South Recap | Round 9 Friday

Image credit: MJB Photography

Dallas Loughridge and Bryton Hobbs helped shoot Dandenong Rangers to road wins over Mount Gambier Pioneers with Keely Froling delivering second NBL1 South win for Launceston Tornadoes before Hobart Chargers men prevailed.

SOUTH RECAP | ROUND 8 SUNDAY

WOMEN

Hobart Chargers (80) lost to Launceston Tornadoes (91)

The Launceston Tornadoes have their second win on the board for 2025 on the back of a huge night from Keely Froling as they won the battle of Tasmania with the 91-80 victory.

The two Tasmanian teams locked horns on Friday night at Hobart Netball and Sports Centre with the Chargers looking for a win to stay in top eight contention and the Tornadoes just trying to find a second win in an attempt to climb out of bottom place.

Hobart started strongly on their home floor to be already leading 25-16 by the end of the first quarter before then opening up a 15-point lead by the second term.

The Chargers were still leading 50-40 by the end of the first half but then the Tornadoes turned the tide impressively with 25 points to 13 in the third term on the back of shooting 9/18 from the field and 5/6 at the foul line while the Chargers went for just 6/17.

Launceston then took further control in the final quarter with another 26 points to 17 on the way to the eventual 11-point victory on the back of knocking down 13/27 from three-point range to the 9/31 from the Chargers.

It's the second win of 2025 for Launceston on the back of their 13-point win two weeks ago against the Eltham Wildcats with Keely Froling brilliant with 27 points, 12 rebounds and six assists even knocking down 3/6 from three-point range.

Sarah O'Neill added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists on 3/4 three-point shooting, Megan Mullings 13 points, eight boards and two assists, Shelby Rayner 12 points, Bailey Flavell nine points and rebounds, and Taya Webb six points, six boards and four assists.

Chelsea D'Angelo produced 21 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals for the now 4-9 Chargers with Sharna Thompson adding 17 points and five assists, Ellie Collins 14 points and six rebounds, and Tayla Roberts 12 points and 15 boards.

HOBART CHARGERS 80 (D'Angelo 21, Thompson 17, Collins 14)

LAUNCESTON TORNADOES 91 (Froling 27, O'Neill 15, Mullings 13)

Mount Gambier Pioneers (70) lost to Dandenong Rangers (79)

The Mount Gambier Pioneers got back within five points after trailing by 19 points in the second half but the Dandenong Rangers did enough to secure the 79-70 with Dallas Loughridge delivering 26 points.

The Pioneers were back home at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre looking for a third straight win to try and continue their momentum up against the visiting Dandenong who were also banging on the door of the top four.

It was a flying start from the Rangers away from home as they shot 11/17 from the field with 4/6 from downtown in the opening quarter to end up leading 28-14 by the end of the first quarter.

Dandenong turned that into a 17-point lead in the second frame and went into the half-time break leading 46-31.

That turned into a 19-point lead in the third quarter as well but then the home team worked all the way back into the contest thanks to an 11-0 run and then getting all the way back within five points when Haliegh Reinoehl scored inside the last 30 seconds.

That sent a scare into the Rangers but they were able to steady and score the game's last four points at the foul line courtesy of Dallas Loughridge and Manuela Puoch to secure the nine-point victory.

The win improves the Rangers to an 8-4 record on the season ahead of hosting the Nunawading Spectres on Sunday with Loughridge the star with 26 points on 4/7 shooting from three-point territory.

Imogen Rock also provided 13 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists, Nyadiew Puoch 11 points and eight boards, Amber Smith 10 points and six rebounds, and Manuela Puoch 10 points and 10 boards.

Mount Gambier couldn’t quite make it three straight victories as they fall to a 5-8 record to remain outside the top eight in their lone game of the weekend with Jayda Jansen top-scoring with 21 points on 6/8 shooting from behind the three-point line.

