South Recap | Round 12 Friday

Image credit: Andrew Scherer / DLNQNT PHOTOGRAPHY

Tayha Watkins, Abbey Ellis and Steph Reid combined for 62 points in a Friday night NBL1 South win for Diamond Valley Eagles before Kaden Archie and Titus Robinson produced 54 points in a home win for Mount Gambier Pioneers.

SOUTH RECAP | ROUND 11 SUNDAY

WOMEN

Mount Gambier Pioneers (60) lost to Diamond Valley Eagles (80)

The Diamond Valley Eagles enhanced their top four prospects in the NBL1 South with the 80-60 road win over the shorthanded Mount Gambier Pioneers.

The Pioneers were back home and only just clinging to hopes of reaching the playoffs coming into the contest at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre but it was going to be tough in the absence of Haliegh Reinoehl, Jayda Jansen and Zoe Hurley.

That took 33.6 points, 16.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists out of the Mount Gambier team from what that trio had been delivering this season as they tried to take it up to a Diamond Valley team featuring Steph Reid, Abbey Ellis, Tayha Watkins and Lara McSpadden.

Both teams made their runs in the first quarter and it was Mount Gambier clinging to the 21-10 lead by quarter-time but Diamond Valley were then able to take control in the second period.

The Eagles put up 24 points to 12 in that second term on the back of hitting 4/10 from three-point range while the Pioneers went just 5/15 from the field overall.

That saw Diamond Valley leading 44-33 by the half-time break and then it was more of the same in the second half from the Eagles with 22 points to 15 in the third term on the back of completing a 22-0 scoring run.

Diamond Valley ended up leading by as much as 22 points and then scoring the 20-point victory largely on the back of attempting 12 extra field goals and 12 more free throws for the night than Mount Gambier.

The Eagles improve to an 11-5 record with the win to remain right in the top four race with Tayha Watkins delivering 23 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.

Steph Reid also had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists with 4/8 shooting from downtown while Abbey Ellis contributed 19 points, four boards and three steals, and Lara McSpadden four points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The Pioneers slip further from playoff contention now having lost three straight with a 6-11 record with Cat MacGregor top scoring with 18 points and three rebounds with 4/7 three-point shooting.

Isa Brancatisano added 15 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and three steals, Chloe Hildebrand 11 points, two boards and two assists, and Keryl Ousey eight points and four rebounds.

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 60 (MacGregor 18, Brancatisano 15, Hildebrand 11)

DIAMOND VALLEY EAGLES 80 (Watkins 23, Reid 20, Ellis 19)

MEN

Mount Gambier Pioneers (96) defeated Diamond Valley Eagles (76)

The Mount Gambier Pioneers consolidated second position in the NBL1 South with Titus Robinson and Kaden Archie combining for 54 points in the 96-76 home victory against the Diamond Valley Eagles.

The Pioneers were back home at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre needing to hit back from consecutive losses to stay in second with the Melbourne Tigers, Casey Cavaliers, Hobart Chargers and Ballarat Miners all breathing right down their necks.

Diamond Valley arrived on a four-game losing streak as well with a big task ahead of them and they were able to stick with Mount Gambier throughout the first half.

The Pioneers were just clinging to a 24-20 advantage by quarter-time and then had only marginally extended that to 47-41 by the half-time break while the home team just shot 3/15 from beyond the three-point line with Diamond Valley going 3/9.

Mount Gambier were able to take control throughout the second half with 26 points to 16 in the third period to open up a 16-point lead before extending that to 26 in the last term on the way to the eventual 20-point victory.

The Pioneers ended up shooting 50 per cent from the floor to 39 from Diamond Valley but even with Mount Gambier taking seven extra free-throw attempts, they struggled shooting at the stripe and made two fewer from the Eagles.

But the Pioneers did force 20 turnovers from the Eagles of which they were able to score 18 points to improve to an 11-6 record and to maintain second position.

Kaden Archie delivered 27 points and five rebounds in the win with 11/18 shooting from the floor with Titus Robinson contributing 27 points, nine boards, three steals, three blocks and two assists on 13/17 field goal shooting.

Joe Palmer added 15 points and nine rebounds, Austin Shelley six points, five boards, three assists and two steals, and Kane de Wit three points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Diamond Valley have now lost five straight to be 4-12 on the season with Jock Perry finishing with 17 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists.

Jesse Ghee also had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists, Adam Thoseby 15 points and two assists, Aleksander Bandilovski 11 points, five rebounds and two assists, and Noah Todd 10 points and three boards.

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 96 (Robinson 27, Archie 27, Palmer 15)

DIAMOND VALLEY EAGLES 76 (Perry 17, Ghee 15, Thoseby 15)