South Recap | Round 7 - Saturday

North West Tasmania Thunder (89) lost to Eltham Wildcats (90)

Heart stopping finishes continue to follow the North West Tasmania Thunder this season and this time it was Josh Sykes taking out his frustration on a suspension the previous to hit the game winning dunk as the Eltham Wildcats prevailed 90-89.

The Thunder were back home at Harcourts Stadium attempting to snap a three-game losing streak as they hosted the defending champion Wildcats who started their weekend on the road in Tasmania on Friday with the 20-point loss to the Hobart Chargers.

That loss for Eltham was without Sykes with the explosive big man suspended for that game but he returned on Saturday for the clash with the Thunder.

North West got up 10 three-point attempts in the first quarter for three makes while Eltham only attempted one from beyond the arc but went 9/15 inside it and 8/8 at the foul line with the Thunder leading 29-26 by the end of one.

Things remained tight in the second term with the Thunder making just 1/10 from downtown but Eltham also only shot 7/21 with North West clinging to the 48-47 lead at the main break.

It was the Wildcats who made the biggest break of the game when leading by 10 when Gabe Hadley completed a three-point play with 5:30 left on the clock.

North West hit back beginning with a Lachlan Barker three ball before Tyler Harris scored inside and then added a pair of free throws. Harris continued his hot streak and when he hit a triple with three minutes to play, the scores were all level.

Barker then drained a three ball and the Thunder were not only leading but had all the momentum before Hadley scored a steadying bucket for the Wildcats.

Hadley then put Eltham in front with 1:30 to play before Tasmania JackJumpers NBL big man Archie Woodhill put North West back in front 89-88 with time running.

Eltham had one more chance with coach Craig Stratford drawing up the match-winning play in the timeout that got the ball inside to Josh Sykes. He threw down a trademark done and the Wildcats snatched the one-point win at the death.

Sykes returned to the Wildcats line-up with 14 points, four rebounds and two steals while Gabe Hadley top-scored with 24 points and five assists, Xavier Bledson 19 points and seven rebounds, and Zak Cunningham 13 points and five boards.

North West have now lost four straight to slip to a 3-7 record but five of those seven defeats have all come in single figures.

Lachlan Barker finished with 28 points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds on 6/11 three-point shooting with Tyler Harris adding 16 points, 11 boards and four assists, Tre Armstrong 11 points and five assists, and Archie Woodhill 10 points and four rebounds.

NORTH WEST TASMANIA THUNDER 89 (Barker 28, Harris 16, Armstrong 11)

ELTHAM WILDCATS 90 (Hadley 24, Bledson 19, Sykes 14)