East Recap | Round 15 Friday

Image credit: Aaron Camua | @aaron.camua

Sutherland Sharks women closed NBL1 East season with 51 points from Lauren Nicholson and triple-double from Maddy Norris while Norths Bears had pair of wins over Sydney Comets, and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles/Bankstown Bruins split their evening.

GALLOWAY READY TO MAKE STATEMENT TO GET BACK TO NBA

EAST RECAP | ROUND 14 SUNDAY

WOMEN

Sutherland Sharks (110) defeated Inner West Bulls (102)

The Sutherland Sharks might have only had six players available to finish their season but Lauren Nicholson put up 51 points and Maddy Norris had a triple-double as they beat the Inner West Bulls 110-102.

The Sharks were out of finals contention coming into the match up at Sutherland Basketball Stadium with Vanessa Panousis and Aliza Fabbro among the key players unavailable with just the six suiting up to take on the Bulls.

It was a crucial game for Inner West too who need to win both their games this weekend to try and break back into the top four after losing their past three matches.

The Bulls shot 6/11 from three-point range on the way to leading 33-27 by quarter-time before it was Inner West clinging to the 47-43 lead by half-time on the back of shooting 19/41 from the field to 17/49 from the Sharks.

Things remained close right throughout the second half with no more than seven points separating the two teams and with the lead continuing to change hands.

In the end after Lauren Nicholson hit a free-throw for Sutherland to have the home team up two, Inner West had the last possession of regulation where Tahlia Tupaea went for the game winner but her three ball wouldn’t fall.

Tylah Mundine grabbed the offensive rebound and was able to score on the back of it to tie scores up at 94-94 to send the game into overtime.

Then in the extra period that should have been the last thing Sutherland wanted given they only had the six players, they came out and scored the first seven points topped off by a three-point play from Maddy Norris and from there the Sharks secured the eight-point victory.

It was a brave performance from the Sharks to finish their season with Lauren Nicholson and Maddy Norris both playing all 45 minutes, and Laci Hawthorne, Olivia Douglas, Emily Garland and Aislinn Waller all 25 minutes or more.

Sutherland finishes the season with an 8-12 record but having never been at full strength along the way on the back of playing in last year's grand final.

Nicholson ended up with 51 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals showing that playing as a new mother agrees with her as she shot 14/24 from the field, 6/10 from downtown, and 17/18 at the free-throw line.

Norris also had another triple-double made up of 18 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds with Garland contributing 14 points and two assists, Douglas 11 points, eight boards and five assists, Hawthorne nine points and eight rebounds, and Waller seven points and seven boards.

The Bulls are now going to find it tough to reach the playoffs having to beat the Illawarra Hawks on Saturday and then hoping for the best given they are now 8-11 on the season.

Tahlia Tupaea did produce a triple-double too for Inner West with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists with Chieh Ou contributing 29 points, seven boards and two assists, Kristina Moore 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Tylah Mundine 11 points, 12 boards and three assists.

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 110 (Nicholson 51, Norris 18, Garland 14)

INNER WEST BULLS 102 (Ou 29, Tupaea 28, Moore 22)

Norths Bears (89) defeated Sydney Comets (55)

Norths Bears locked away a top two finish this season with an emphatic 89-55 win at home on Friday night over the Sydney Comets.

The Bears were back home at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre just needing one win this weekend to lock away a top two finish but a pair of wins and they could still snatch the regular season championship off the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

They were playing host to a Sydney team still a chance to play finals with two games this weekend as they try to break back into the top eight, but it was going to be a significant challenge up against the 2023 champion Bears.

Norths made a flying start with an 11-0 run in the first quarter to end up leading 26-12 by quarter-time on the back of shooting 9/17 from the field to the 5/15 from the Comets.

Sydney did make a game of it in the second term with 21 points to 18 which cut the Norths lead to just 44-33 by the half-time break.

It was in the third quarter where the Bears took full control of the contest with 24 points on 10/18 shooting while holding the Comets to just four points with 2/10 shooting with only taking 10 shots in 10 minutes highlighting the defensive job Norths did.

It was then another 21 points to 18 in the final term for the Bears as they secured the 34-point victory to improve to a 16-3 record to be guaranteed a top two finish ahead of being away to the Penrith Panthers on Saturday.

Emma Donnelly finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists with 10/15 field goal shooting, 3/4 from three-point range and 2/2 at the free-throw line.

Maddie O'Hehir also had 23 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals, Peggy Schell 14 points and six boards, Isabelle Morgan nine points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Carla Pitman five points, 10 boards, six steals and two assists.

