East Recap | Finals Week 1

Image credit: Rob Sheeley/@robshots

Sutherland Sharks eliminated Bankstown Bruins in a star-studded NBL1 East elimination final while the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles women and Illawarra Hawks men again showed why they finished in top spot to open the playoffs.

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EAST RECAP | ROUND 15 SUNDAY

WOMEN

ELIMINATION FINAL – Centre of Excellence (74) defeated Canberra Nationals (44)

The Centre of Excellence got some key players back including Sitaya Fagan and have ended the season of the Canberra Nationals with the commanding 74-44 elimination final victory.

There was no travel to factor in for either Canberra-based team for the elimination final at the Australian Institute of Sport with the Centre of Excellence having finished fifth at 12-8 despite losing six of their last eight matches.

Canberra just sneaked into the finals from eighth position at 9-11 and had also lost their last three matches.

However, the Centre of Excellence were powered back up by players returning from the Under-19 World Cup including MVP candidate Fagan, and they were ready to keep their season alive.

Neither team could really get going in the first quarter with the CoE only leading 13-11 by quarter-time with the sides combining to shoot 9/37.

It was in the second period when the Centre of Excellence made their move with 24 points to 10 with 10/15 shooting to the 4/11 from the Nationals to go into the half-time break leading 37-21.

It was then another 20 points to 11 in the third quarter and 17 to 12 in the fourth with the Centre of Excellence keeping their season alive with the dominant 30-point victory.

The CoE finished up shooting 48 per cent from the field to the 28 from the Nationals while also going 11/16 at the foul line to 5/8, and forcing Canberra into 19 turnovers from which they scored 11 points from.

Isabel Smith finished with 18 points, four rebound and two assists in the win for the Centre of Excellence with Zara Russell adding 16 points and three assists, Sitaya Fagan 11 points, eight boards, four assists and two steals, and Olivia Olechnowicz 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

The season is now over for Canberra with Mikala Williams providing up 15 points, two rebounds and two steals, Callie Bourne 12 points, 10 boards, three assists and two steals, and Jasmyn Boutzos seven points.

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE 74 (Smith 18, Russell 16, Fagan 11)

CANBERRA NATIONALS 44 (Mwilliams 15, Bourne 12, Boutzos 7)

ELIMINATION FINAL – Bankstown Bruins (77) defeated Maitland Mustangs (73)

The Bankstown Bruins have kept their season alive with the hard fought 77-73 victory at home to the Maitland Mustangs.

The Bruins earned the right to host the elimination final thanks to finishing the regular season in sixth position with the 11-9 record to be just one spot and one win ahead of the Mustangs.

Considering there was so little separating the two teams throughout the regular season, it was only fitting the same was the case in the elimination final at Bankstown Basketball Stadium.

Just to highlight how evenly matched the two teams are is the fact that at no point in the contest was there more than six points that separated them.

Maitland did knock down 5/7 from three-point range in the first quarter while Bankstown missed their only two attempts, but it was still the Bruins leading narrowly 20-19 by the end of one thanks five extra shots attempts.

The teams only combined to score 29 points on 10/35 shooting in the second period, but the Mustangs did manage to outscore Bankstown 16-13 to go into the half-time break narrowly on top 35-33.

The Bruins did manage to open up a five-point lead once more in the third quarter but that was back to just a one-point advantage by three quarter-time.

Bankstown again scored the first four points of the last term to lead by five but only a couple of minutes later and the Mustangs were back in front when Sydney Hunter scored.

Bankstown worked back out to a four-point lead with six minutes to play when Kiahna Davis-White hit a three ball before Maitland responded once more with three-pointers to Rachel Williams and Shakera Reilly as part of an 8-0 run.

The Mustangs were still leading by two with two minutes to play, but they wouldn’t score again and Bankstown hit back to score the game's last six points with free throws to Kaila Proctor, a bucket to Juliunn Redmond and then two more foul shots to Redmond.

After a tight and dramatic contest for four quarters, it was Bankstown keeping their season alive with the four-point win with Juliunn Redmond finishing with 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Kaila Proctor added 11 points and three steals, Jada Rice 10 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, Kiahna Davis-White 10 points, 12 boards and two blocks, and Shalome Dunlop nine points and six rebounds.

The season is now over for Maitland but it was a vastly improved campaign bouncing back from just five wins in 2024.

Shakera Reilly finished with 23 points, four assists and three steals for the Mustangs on shooting 4/9 from three-point range.

