBeath added 14 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three assists, Jason Cadee 11 points, two boards, two assists and two blocks, and Gum Majak 10 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 84 (Blankley 27, McBeath 14, Cadee 11)

INNER WEST BULLS 102 (Clark 31, Cao 20, Djeric 18)

Sydney Comets (60) lost to Norths Bears (65)

It might have been a low scoring affair but it didn’t diminish the drama or tension with the Norths Bears coming back from a 10-point deficit to build their own match winning lead and then holding off the Sydney Comets to win 65-60.

Sydney were home at Comets Stadium hosting the Bears on Anzac Day with the Comets looking for a third straight win to continue their momentum from before Easter while the Bears also were trying to make it back-to-back wins.

It was the Comets who got the better of the start and by quarter-time the home team was leading 19-11.

That turned into a 10-point lead in the second frame as well but then the Bears warmed to the task and kept the Comets to six points the entire quarter.

Norths scored 22 themselves on the way to taking a 33-25 advantage into half-time having gone on a 12-0 scoring run along the way.

The Bears pushed that advantage out to 12 points in the third quarter and did appear in control, but the Comets were able to hit back to get back within three points with Viliami Foketi knocking down a three ball with five minutes to play.

The Bears answered with the next six points and then from there were able to close the deal on the five-point win to improve to a 2-3 record after an 0-3 start to the season.

Michael Yoong top-scored for the Tom Garlepp-coached Norths with 17 points and five rebounds on hitting 5/12 from long range.

Hunter Goodrick also had 16 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks, Robert Moore seven points and seven boards, Jake Weinstein seven points and four rebounds, and Iggy Mitchell seven points and five boards.

The Comets are now 3-2 following the defeat on their home floor with Foketi finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists while shooting 3/4 from behind the three-point line.

Obi Kyei also had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Anthony Mundine III 12 points, eight assists, five boards and three steals while hitting 4/10 from three-point territory.

SYDNEY COMETS 60 (Foketi 15, Kyei 13, Mundine III 12)

NORTHS BEARS 65 (Yoong 17, Goodrick 16, Mitchell 7, Weinstein 7, Moore 7)

Maitland Mustangs (106) defeated Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders (95)

The defending champion Maitland Mustangs delivered a blistering third quarter to overcome a 14-point deficit and turn it into their own 20-point lead and 106-95 home win over the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders.

The Mustangs started the season as reigning champs having won two of their first three matches heading into the Easter break ahead of returning to action on Anzac Day hosting the Spiders at Maitland Federation Centre.

Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai were looking for their first win of the season and having fallen down by nine points early, they scored eight straight points as part of ending up leading 33-25 by the end of the first quarter.

The lead for the Spiders got out to as much as 14 points in the second quarter before the Mustangs began to work back into the contest to cut the lead of the visitors back to 50-43 at half-time.

Maitland then delivered a monster third quarter including going on an 11-0 run of their own and scoring 37 points to 17 in that 10 minutes to have turned the seven-point deficit at the half into their own 13-point lead.

That advantage got out to 20 points in the final period too with Maitland going on to win by 11 and improve to 3-1 in their championship defence.

The Mustangs ended up outrebounding the Spiders 43-26 while ending up shooting a blistering 61 per cent from the field with 23/35 at the foul line opposed to 49 per cent shooting from Hornsby who went 16/24 at the stripe.

The Spiders also had 27 turnovers with the Mustangs able to take advantage with Mandrell Worthy ending up with 23 points, six rebounds and four steals on 9/11 shooting.

Billy Parsons also delivered 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, Jay Cole 18 points, seven boards and two steals, Christian Little 13 points, eight assists and eight steals, Daniel Millburn 11 points and four rebounds, and Luka Vea 10 points, two boards and two assists.

The Spiders are now 0-4 to start the season with Atien Acuel finishing with 17 points and four steals, Daniel Titus 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Steven Hall 16 points and three steals, Mohamed Kone 16 points, 10 assists and three steals, and Brian Ansuh-Yeboah 15 points.

