South Recap | Round 5 Sunday

Image credit: Travis Palmieri | traviphotography

Sara Blicavs produced 36 points in comeback NBL1 South win for Melbourne Tigers while 55 for Jack Purchase wasn’t enough against Eltham Wildcats with a pair of wins for Frankston Blues over Mount Gambier Pioneers.

SCORING RECORD | PURCHASE GOES FOR 55

SOUTH RECAP | ROUND 5 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Ballarat Miners (77) defeated Launceston Tornadoes (55)

Abbey Wehrung knocked down five three-pointers on the way to 27 points as the Ballarat Miners returned to the winner's list beating the Launceston Tornadoes 77-55.

The Tornadoes were playing their second game on the road of the weekend having lost to the Frankston Blues the previous night and doing it without Keely Froling.

The Miners were back home at Selkirk Stadium looking to respond to a loss the previous evening also against the defending champion Waverley Falcons.

It was a tight opening quarter with Ballarat leading 18-16 by quarter-time before the Miners did begin to pull away in the second period with 22 points to 16 including knocking down 4/9 from downtown to be leading 40-32 by half-time.

It was another 22 points to 11 in the third quarter with the lead for the Miners growing to 19 points and then it was out to 22 in the fourth before they secured the 22-point victory.

Ballarat ended up shooting 16/34 from three-point range for the game opposed to the 2/20 from Launceston with Abbey Wehrung making 5/7 of those for the Miners on her way to 27 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists along with going 8/8 from the foul line.

Julia Gladkova added 10 points, 11 rebounds and two assists for the now 3-4 Ballarat with Lilly Impey contributing nine points and four boards, Laura Taylor nine points and three rebounds, Opal Bird eight points, five boards and two steals, and Micah Simpson five points and 10 assists.

The Tornadoes remain winless now after nine games this season with Megan Mullings putting up 20 points, 10 rebounds and four steals on 8/14 shooting.

Sarah O'Neill added 18 points, five rebounds and two assists, Taya Webb seven points, seven boards and two blocks, and Vitolia Tuilave two points, eight rebounds and four assists.

BALLARAT MINERS 77 (Wehrung 27, Gladkova 10, Taylor 9, Impey 9)

LAUNCESTON TORNADOES 55 (Mullings 20, O'Neill 18, Webb 7)

Bendigo Braves (73) lost to Hobart Chargers (84)

The Hobart Chargers responded to a loss to start their double-header on the road by returning home on a winning note with the 84-73 Sunday win against the Bendigo Braves.

Hobart were coming off a loss on Saturday to the Knox Raiders while Bendigo were also in action the previous night at home as well and suffering a loss to the Dandenong Rangers.

So both teams were looking to bounce back on Sunday at Selkirk Stadium and it was the visiting Hobart who made a flying start with an early 12-0 lead to be up by 14 and still leading 29-15 by quarter-time.

The Chargers went cold shooting in the second quarter going just 8/27 overall as a team but Bendigo were only slightly able to claw back with 22 points to 20 with Hobart still in control at 49-37 by the half-time interval.

Hobart took further control of the contest in the third quarter holding Bendigo to 10 points on 3/18 shooting and the Chargers put up 21 points themselves to open up a 23-point lead.

That advantage got out to 24 in the final term too before the Braves made a late charge even though Hobart still scored the 11-point win to improve to a 3-6 record on the season.

Tayla Roberts put up a big display for the Chargers with 21 points, 18 rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots with Ellie Collins adding 16 points, seven boards and two assists.

Sharna Thompson also had 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Kayla Steindl 14 points, seven boards, seven steals and three assists, and Chelsea D'Angelo 10 points, four assists and three rebounds.

Bendigo have now lost five straight to sit at 2-6 with Taisheka Porchia delivering 26 points and 13 rebounds on 8/13 shooting from the floor and 10/11 at the foul line.

Mikayla Pivec added 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Cassidy McLean nine points, four boards, two assists and two steals, and Ash Hannan six points, five rebounds and three assists.

