NBL1 East Recap | Saturday ANZAC Round

Leilani Mitchell produced 40 points in a strong Saturday night NBL1 East win for the Inner West Bulls while Matthew Gray scored 44 for the Maitland Mustangs, the Penrith Panthers men won their first game and the Canberra Gunners denied Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai.

The Saturday women's matches in the NBL1 East saw the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence beat the Albury-Wodonga Bandits 81-56 with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles defeating the Penrith Panthers 59-57, and Norths Bears hammering the Hills Hornets 96-39.

The Maitland Mustangs also downed the Central Coast Crusaders 63-49 with the Inner West Bulls beating the Sutherland Sharks 92-71.

In the men's action, the Hornets beat the Bears 81-69, the Gunners won 61-60 against the Spiders, CoE defeated Albury-Wodonga 103-71 and the Panthers defeated the Sea Eagles 90-71, Maitland downed Central Coast 102-78, and Inner West beat Sutherland 100-85.

WOMEN

Centre of Excellence young guns too good for Bandits

The Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence put together another impressive showing with the country's young guns beating the Albury-Wodonga Bandits 81-56.

The CoE hosted the Bandits at AIS Basketball and Netball Centre with some of the best young female players in the country starting on fire with 26 points to nine in the first quarter to set up the eventual 25-point win.

The victory improves them to a 6-1 record on the season with Monique Bobongie finishing with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. 

Jess Petrie added 15 points and 11 boards, Sienna Harvey 12 points, 12 boards and three assists, Jayda Clark 11 points, six rebounds and three assists, and Summah Hanson 10 points and nine rebounds.

Emma Mahady top-scored for Albury-Wodonga with 18 points and eight rebounds with Ashlee Hannan contributing 14 points, eight boards and three blocked shots.

Sea Eagles continue hot form with thrilling win over Panthers

The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have hung on for a thrilling 59-57 win at home against the Penrith Panthers to continue their tremendous form.

Fresh off handing the Sydney Comets their first defeat of the NBL1 East season the previous night, the Sea Eagles were back home on Saturday but it was Penrith who started the better and by half-time were leading 35-22.

However, Manly Warringah responded with 23 points to 13 in the third quarter but it was still a thrilling finish. With 16 seconds remaining, Meg Jefferson scored under the basket for Penrith to tie scores up at 57-57.

Coming out of a timeout, Antonia Henderson was fouled and made both free-throws for Manly Warringah, but there was still time for Penrith.

They took the ball up the floor and Emily Matthews ended getting a good look at the three ball, but it wouldn’t fall and the Sea Eagles won by two to improve to 7-1 on the season.

Alex Delaney top-scored for the Sea Eagles with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals with Sari Mowbray contributing 11 points, four steals and three rebounds, and Felicity Henderson 10 points, 10 boards, four assists and three steals.

Antonia Henderson also had seven points and seven boards, and Kim Hodge seven points and 11 rebounds.

Meg Jefferson produced a terrific performance for Penrith to finish with 26 points and seven rebounds with Tiana Petterson contributing 11 points and three boards, and Chloe Williams eight points and five rebounds.

Deep Bears deliver dominant showing against Hornets

The Norths Bears dominated the Hills Hornets at home on Saturday running out thumping 96-39 winners.

The Bears started strongly with 24 points to 10 in the opening quarter and then held the Hornets to just four points in the second quarter to go into half-time leading 42-14.

It was more of the same in the second half with Norths outscoring Hills 54 points to 25 to run out 57-point winners to improve to 5-2 on the season.

Emily Simons was terrific for the Bears with 23 points, six rebounds and five steals on 5/6 three-point shooting but she had no shortage of support.

Madeleine O'Hehir added 18 points, five assists and four rebounds, Jessica Bygate 14 points and four boards, Emma Donnelly 11 points and four rebounds, and Kate Seebohm 10 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals.

It was a tough outing for the now 1-6 Hornets with Rhiannon Yetsenga finishing with 15 points and six rebounds.

Taylah Cottees wasn't having any of that! ?

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Mustangs score important road win over Crusaders

The Maitland Mustangs started and finished impressively to beat the Central Coast Crusaders 63-49 on the road on Saturday.