Kasey Neubert added 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals with Sydney Hunter contributing 13 points, five boards and two blocks, and Rachel Williams 11 points, three rebounds, four blocks and two steals.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 77 (Redmond 30, Proctor 11, Rice 10, Davis-White 10)

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 73 (Reilly 23, Neubert 18, Hunter 13)

QUALIFYING FINAL – Norths Bears (77) defeated Newcastle Falcons (67)

The Newcastle Falcons are going to have to do it the hard way if they are to defend their NBL1 East championship with the Norths Bears scoring the 77-67 qualifying final victory.

The two teams are the last two championship winners in the NBL1 East with the Bears finishing the regular season in second position with a 17-3 while the Falcons finished with the exact same record as the defending champions.

The Bears just claimed second spot thanks to the six-point win last time they faced off to see them remaining at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre to play host to the Falcons with a preliminary final spot on the line.

It was an entertaining opening quarter with Newcastle leading 25-23 by quarter-time but then it was all Norths in the second frame where they outscored the Falcons 22 points to eight.

That saw the Bears leading 45-33 by the half-time break but Newcastle fired back strongly in the third term with 23 points to 14 of their own to turn that 12-point deficit into only a three-point lead for Norths.

However, the Bears took back control in the last term with 18 points to 11 on the way to the 10-point victory which sees them earn the week off and earn the rights to host a preliminary final.

Maddie O'Hehir finished with 15 points and three rebounds for Norths in the win with Peggy Schell contributing 13 points, 14 boards, three steals and two blocked shots.

Emma Donnelly added 11 points and three rebounds, Caitlyn Martin 10 points, three assists and three steals, Carla Pitman nine points, five rebounds and four assists, and Ruby Perkins nine points, four boards and three assists.

Newcastle will now return home next Saturday to play host to the Bankstown Bruins with a spot also in the preliminary final on the line.

Reigning MVP Nicole Munger produced another 23 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals for Newcastle with Meg Jefferson contributing 17 points, eight boards, three assists and two steals.

Claudea Waihape-Andrews also had 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Kate Kingham nine points.

NORTHS BEARS 77 (O'Hehir 15, Schell 13, Donnelly 11)

NEWCASTLE FALCONS 67 (Munger 23, Jefferson 17, Waihape-Andrews 10)

QUALIFYING FINAL – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (100) defeated Albury-Wodonga Bandits (84)

The big three of the Albury-Wodonga Bandits still delivered 72 points but the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles proved too strong to make it 17 straight wins to open the finals with the 100-84 victory.

The Sea Eagles finished the regular season with an 18-2 record with 16 straight wins to earn the right to host the qualifying final at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre.

Albury-Wodonga finished fourth at 15-5 with winning the last three games and as the highest scoring team in the competition with 90.7 points a game, they were always going to pose a test for the regular season champions.

The scores were all level at 25-25 by the end of the first quarter before Manly Warringah had a standout second term with 28 points to 15.

That included the home team shooting 9/20 from the field with 5/11 from downtown while holding the Bandits to 6/16 with 2/6 and the Sea Eagles would open up a lead as big as 13 points along the way.

By half-time Manly Warringah were on top 53-40 and then then that lead for Sea Eagles got out to as much as 20 points in the third term, and 21 early in the fourth.

Albury-Wodonga did their best to try and shoot themselves back into the contest but it proved a bridge too far to make up with Manly Warringah going on to secure the 16-point win.

The result means that the Sea Eagles have now won 17 straight matches to advance straight to a home preliminary final after the week off with Taylor Wurtz producing another 27 points and three rebounds on 6/17 three-point shooting.

Alex Delaney added 20 points and five rebounds with 4/6 shooting from deep while Kim Dickinson provided 18 points, 13 rebounds and two assists, Josie Bulman 12 points, seven assists and three boards, Sari Mowbray 10 points, and Zoey Miller eight points, five assists and four rebounds.

Albury-Wodonga will now be back home at Lauren Jackson Sports Centre next Saturday night to host the Centre of Excellence in a cut-throat semi-final next weekend.

Caitie Jones finished off with 28 points, three rebounds and two assists for the Bandits with 4/13 three-point shooting while her backcourt running mate Riley Lupfer added 24 points, three assists and three steals with 6/12 from downtown.

Brynn Masikewich provided another 20 points, 16 rebounds and two assists for Albury-Wodonga with Kijana McCowan adding five points, six boards and two blocks, and Aleira McCowan five points.

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 100 (Wurtz 27, Delaney 20, Dickinson 18)

ALBURY-WODONGA BANDITS 84 (Jones 28, Lupfer 24, Masikewich 20)

MEN

ELIMINATION FINAL – Norths Bears (81) defeated Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (73)

The Norths Bears delivered a dominant second half to keep their season alive and knock out the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles with the 81-73 victory.