BENDIGO BRAVES 73 (Porchia 26, Pivec 16, McLean 9)

HOBART CHARGERS 84 (Roberts 21, Collins 16, Thompson 15)

Eltham Wildcats (81) lost to Melbourne Tigers (86)

The Melbourne Tigers came from behind at three quarter-time to score the 86-81 road win over the Eltham Wildcats with Sara Blicavs brilliant with a 36-point performance.

The Wildcats were back home at Montmorency Secondary College looking to bounce back from a Saturday night loss to the Diamond Valley Eagles where they copped the first appearance of the season from Steph Reid.

The Tigers came into the match up not having played since a loss to the Nunawading Spectres back on Anzac Day eve and they started well with 25 points to 18 in the first quarter.

Melbourne were still clinging to the 48-43 lead going into the half-time break on the back of shooting 20/37 from the field to the 15/33 from the Wildcats.

Eltham then took total control in the third quarter to outscore Melbourne 21 points to nine while restricting the Tigers to 3/17 shooting and as a result the Wildcats opened up a seven-point lead.

It was then a total transformation in the last quarter and Sara Blicavs was at the forefront of it all for the Tigers as they outscored the Wildcats 29 points to 17 on shooting 12/19 from the floor while Eltham couldn’t buy a three ball going 2/11.

Melbourne ended up scoring the five-point win to improve to a 3-3 record on the season with Sara Blicavs producing 36 points, 11 rebounds and two steals on 14/25 shooting from the floor and 7/8 at the foul line.

Izzy Borlase also had 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks with Eve Braslis contributing 18 points and three boards, and Sienna Harvey 11 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Eltham is now 2-5 for the season having lost three straight despite getting 21 points, nine rebounds and three steals from Kennedy Dickie.

Lil Dart added 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Taylah Short 14 points, five boards and three assists, Bec Pizzey 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Julia Drop 10 points, five assists and three boards.

ELTHAM WILDCATS 81 (Dickie 21, Dart 18, Short 14)

MELBOURNE TIGERS 86 (Blicavs 36, Borlase 19, Braslis 18)

Frankston Blues (99) defeated Mount Gambier Pioneers (76)

The Frankston Blues now have a big three to rival any in the NBL1 South with Bonnie Deas, Lou Brown and Lauren Scherf with them all on show in Sunday's 99-76 home win against the Mount Gambier Pioneers.

The Blues were back home at Dreamstreet Lending Arena fresh off beating the Launceston Tornadoes the previous night while the Pioneers did manage to score a win over the Ringwood Hawks to begin their road double.

So both teams came into the match up in winning form but it didn’t take long for Frankston to take charge as they piled on 27 points to 13 in the first quarter.

The lead for the Blues got out to 24 points in the second period as well and by half-time the home team was on top 52-32.

That lead continued to grow throughout the second half and got to 25 points in the third frame and 30 in the fourth before Frankston secured the eventual 23-point victory.

Frankston knocked down 15/26 from three-point range as a team for the game as they made it three straight wins to improve to a 4-3 record with Bonnie Deas hitting 4/8 from deep for 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Lou Brown also delivered 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals, Lauren Scherf 16 points, eight boards and five assists, and Tori Jackson nine points and three rebounds.

Mount Gambier slip to a 2-6 record after splitting their weekend on the road with Cat MacGregor finishing with 21 points, five rebounds and two assists on 6/10 three-point shooting.

Haliegh Reinoehl also had 20 points and six rebounds, Jayda Jansen 12 points and three boards, and Isabella Brancatisano 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

FRANKSTON BLUES 99 (Deas 32, Brown 22, Scherf 16)

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 76 (MacGregor 21, Reinoehl 20, Jansen 12)

MEN

Ballarat Miners (81) defeated North West Tasmania Thunder (78)

The North West Tasmania Thunder suffered a second heartbreaking loss of the weekend with their stirring fightback just falling short on Sunday with the Ballarat Miners holding on for the 81-78 victory.

North West Tasmania lost at the death to the Frankston Blues on Saturday night in their first of two games on the road this weekend ahead of arriving at Selkirk Stadium on Sunday.

The Miners were back on their home floor fresh off also beating the Waverley Falcons the previous night and it was Ballarat getting off to a strong start with a 10-point streak during the first term.