Maitland opened up a 16-11 advantage by quarter-time and while Central Coast kept pace with them most of the rest of the way, the Mustangs put up another 20 points to 14 in the final period to end up winning by 14 points.

Shakera Reilly continued her terrific season for the Mustangs with another 26 points, six rebounds, four steals and two assists while draining 4/8 of her three-point attempts.

Mila Wawszkowicz added 18 points and six rebounds, and Sydney Hunter 13 points and 15 boards.

Jasmine Forcadilla finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and five steals for Central Coast with Sara Matthews contributing 12 points, nine boards, three steals and two assists.

Nationals too much for Spiders for second win of season

The Canberra Nationals scored their second win of the NBL1 East season proving too strong for the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders claiming the 84-38 victory.

Despite being at home at The Brickpit, it was another tough outing for the Spiders with Canberra starting strongly with 28 points to eight in the opening quarter. They went on with it from there with the Nationals winning by 46 points to improve to 2-5 with Hornsby 0-7.

Bianca Dufelmeier led the charge for Canberra with 17 points on a perfect 7/7 field goal shooting and 3/3 from three-point range.

Abbie Ketels added 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals, Lizzy Tonks 17 points, 12 boards and eight assists, Mia Slater 11 points and eight rebounds, and Jasmyn Boutzos 11 points.

Keira Hudson ended up with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals for Hornsby, and Madeline Davey eight points and eight rebounds.

Mitchell fires for Bulls to knock off Sharks

The Inner West Bulls delivered a massive fourth quarter to pull away from the Sutherland Sharks to score the 92-71 home victory.

It was a tight affair for three quarters at ELS Hall Park with the Bulls leading narrowly 58-56 at three quarter-time, but it was all the home team in the final period with 34 points to 15 to beat the Sharks by 21 points and improve to 2-6 on the season.

Leilani Mitchell was the star of the night in the win for the Bulls showing all of her class and experience to finish with 40 points, nine assists and four rebounds while shooting 16/26 from the floor and 8/13 from three-point territory.

Maja Peric added 20 points and seven boards, Mikaela Dombkins 17 points, 14 rebounds and three assists, and Ai Matsumoto eight points, four steals, two rebounds and two assists.

The Sharks slipped to 4-3 with the loss with Aliza Fabbro finishing with 19 points, five assists and four rebounds, Madeleine Norris 17 points and six boards, and Emily Garland 11 points.

MEN

Centre of Excellence hits back with thumping of Bandits

The Centre of Excellence responded to their first loss of the NBL1 East by scoring a commanding 103-71 victory on Saturday against the Albury-Wodonga Bandits.

After winning their first six matches of the season in impressive fashion, the Basketball Australia young guns went down on Friday night away to the Norths Bears.

However, they hit back emphatically on Saturday beating the Bandits by 32 points at the AIS Basketball and Netball Centre.

Alex Toohey was the standout on the night for the CoE with 26 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals on 12/21 shooting from the field.

Ben Henshall just signed with the Perth Wildcats this week and backed it up with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals with Dragos Lungu contributing 13 points, five boards and four assists.

Akira Jacobs, Josh Hughes and James O'Donnell all put up 11 points apiece as well.

Jack Saunders top-scored for Albury-Wodonga with 24 points with Michael Parks adding 14 points and seven boards, and Jamir Coleman 11 points and seven rebounds.

Penrith beat Manly Warringah to open account in NBL1 East

The Penrith Panthers have opened their account in the NBL1 East competition winning on the road 90-71 against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

The Panthers lost their opening six matches having entered the NBL1 East competition this season, but they broke their duck on Saturday night at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre.

Penrith started strongly with 30 points to 23 in the first quarter and another 23 to 17 in the second saw them go into half-time on top 53-40. The Panthers then finished strongly with 18 points to 11 in the fourth period to win by 19 to improve to 1-6 on the season with Manly Warringah now 1-7.

Caleb Fetui-Fa'amoe finished with 21 points and nine rebounds in the first win for Penrith with Pranaya Sakya contributing 18 points, four boards and three assists, and Preston Matia nine points, three rebounds and three assists.

