NBL1 East Recap | Sunday Round 12

The two Sunday NBL1 East Round 12 matches took place at the AIS Basketball and Netball Centre with the Newcastle Falcons knocking off the Centre of Excellence women in overtime before the CoE men scored a thumping 29-point win.

NBL1 EAST RECAP | ROUND 12 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Falcons knock off Centre of Excellence in Canberra

The Newcastle Falcons completed a perfect weekend to maintain their hold on a top four position in the NBL1 East beating the Centre of Excellence 82-76 on Sunday.

Newcastle was fresh off beating the Illawarra Hawks on Saturday night to open Round 12 before taking on a CoE team who had also won the previous evening against Albury-Wodonga Bandits in a thrilling finish.

So the stage was set for the match between the two top four teams with Newcastle opening up a three-point lead by quarter-time before going on to still cling to a 39-37 lead going into intermission.

The Centre of Excellence, though, took over in the third quarter going on a 10-0 run and opening up a seven-point lead.

The CoE would go on to lead by as much as nine points in the fourth quarter too, but the Falcons hit back despite still being down five with under two minutes to play.

Kate Kingham drained a three-pointer to bring the margin back to two before Nicole Munger soon tied scores up.

New UC Capitals WNBL signing Jayda Clark showed her potential with a huge three to put the Centre of Excellence back up three but the Falcons had one last chance to force the game into an extra five minutes.

Once again it was Munger who came up huge for Newcastle to hit the three-pointer and the game went to overtime when Saffron Shiels couldn’t provide the miracle at the buzzer for the Basketball Australia team.

Then in the extra period, Newcastle took charge to outscore the CoE outfit 13 points to seven to win by those six points and improve to a 12-2 record with the double win weekend. The Centre of Excellence is now 13-3 after splitting its Round 12.

Nicole Munger produced a stunning performance for Newcastle consisting of 33 points, nine rebounds and three assists while nailing 14/26 from the field and 4/8 from beyond the arc.

Abigail Curtin contributed 16 points and six rebounds, Emily Foy 12 points and two boards, and Mykea Gray nine points, eight rebounds, eight assists and seven steals.

Jayda Clark produced 20 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks for the Centre of Excellence, Isla Juffermans 20 points, 19 boards and five assists, Lara Somfai 11 points and five rebounds, and Saffron Shiels 10 points, 13 boards, four assists and two blocks.

Nicole Munger sends it to OT ?

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MEN

Centre of Excellence men maintain top spot

The Centre of Excellence men continue to have different players shine on different nights and it was Kye Savage’s turn on Sunday in the 112-83 victory against the Newcastle Falcons.

Both teams were fresh off playing on Saturday night with the Centre of Excellence maintaining their hold on top spot with the win against the Albury-Wodonga Bandits while the Falcons suffered a loss in Wollongong to the Illawarra Hawks.

The Basketball Australia young guns again started well on Sunday with 31 points to 23 in the first quarter and that lead blew out to 22 in the second period.

The Centre of Excellence went on to lead by 32 points in the third quarter, 33 in the fourth and ended up winning by 29.

The victory improves the CoE to a 16-1 record to be clear in top position after Round 12 while Newcastle is now 8-6 following the two losses this weekend.

Kye Savage was the star of the win for the Centre of Excellence with the young Tasmanian finishing with 28 points while shooting 11/17 from the field and 4/7 from three-point territory.

Ben Henshall added 19 points and six assists, John Furphy 19 points, three boards and three steals, and Alex Toohey 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Bowyn Beatty put up 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists as well while Harry Beauchamp had 10 points and two rebounds, and James O’Donnell nine points and 14 boards.

Anthony Gaines ended the afternoon with 18 points and five rebounds for Newcastle with Reed Nottage contributing 18 points, six boards and five assists, and Ryan Beisty 12 points, five rebounds, five blocks and four assists.

The steal and the slam by Ben Henshall ?

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