Only one game separated the two teams by the end of the regular season with the Bears finishing sixth at 12-8 just ahead of the Sea Eagles who were seventh at 11-9.

That saw Norths earn the hosting rights for the elimination final at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre but it was Manly Warringah who had the better of the start to be leading 26-23 at quarter-time.

It was another 19 points to 13 in the second frame from the Sea Eagles which saw the visitors head into half-time leading 45-36 thanks to shooting 18/34 from the field opposed to 13/38 from the Bears.

With their season on the line, the Bears responded strongly in the third quarter going on an 11-0 scoring run and outscore the Sea Eagles 28 points to 15 to be on top 64-60 by three quarter-time.

Norths went on with the job from there to open up a 12-point lead and to end up securing the eight-point victory to keep their season alive and knock out their arch rivals.

The Bears now advance to a semi-final next Saturday against the Centre of Excellence with Austin Patterson producing 21 points, six rebounds and two assists with Iggy Mitchell delivering 20 points, 11 boards and four assists.

Hunter Goodrick also contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists with Matthew Wacher providing 12 points, three assists, two boards and two blocks, and Lachlan Bofinger 11 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots.

The season is now over for Manly Warringah with Isaiah Lee ending up with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals while Matthew Eldridge had 17 points, six boards and two assists.

Preston Purifoy also had 13 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Mason Bragg 10 points, nine assists and three boards.

NORTHS BEARS 81 (Patterson 21, Mitchell 20, Goodrick 15)

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 73 (Lee 17, Eldridge 17, Purifoy 13)

ELIMINATION FINAL – Bankstown Bruins (84) lost to Sutherland Sharks (89)

Jason Spurgin came up huge with 28 points and four triples as the Sutherland Sharks ended the season of the Bankstown Bruins with the 89-84 win in a star-studded elimination final.

Considering the star power on either side, it was no surprise that the atmosphere was brilliant at Bankstown Basketball Stadium as the Bruins and Sharks put their seasons on the line.

Bankstown were at home thanks to finishing fifth with a 12-8 record and came into the finals on a six-game winning streak with Jaylin Galloway, Jason Cadee, Andre Wolford and Dominique Keyes leading the way.

Sutherland might have lost four of their last six games of the regular season, but still finished eighth at 11-9 with a team featuring Kouat Noi, Luke Jamieson, Jason Spurgin and Taylor Young added to 2023 championship winners Lochlan Hutchison, Adrian Cabrera and Geoff Gerlach.

It was always going to be an eventful and dramatic contest, and it lived up to the billing with the Sharks coming out on a mission with a 10-0 scoring run in the opening term to open up a 14-point lead.

Sutherland were still leading 25-15 b quarter-time and then the Sharks produced another 28 points to 24 in the second frame to head into half-time in control 53-39 on shooting 20/42 from the field opposed to the 13/35 from the Bruins.

That lead grew to 16 points early in the second half but then Bankstown fired right back into the contest and had cut the deficit back to seven by three quarter-time.

Andre Wolford then knocked down a three ball and Jaylin Galloway a dunk to bring the Bruins back to two points early in the fourth quarter before Lochlan Hutchison responded with an and-one play for the Sharks.

While the Bruins did continue to stay within striking distance including Andre Wolford knocking down a three to make it a three-point ball game in the last 30 seconds, the Sharks continued to have the answers.

Jason Spurgin knocked down a big pair of free throws to make the margin five and that's where things stayed when Galloway's three ball to give his team any sort of a sniff wouldn’t fall.

The five-point win for Sutherland keeps the 2023 champions alive this season setting up a semi-final for them next week on the road to the Sydney Comets.

Sydney Kings NBL big man Jason Spurgin starred in the win for Sutherland with 28 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks with 4/6 three-point shooting.

Lochlan Hutchison added 20 points, five assists and four rebounds, Luke Jamieson 13 points and six boards, Kouat Noi 12 points, six rebounds and three steals, and Taylor Young 10 points, four assists and two boards.

A season that promised so much for the Bruins ended in disappointing fashion on their home floor with Andre Wolford finishing with 25 points, four rebounds and four steals with 4/10 from three-point territory.

Jaylin Galloway added 24 points and 10 rebounds with Jason Cadee contributing 17 points, seven assists and five boards, and Dominique Keyes nine points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 84 (Wolford 25, Galloway 24, Cadee 17)

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 89 (Spurgin 28, Hutchison 20, Jamieson 13)

QUALIFYING FINAL – Centre of Excellence (72) lost to Canberra Gunners (88)

The Canberra Gunners are one win away from a third grand final in the last four years in the NBL1 East after beating the Centre of Excellence 88-72.