Mitchell Evans delivered 21 points and four rebounds for Manly Warringah with Matthew Eldridge contributing 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Hornets deliver impressive showing to beat Bears 

The Hills Hornets sent a message that they mean business this NBL1 East season by handing the Norths Bears just their second loss of 2023 by winning 81-69.

The Hornets travelled to North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre and started well with 19 points to 13 in the opening quarter, and another 28 to 12 to set up a more than handy 47-25 lead at half-time.

While the Bears outscored them 44 points to 34 in the second half, it wasn’t enough with the Hornets going on to win by 12 and improve to 3-4 on the season with Norths now 6-2.

Shawn Montague led the charge for the Hornets with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and four steals with Paul Brotherson contributing 14 points and four boards, Mitchell Smith 13 points, and Campbell Green nine points and nine rebounds.

Brennan Rymer top-scored for Norths with 13 points, three assists and three steals despite going 4/23 from the floor and 0/9 from deep. Josh Pain added 12 points and two blocks, Nathaniel Musters 12 points and seven rebounds, and Michael Golding 11 points, six boards, four steals, two assists and two blocks.

Gray puts up 44 in big win for Mustangs

The Maitland Mustangs proved too strong for the Central Coast Crusaders running out 102-78 winners on Saturday night.

The Mustangs started strongly at Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium with 27 points to 17 in the first quarter and continued to build on that throughout the game to end up winning by 24 points to improve to 4-3 on the season.

Matthew Gray delivered a monster performance for Maitland finishing with 44 points and 10 rebounds on the back of shooting 16/24 from the field and 7/12 from three-point range.

Will Cranston-Lown added 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, Billy Parsons 10 points and five boards, and James Hunter 10 points and six rebounds.

Isaiah Walter top-scored for the Crusaders with 14 points and three rebounds with Alex Bailey adding 13 points and four assists, Nick Wooller 12 points and five rebounds, Luke Cassidy 11 points and five boards, James Trustum 10 points and six rebounds, and Aaron Redhead 10 points and seven boards.

Toohey the hero as Gunners deny Spiders first win

What a first win in the NBL1 East it would have been if the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders were able to knock off the reigning champion Canberra Gunners, and it went ever so close to happening.

Hornsby had lost their first six matches of the NBL1 East season ahead of hosting Canberra at The Brickpit on Saturday night with the challenge ahead of them against last year's champions.

The Spiders did start well, though, with 18 points to 12 in the opening quarter before the Gunners hit back with 24 points to seven in the second period.

Hornsby then produced a brilliant defensive third quarter to restrict Canberra to just five points to give themselves a real shot at that first victory and with one possession to go, they were leading 60-59 in a low-scoring affair.

However, Canberra snatched it from them thanks to a jumper from James Toohey to put the Gunners up by one, and that's where they remained at the final buzzer with Hornsby unable to make any of their winning attempts in a frantic last few seconds.

Not only did Toohey hit the game winner for the Gunners, but also finished with 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Dhal Fieg added 13 points and four boards, and Glenn Morison 12 points and eight rebounds.

Shareef Saipaia delivered 19 points and six assists for Hornsby with Peitok Machar contributing 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Einer Thompson 10 points and two boards.

JAMES TOOHEY WINS IT FOR CANBERRA??

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Bulls continue hot form with win over Sharks

Two in form teams did battle at ELS Hall Park on Saturday night and it was the Inner West Bulls who prevailed 100-85 against the Sutherland Sharks.

Both teams had started the NBL1 East season in impressive form, but it was the Bulls who proved too strong at home extending their lead throughout the evening before settling on the 15-point victory.

The win improves the Bulls to 7-1 on the season with Tony Tolovae delivering 27 points, seven rebounds and two assists with Blake Morrow contributing 22 points and four boards, Chris Bryant 18 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Alex Higgins-Titsha 15 points, three steals and two boards.

Geoff Gerlach ended up top-scoring for Sutherland with 22 points and seven rebounds with Marquel Beasley contributing 19 points and nine boards, Lochlan Hutchinson 12 points and eight assists, and Adrian Cabrera 10 points and five rebounds.