The Comets now slip to an 8-11 record with one game remaining on Sunday at home to the Albury-Wodonga Bandits with Sydney going to need a lot to go right to make finals even if they win that game.

Mikayla Pirini put up 12 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds with 4/8 three-point shooting while Alexandra Kayrouz produced 11 points, seven boards, two assists and two steals, and Alexandria Olivier nine points and nine rebounds.

NORTHS BEARS 89 (Donnelly 25, O'Hehir 23, Schell 14)

SYDNEY COMETS 55 (Pirini 12, Curtin 11, Kayrouz 11)

Bankstown Bruins (78) lost to Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (96)

The Bankstown Bruins couldn’t keep their winning form going in the absence of Shyla Heal with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles maintaining top spot with the 96-78 win on Friday night.

The Bruins were back home at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on a nine-game winning streak, but were playing a second game without Heal and it was going to be a significant challenge to make 10 straight wins coming up against the Sea Eagles.

Manly Warringah arrived having won 14 straight themselves so it was a battle of the two hottest team in the NBL1 East to open the last round of the regular season.

It was a strong start from the Sea Eagles with 24 points to 15 in the first quarter with 11/19 shooting compared with 7/20.

Manly Warringah opened up a 13-point advantage during the second quarter before going into the half-time break leading 45-34.

Bankstown stayed in touch cutting that deficit back to nine by three quarter-time, but the Sea Eagles then dominated the last term with 33 points to 24 with 10/21 shooting from the floor and 10/11 at the foul line to the 10/15 shooting from the Bruins.

Manly Warringah improves to a 17-2 record with 15 straight wins with one game to go now in the regular season against the Centre of Excellence on Saturday who will be playing their first match since June 22.

Taylor Wurtz was outstanding once more for the Sea Eagles with 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and two steals with 5/10 three-point shooting.

Kim Dickinson added 25 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, Alex Delaney 20 points, five rebounds and two assists on 4/7 three-point shooting, Antonia Henderson 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Sari Mowbray 10 points and four boards.

Bankstown's winning run has now come to an end with Shyla Heal missing a second straight match as they slip to a 10-9 record ahead of finishing their regular season away to the Central Coast Crusaders on Sunday.

Juliunn Redmond put up 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Bruins with Sienna Tutani adding 18 points, eight boards and three assists, Jane Dunlop 11 points and three rebounds, and Shalome Dunlop nine points, five boards and two assists.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 78 (Redmond 21, Tutani 18, J Dunlop 11)

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 96 (Wurtz 26, Dickinson 25, Delaney 20)

MEN

Sutherland Sharks (82) lost to Inner West Bulls (85)

It might have been the Sutherland Sharks playing for their post-season lives but it was the Inner West Bulls who maintained their lead once they grabbed the lead in the second half for the eventual 85-82 victory.

Coming into the clash on Friday night at Sutherland Basketball Stadium, the Sharks were sitting in fifth place and they could just about guarantee staying there with a win in their only appearance of the weekend.

Inner West arrived out of the playoff hunt but still with a dangerous line-up and looking for a confidence boosting finish to the season.

By quarter-time the teams couldn’t be separated with scores tied at 19-19 after the Sharks saw their early eight-point lead overhauled by the Bulls.

It was then Inner West narrowly leading 43-41 by the half-time break before the Bulls took charge late in the third term and early in the fourth to open up a 10-point lead.

Sutherland did its best to try and fight back but ultimately came up three points short and were never quite able to get back in front with the Bulls holding firm for the three-point victory to open the final round.

Inner West improves to a 7-12 record with the win and they will look to back that up at home to the Illawarra Hawks on Saturday to close their season.

Maxwell Clark delivered 27 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals with 5/8 three-point shooting while Dalen Ridgnal contributing 15 points, 11 boards and two steals, Mirko Djeric 16 points, four assists and three rebounds, and Tony Tolovae 10 points, seven boards, four blocks and three assists.

The regular season of the Sharks is over too now with an 11-9 record while they the odds are they will stay safe in a playoff spot, they aren’t quite guaranteed with the Newcastle Falcons and Central Coast Crusaders still with two games to play.

Kouat Noi top-scored for Sutherland with 26 points and 12 rebounds on 10/27 field goal shooting with Adrian Cabrera adding 19 points and five boards.

Lochlan Hutchison contributed 10 points and four assists, Luke Jamieson 10 points and three rebounds, and Taylor Young seven points, seven boards and three assists.