Haliegh Reinoehl added 16 points, 11 rebounds and two assists, Chloe Hildebrand eight points on 3/5 shooting, and Isa Brancatisano eight points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 70 (Jansen 21, Reinoehl 16, Brancatisano 8, Hildebrand 8)

DANDENONG RANGERS 79 (Loughridge 26, Rock 13, N Puoch 11)

MEN

Hobart Chargers (96) defeated North West Tasmania Thunder (85)

Will Cranston-Lown produced the form that saw him star in the NBL1 East putting up 25 points to lead the Hobart Chargers to the 96-85 home victory against the North West Tasmania Thunder.

The Chargers were at home at Hobart Netball and Sports Centre in the battle of Tasmanian teams with them looking for a third straight win to remain solid in the top eight against a Thunder team having lost five straight but having some heartstoppers along the way.

The two teams combined for 52 points and seven three-pointers in the first quarter Hobart ending up leading 27-25 by quarter-time, but it was North West who got on top in the second term thanks to 27 points to 23.

That saw the Thunder leading 52-50 at the half-time break before it was a total domination from Hobart in the third frame where they scored 23 points on the back of holding North West to just 10 while shooting only 2/12 from the field.

Hobart then closed the deal from there to score the 11-point victory thanks to shooting 51 per cent for the game opposed to 36 in a game that featured 59 free-throw attempts with 46 fouls called.

The Chargers have now won three straight to improve to a 7-5 record with two-time NBL1 East MVP Will Cranston-Lown delivering 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists with 10/11 shooting at the foul line.

Jordan Straatsma also had 21 points with 5/6 three-point shooting while Jacob Richards contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Ole Angerstein 14 points, six boards and two blocked shots, and Henry Makeny nine points, three rebounds and three assists.

North West have lost another game they were more than competitive in to make it six straight defeats with a 3-9 record with Isaac Atuer ending up top-scoring with 20 points and three rebounds with 4/8 three-point shooting.

Lachlan Barker added 17 points, four assists and three rebounds, Archie Woodhill 15 points and five boards, Kye Savage 13 points, four rebounds and two steals, and Tyler Harris eight points, eight boards and two steals.

HOBART CHARGERS 96 (Cranston-Lown 25, Straatsma 21, Richards 19)

NORTH WEST TASMANIA THUNDER 85 (Atuer 20, Barker 17, Woodhill 15)

Mount Gambier Pioneers (96) lost to Dandenong Rangers (98)

Bryton Hobbs hit the go ahead three-pointer as the Dandenong Rangers pulled off the huge fightback from 14 points down to beat the Mount Gambier Pioneers 98-96.

The Pioneers were back home at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre looking to make it five consecutive wins playing host to a Rangers outfit sitting in bottom spot upon arrival in Mount Gambier.

It was a scorching start on their home floor from the Pioneers with 35 points to 24 in that first quarter on the back of shooting 14/23 from the field opposed to the 10/22 from the Rangers.

The Mount Gambier grew to 14 points in the second term too but the Rangers were able to fight right back into the contest outscoring the home team 27 to 16 on the way to half-time where scores were locked at 51-51.

Mount Gambier were able to work on top once more with 27 points to 20 and then then to lead by eight once more early in the fourth, but that's when Dandenong turned on the afterburners.

Eventually Bryton Hobbs hit the game's biggest shot from behind the three-point line to put Dandenong in front with just over 30 seconds to play and from there they got the job done for the two-point road win.

The victory is a third of the season for the Rangers ahead of returning home on Sunday to host the Nunawading Spectres with Hobbs not only hitting that huge late shot but also producing 27 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals.

Ruot Monyyong added 17 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots, Jack Roberts 16 points, six boards and two assists, and Sam Davidson 14 points and two rebounds.

Mount Gambier's four-game winning run comes to an end with them now 9-4 on the season in their only game of the round with Akech Aliir finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Joe Palmer added 18 points and eight rebounds, Austin Shelley 14 points, two assists and two steals, Alex Mudronja 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds, Kaden Archie 11 points, two assists and two steals, and Amarco Doyle 10 points and seven rebounds.

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 96 (Aliir 20, Palmer 18, Shelley 14)

DANDENONG RANGERS 98 (Hobbs 27, Monyyong 17, Roberts 16)