The travel factor was taken out of the qualifying final match up with the match up taking place in Canberra at the Australian Institute of Sport with the Centre of Ecxellence finishing second and Canberra third with both teams having 15-5 records.

That set the stage for a mouth watering battle with a preliminary final spot on the line with the young guns from Basketball Australia taking on an experienced and battle hardened Canberra outfit who hasn’t finished worse than a preliminary final in the last three years.

The Centre of Excellence were still just finding their groove again having had a month off and having a host of players come back from the Under-19 World Cup, but they did well stick with Canberra in the first quarter with scores tied at 28-28 by quarter-time.

Canberra did hold the CoE to just 10 points in the second quarter with 2/13 shooting while the Gunners put up 16 themselves even while just shooting 6/15 to be leading 44-38 by half-time.

The Gunners remained in control throughout the second half with the lead getting to nine points in the third quarter, and 18 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 16-point victory.

As a result of the win, Canberra has earned a week off to advance to a home preliminary final where they will play host to either the Sydney Comets or Sutherland Sharks.

Derek Emelifeonwu produced 19 points and six rebounds for the Gunners with Will Mayfield adding 19 points, eight boards, five assists and three steals, and Glenn Morison 18 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Cameron Pender also had 17 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks, and James Toohey 11 points, three boards, three assists and two steals.

The Centre of Excellence will remain in Canberra next week to play host to the Norths Bears in a semi-final with the chance to still advance to a preliminary final against the Illawarra Hawks.

Alex Dickeson finished with 20 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals for the CoE with Ajak Nyuon adding 11 points on 5/5 shooting, Marcus Vaughns nine points and five rebounds, Che Brogan eight points, five assists and three boards, and James Merwe eight points, four rebounds and two assists.

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE 72 (Dickeson 20, Nyuon 11, Vaughns 9)

CANBERRA GUNNERS 88 (Mayfield 19, Emelifeonwu 19, Morison 18)

QUALIFYING FINAL – Illawarra Hawks (116) defeated Sydney Comets (76)

The Illawarra Hawks are inching closer to replicating their club's NBL success this year in the NBL1 East after putting in another emphatic performance to beat the Sydney Comets 116-76 to book in a home preliminary final.

The Hawks finished the regular season in top spot with a 15-5 record to earn the chance to play their qualifying final at home at The Snakepit against a Comets team that finished fourth at 13-7.

However, Sydney did lose their last four games of the regular season and are a decidedly different outfit without the dynamic backcourt of Biwali Bayles and Davo Hickey, and that pair again wasn’t there with Bayles getting hurt at Summer League and Hickey not playing enough games to qualify.

It was a scorching start from Illawarra with a 13-0 run in the first quarter on the way to putting up 30 points with 6/12 three-point shooting while holding the Comets to shooting 3/15 from the field for just 10 points.

It was then another scorching 36 points in the second term from the Hawks with another 15/21 shooting from the floor while the Comets only managed 14 points with just 4/16 shooting.

That saw the Hawks leading 66-24 in a remarkably dominant first half with the game virtually over as a contest before the second half even started, and from there Illawarra went on to score the 40-point victory.

The Hawks finished up shooting 50 per cent to 36 from the field while taking 19 extra shots, and going 18/42 from three to 11/38 even though the Comets did attempt 15 extra free throws.

While the Comets did collect 13 offensive rebounds to seven, the Hawks forced them into 22 turnovers from which they scored 16 points.

The Hawks are now straight into a home preliminary final against either the Centre of Excellence or Norths Bears.

Kobe McDowell-White delivered 23 points and eight assists for Illawarra with 5/10 three-point shooting while Matthew Mims had 16 points with 4/7 shooting from behind the three-point line.

Todd Blanchfield provided another 15 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four steals with Lachlan Dent contributing 14 points, 11 assists, four boards and two steals, Kyle Leslie 11 points and four rebounds, and Toby Campbell 10 points, five boards, three assists and two steals.

Anthony Mundine III has gone from sharing a back court with Biwali Bayles and Davo Hickey to carrying the can largely on his own and he put up 29 points, 11 rebounds and three assists with 5/17 three-point shooting for the Comets.

Obi Kyei also had 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots with Viliami Foketi adding 11 points, six boards and four assists, and Johnny Crnogorac five points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 116 (McDowell-White 23, Mims 16, Blanchfield 15)

SYDNEY COMETS 76 (Mundine III 29, Kyei 20, Foketi 11)