Falcons Crush Crusaders in 71-47 Rout

The Newcastle Falcons dominated the Central Coast Crusaders 71-47 on Saturday evening at Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium, controlling the game with a commanding 33-point lead at one stage. The Falcons' effort was spearheaded by Meg Jefferson, who put together a stellar double-double with 18 points and 13 boards, including seven on the offensive glass. Nicole Munger added another double-double with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Newcastle's defense stifled Central Coast throughout, holding them to just 25 percent shooting from the field while dominating the glass 60-41. For the Crusaders, veteran Leilani Mitchell tried to keep her team in the contest with 17 points including three triples on seven attempts from outside. Mikaela Dombkins contributed 13 points and nine rebounds, but Central Coast struggled to find rhythm against Newcastle's pressure defense, committing 20 turnovers that led to 14 points for the Falcons. **NEWCASTLE FALCONS 71 (Meg Jefferson 18, Nicole Munger 14, Claudea Waihape Andrews 11).** **CENTRAL COAST CRUSADERS 47 (Leilani Mitchell 17, Mikaela Dombkins 13, Jasmine Forcadilla 9).** #NBL1East #BasketballAustralia