The Miners ended up still leading 25-18 by quarter-time before they pushed that out to a 20-point advantage in the second quarter before remaining in control leading 47-30 at the half-time break.

Ballarat were still leading by 14 points early in the fourth quarter but that's when North West Tasmania fired up and it was all the way back to a one-point ball game in the dying seconds when Lachlan Barker knocked down the three ball for the Thunder.

Ballarat still had possession coming out of a timeout and Luke Rosendale was fouled and made both at the stripe with North West Tasmania having time to still try to force the game to overtime.

It was Barker who had the look at the buzzer but it wouldn’t fall and Ballarat held on for the three-point victory to make it two wins for the weekend to improve to a 5-2 record on the season after playing in last year's grand final.

Luke Rosendale delivered 22 points, three rebounds and two assists in the win for the Miners with Nick Stoddart contributing 18 points, four boards, four steals, two assists and two blocks, and Zac Dunmore 16 points and two rebounds.

North West Tasmania return home with the two losses this weekend both suffered right at the end with them now sitting on a 3-5 record with Archie Woodhill delivering 22 points and nine rebounds on 7/10 shooting from the floor and 6/8 at the free-throw line.

Lachlan Barker added 18 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals, Kye Savage 19 points, six boards and three steals, and Logan Gibson seven points and four rebounds.

BALLARAT MINERS 81 (Rosendale 22, Stoddart 18, Dunmore 16)

NORTH WEST TASMANIA THUNDER 78 (Woodhill 22, Savage 19, Barker 18)

Bendigo Braves (102) defeated Hobart Chargers (101)

The Hobart Chargers stormed back in the last quarter and even briefly hit the front but ultimately huge shots from Justin Johnson and Lual Diing sealed the eventual 102-101 home win for the Bendigo Braves.

Both teams also played on Saturday night with Bendigo scoring the 11-point win at home to the Dandenong Rangers while the Chargers started their road double with a 23-point defeat at the hands of the Knox Raiders.

Hobart started well looking to avoid a third straight loss to lead by seven in the first quarter but Bendigo responded with a 7-0 run and by quarter-time it was the Chargers narrowly leading 26-24.

The Braves then got rolling in the second term putting up 30 points to 21 to open up their own seven-point lead by half-time at 54-47.

Bendigo continued with that momentum to lead by 13 points in the third quarter and still by 11 during the fourth, but then the Chargers threw everything at what would have been a miraculous fightback.

And they did get all the way back in front with an Ole Angerstein dunk with three minutes to play and they had all the momentum.

Jordan Straatsma also completed a three-point play with 1:30 to play to keep Hobart up by a point and then 30 seconds later scores were tied before the two biggest shots of the game for the Braves.

Lual Diing hit the first to give Bendigo the three-point lead and then Justin Johnson hit another to push it out to four and from there they secured the one-point win made to look closer with the late Hobart three ball from Jacob Richards.

Bendigo have now won three straight to be 5-3 on the season with Justin Johnson finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists with Lual Diing adding 26 points and eight boards.

Charles Matthews also had 20 points, six steals, four rebounds and three assists, Josiah Pattinson 11 points, and Billy Smythe seven points, five boards and two steals.

Hobart head back home on a three-game losing streak at 4-4 under new coach Jarrad Weeks with Jacob Richards delivering 29 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and two steals with Ole Angerstein adding 28 points and five boards on 13/16 shooting.

Henry Makeny also had 24 points, 12 rebounds and two steals, and Ambros Eugster 11 points, four assists and three rebounds.

BENDIGO BRAVES 102 (Johnson 27, Diing 26, Matthews 20)

HOBART CHARGERS 101 (Richards 29, Angerstein 28, Makeny 24)

Eltham Wildcats (87) defeated Melbourne Tigers (85)

Despite a new scoring record set by Jack Purchase with 55 points for Melbourne Tigers with 10 three-pointers, the defending champion Eltham Wildcats prevailed with the 87-85 thrilling win.

