The dream return of Lauren Jackson to the Albury-Wodonga Bandits has resulted in championship glory after they defeated the Sutherland Sharks in Sunday's NBL1 East Grand Final.
The Bandits and the Sharks were the two standout teams in the NBL1 East competition right throughout 2022 and it was only fitting that they locked horns in Sunday's Grand Final at Hills Basketball Stadium.
Both teams won their semi-final match ups on Saturday at the same venue against the Norths Bears and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles respectively to book in their Grand Final match up for Sunday.
In the end, Albury-Wodonga started and finished the Grand Final the better against Sutherland to come away with the 85-72 victory and claim the 2022 NBL1 East championship.
While Lauren Jackson had a dominant season that has led to her Australian Opals and WNBL return, it was Unique Thompson who was awarded Grand Final MVP on Sunday on the back of her performance made up of 24 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.
NBL1 EAST – 2022 WOMEN'S SEASON
GRAND FINAL – SUNDAY
ALBURY-WODONGA BANDITS 85 defeated SUTHERLAND SHARKS 72
They had been the two standout teams in the NBL1 East competition all season and it was only fitting the Albury-Wodonga Bandits and Sutherland Sharks met in Sunday's Grand Final.
On the back of the remarkable comeback story of Lauren Jackson, Albury-Wodonga went on to claim the regular season championship in the NBL1 East with a 17-3 record.
From there, the Bandits beat the Norths Bears in the semi finals on Saturday afternoon 85-78 to advance into the Grand Final.
The Sharks weren’t far behind all season either as they finished in second position at the end of the campaign with a 16-4 record to also book in an automatic spot in the semi finals.
Sutherland went on to beat the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 88-81 also on Saturday to set up the Grand Final back at Hills Basketball Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was the Bandits who made quite the emphatic start to the Grand Final as well to throw the gauntlet right down to the Sharks. Albury-Wodonga went on a 15-0 run in the first quarter and that saw them lead 24-13 by quarter-time.
However, to Sutherland's credit they were able to make a game of it in the second quarter by outscoring the Bandits to 26 points to 18 and to cut their lead to 42-39 at the major break.
While Albury-Wodonga pushed back out to a double-figure lead in the third quarter, Sutherland kept in touch and only trailed by five at three quarter-time.
Lauren Nicholson then scored to open the fourth term to make it a three-point ball game, but Albury-Wodonga continued to have the answers and a Casey Ardern three-pointer steadied them once more.
When Ardern drained another three-pointer with just under three minutes to go it proved a dagger blow and the Bandits led by 12 and went on to win 85-72 to claim the inaugural NBL1 East championship.
It's the first championship for the women's team in the club's history and while Lauren Jackson's return in 2022 has been remarkable, it was Unique Thompson who was the star on Grand Final day for the Bandits.
She was awarded the Grand Final MVP on the back of 24 points, 11 rebounds and three steals while shooting 10/15 from the floor and 4/6 from the free-throw line.
Jackson was the league's MVP as part of a remarkable comeback that has now seen her earn a spot in the Australian Opals team for the FIBA World Cup and also be back in the WNBL at the Southside Flyers.
She had a strong performance in the Grand Final as well with 18 points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
Brodie-Paige Theodore added 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists for the Bandits, Casey Ardern 14 points on 4/5 shooting from downtown, and Ai Yamada 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Sutherland can be proud of the season they put together and the fight they put up on Grand Final day with Lauren Nicholson putting up another 19 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Vanessa Panousis added 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists, Madeleine Norris 12 points, four boards and three assists, Emily Garland 10 points, two rebounds and two assists, and Lauren Calver nine points and six boards.