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 106 (Worthy 23, Parsons 18, Cole 18)

HORNSBY KU-RING-GAI SPIDERS 95 (Acuel 17, Titus 17, Kone 16, Hall 16)

Sutherland Sharks (88) defeated Illawarra Hawks (70)

Despite 28 points from NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield, the Sutherland Sharks continued to build some momentum to start the 2025 season with the 88-70 home Anzac Day victory.

The Sharks did win the NBL1 East championship back in 2023 before a down year in 2024, but they have started 2025 impressively with the three straight wins ahead of hosting the Hawks at Sutherland Basketball Stadium.

On the back of their NBL team winning the championship, the Hawks started the East season strongly with a couple of wins before a last up loss to the Newcastle Falcons prior to the Easter break.

Illawarra shot out of the blocks with a blistering first quarter away from home to already be leading 30-17 by quarter-time leaving Sutherland with some work to do.

The Sharks did respond and it all started at the defensive end where after giving up 30 points in the first 10 minutes, they only allowed the Hawks to score eight in the next 10 which saw the home team go into half-time only three points down.

Sutherland then caught fire at the offensive end in the third frame to put up 30 points of their own and open up a 10-point lead, which they turned into an 18-point advantage in the fourth on the way to the 18-point victory.

The win keeps the Sharks undefeated to start the season with a perfect 4-0 record with Sydney Kings NBL star Kouat Noi delivering 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals while shooting 4/15 from three-point land.

Championship captain Lochlan Hutchison also had 20 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists with Luke Jamieson adding 16 points, 10 boards, four steals and two assists, and Bailey MacArthur nine points, three rebounds and two steals.

The Hawks are now 2-2 following the defeat with Todd Blanchfield delivering 28 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks on 4/13 three-point shooting.

Matthew Mims added 16 points, four rebounds and four steals, Kobe McDowell-White 14 points, three boards and three steals, and Christian Maran 10 points and two rebounds.

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 88 (Hutchison 20, Noi 20, Jamieson 16)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 70 (Blanchfield 28, Mims 16, McDowell-White 14)

Canberra Gunners (91) defeated Centre of Excellence (87)

Will Mayfield was the hero as he hit the game winning three-pointer with time expiring with the Canberra Gunners prevailing 91-87 in a heart stopper in the battle of undefeated teams with the Centre of Excellence.

Anzac Day provided the backdrop for two of the remaining unbeaten teams in the NBL1 East to lock horns at Belconnen Basketball Stadium with the Gunners playing host to the Centre of Excellence.

Coming off losing last year's Grand Final, Canberra started the new season beating Albury-Wodonga, Inner West and Norths while the CoE opened up beating Manly Warringah and Bankstown, but hadn’t played since that last win on March 30.

They returned to action in the top-of-the-table Friday afternoon clash in Canberra and it was the Gunners who made the fast start with 33 points to 23 in the first quarter.

Canberra ended up leading by as much as 12 points and were still on top 57-48 by half-time and then things dried up for both teams in the third quarter as they combined for only 25 points.

But the Gunners were able to stretch the lead to 14 points and they were still up 13 early in the fourth term, but then the young guns from the CoE stormed back into the contest.

While the CoE were never quite able to grab the lead, they did tie scores up when Jacob Furphy hit a pair of free throws with just over two minutes to play.

Scores were then still level with Canberra in possession coming out of a timeout and Will Mayfield drained the go ahead three-pointer to put the Gunners up three with nine seconds remaining.

The CoE had a timeout left and drew up a play for a Furphy three, but that didn’t fall and from there Canberra secured the four-point win to stay unbeaten at 4-0 on the season.

Not only did Mayfield hit the game winning shot, but he had a huge afternoon consisting of 33 points, seven rebounds and two assists with 6/9 three-point shooting.

Glenn Morison added 18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks, James Toohey 14 points, four boards, three assists and two steals, and Derek Emelifeonwu nine points, four rebounds and two assists.

The Centre of Excellence are now 2-1 following the loss with Che Brogan top-scoring with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Luke Fennell also had 16 points on 3/4 three-point shooting with Jacob Furphy contributing 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Ajak Nyuon 14 points and seven boards.

CANBERRA GUNNERS 91 (Mayfield 33, Morison 18, Toohey 14)

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE 87 (Brogan 20, Fennell 16, Furphy 15)