The Wildcats and Tigers did battle on Sunday afternoon at Montmorency Secondary College with the defending champs fresh off beating the Diamond Valley Eagles in a thriller the previous night while the Tigers were playing a first game since Anzac Day eve when they lost to the Nunawading Spectres.

Purchase scored just the three points in the first quarter and Eltham went on a 12-0 scoring run and by quarter-time were leading 22-17.

Things turned around in the second term and that all started with three triples in the space of a minute from Purchase to bring the Tigers right back into the contest.

He ended up scoring 18 of Melbourne's 25 points for the quarter and that saw them clinging to the 42-41 lead at the half-time break.

Purchase scored another 12 points in the third term but Eltham managed to outscore the Tigers 21-18 and that saw the home team on top narrowly 62-60 by three quarter-time.

There were big plays galore throughout the fourth quarter too and while Purchase was phenomenal for the Tigers, the Wildcats kept on answering as a team.

Purchase knocked down three triples in the fourth term, including a four-point play and ended up with 22 of his 55 points, but still Eltham wouldn’t go away.

The Tigers were up one when Eltham had a timeout to draw up one final play and in the end captain Sam Whelan was fouled putting up a three ball by Mason Gaze.

He stepped up to the stripe to make all three and give the Wildcats the memorable two-point victory to improve to 4-3 on the season with three straight wins.

Gabe Hadley delivered 19 points for the Wildcats with Josh Sykes contributing 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Whelan 12 points, Xavier Bledson 12 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Sam Short 12 points and four boards.

The Tigers slip to a 3-3 record having now lost their past two with Jack Purchase setting a new NBL1 scoring record with 55 points on 19/30 shooting from the floor, 10/17 from downtown and 7/8 at the foul line.

Kai Garnaut added 11 points and eight rebounds, and Tom Wilson eight points, eight boards and two assists.

ELTHAM WILDCATS 87 (Hadley 19, Sykes 16, Whelan 12, Bledson 12, Short 12)

MELBOURNE TIGERS 85 (Purchase 55, Garnaut 11, Wilson 8)

Frankston Blues (115) defeated Mount Gambier Pioneers (100)

The Frankston Blues continued their winning ways with the 115-100 win over the Mount Gambier Pioneers with Taane Samuel coming up huge with 35 points and 10 rebounds.

Both teams were in action on Saturday night to open the Round 5 NBL1 South action with Frankston winning a thriller over the North West Tasmania Thunder on a late three ball from Michael Harris.

The Pioneers started their road double with just their second loss of the season at the hands of the Ringwood Hawks so the stage was set for the Sunday match up at Dreamstreet Lending Arena.

It was a huge opening quarter with 34 points from Frankston with them opening up a 12-point lead and to still be on top 34-25 by quarter-time.

It was 27 points apiece in the second period and by half-time that saw the Blues still leading 61-52 and that advantage got out to 17 in the third term, and while the Pioneers tried to mount a fightback, they never got close enough to strike.

Frankston were just finding it too easy to score and put up the 115 points on 57 per cent shooting from the floor and hitting 12/30 from three opposed to the 46 per cent from the field for Mount Gambier and 10/37 from three.

Frankston improves to a 5-2 record on the season with the pair of wins for the weekend with Taane Samuel producing the best performance of his NBL1 career with 35 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 12/15 shooting from the floor and 10/16 at the foul line.

Michael Harris backed up hitting the game winner the night before with another 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 4/8 three-point shooting.

Kingsley Box added 15 points, four rebounds and two assists for the Blues, Tom Garrett 14 points and nine boards, Lucas Barker 10 points, eight assists, three rebounds and three steals, and Vincent Monaghan nine points and four boards.

Mount Gambier suffer the two losses for the weekend on the road to slip to a 5-3 record despite Akech Aliir providing 24 points and 10 rebounds on 9/14 shooting.

Alex Mudronja added 14 points, nine assists, six rebounds and two steals, Austin Shelley 14 points, four assists and three steals, Titus Robinson 13 points and nine rebounds, Kaden Archie 12 points and two boards, and Joe Palmer 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.

FRANKSTON BLUES 115 (Samuel 35, Harris 22, Box 15)

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 100 (Aliir 24, Mudronja 14, Shelley 14)