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 82 (Noi 26, Cabrera 19, Jamieson 10, Hutchison 10)

INNER WEST BULLS 85 (Clark 27, Djeric 16, Ridgnal 15)

Norths Bears (83) defeated Sydney Comets (64)

The Sydney Comets might have still just enough of a buffer to stay fourth but they slipped to a third straight loss with the Norths Bears strengthening their playoff hopes with the 83-64 victory.

Coming into the last round and the Bears were sitting in eighth spot fresh off winning six of their past seven matches while the Comets had lost their past two coinciding with the absence of Biwali Bayles and Davo Hickey.

Norths were back home at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre on Friday night and it was the visiting Comets with the better of the start leading 24-20 by quarter-time on 10/16 shooting despite the Bears hitting the only three long balls of the opening 10 minutes.

The Bears were able to work on top in the second term outscoring the Comets 20 points to 14 to head into the half-time break leading 40-38.

It was then another 20 points to 16 in the third stanza in favour of the Bears before the home team asserted their dominance in the last term with 23 points to 10 to end up securing the 19-point victory.

Both teams shot 38 per cent from the field, but the Bears had eight extra shot attempts, nine more free-throw attempts and made 7/24 from downtown opposed to 2/18.

The win sees Norths improve to an 11-8 record to remain solid in the top eight ahead of being away to the bottom placed Penrith Panthers on Saturday.

Hunter Goodrick delivered 29 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the win for the Bears on 10/18 field goal shooting and going 8/12 from the foul line.

Austin Patterson added 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, Lachlan Bofinger 12 points, 10 boards and two steals, and Matthew Wacher eight points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.

The Comets do still remain fourth at 13-6 despite having lost their past three matches with their season finishing on Sunday at home to the second last ranked Albury-Wodonga Bandits.

Obi Kyei produced another hard working performance made up of 17 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and two steals.

Goc Malual added 16 points, four rebounds and two steals with Anthony Mundine III providing 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists despite missing all seven of his three-point attempts.

NORTHS BEARS 83 (Goodrick 29, Patterson 21, Bofinger 12)

SYDNEY COMETS 64 (Kyei 17, Malual 16, Mundine III 15)

Bankstown Bruins (96) defeated Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (78)

The depth of the Bankstown Bruins was once again on show with six players scoring in double-figures in the 96-78 home win over the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles to improve to fifth place in the NBL1 East.

The Bruins were back home at Bankstown Basketball Stadium sitting in sixth position but with the prospect of ending up anywhere from fifth to 10th at the end of the weekend given the tightness of the competition.

Manly Warringah are also locked in that playoff race and came into the round in seventh place but needing at least one win in the last round to be guaranteed of a post-season appearance.

It was an enterprising start from both teams with 58 points in the first quarter with Bankstown leading 31-27 by quarter-time with the sides combining to shoot 9/19 from downtown.

Manly Warringah then took over in the second term with 29 points to 15 in the second frame thanks to shooting 11/25 from the field with Bankstown going 6/15.

Those extra 10 shot attempts were the different with the Sea Eagles leading 56-46 by half-time but then the Bruins locked in for the second half with 23 points to 11 in the third term to turn that 10-point deficit into a two-point lead by three quarter-time.

The Bruins went on with the job from there with 27 points to 11 in the final period on the way to the 18-point victory thanks to shooting 51 per cent from the floor to 38.

Bankstown moves up to fifth position with an 11-8 record with the win ahead of finishing their season away to the Central Coast Crusaders on Sunday.

Charlie McBeath finished with 19 points on 5/7 three-point shooting for the Bruins with Jason Cadee providing 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

Andre Wolford added 16 points and three rebounds, Hayden Blankley 13 points, seven boards, four blocks and two assists, Dominique Keyes 13 points, nine rebounds and two steals, and Jaylin Galloway 12 points, nine boards, five assists, two steals and two blocks.

Manly Warringah will now need to beat the Centre of Excellence on Saturday if they want to play finals with the CoE still in top spot despite not having played since June 22.

Stefan Valkovic top-scored for the Sea Eagles with 18 points and six rebounds with Jamie Munro adding 14 points and 10 boards, Preston Purifoy 12 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and Isaiah Lee 12 points, three boards and two assists.

Mason Bragg just missed a triple-double with 11 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds with Matthew Eldridge contributing 11 points, six boards and two assists.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 96 (McBeath 19, Cadee 17, Wolford 16)

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 78 (Valkovic 18, Munro 14, Purifoy 12, Lee 12)