Talent wins titles: Galloway backs Force triumph

Feature image via: B.Rad Sports Photography

Another incredible season of NBL1 North basketball is almost in the books. This weekend represents the culmination of one of the most competitive seasons in conference history, and two of the competition’s most exciting sides – Gold Coast and Ipswich – are set to face-off for the title.

After finishing the season on top of the ladder the Rollers are sure to enter the best of three series as heavy favourites. 

Reigning NBL1 North Finals MVP and 2023 Conference MVP Jason Cadee will once again lead the side into the fire of a title-decider and has Illawarra Hawks star Todd Blanchfield as his right-hand man.

Add in the talented Preston Le Gassick and Cameron Thew – and the Rollers starting group begins to look akin to an All-Star lineup. That being said, the Ipswich Force has their own highly talented quartet to call on. Boomers Olympic medal winner Nathan Sobey, the ever-dangerous Galloway brothers, and uncontracted NBL free agent Deng Deng.

Jaylin Galloway has already experienced an immense amount of success in his young career. Being awarded the Youth Player of the Year and a member of the All-NBL1 North Second Team, while boasting a pair of NBL titles and an NBA Summer League stint on his resume at the age of 20.

You won't see many dunks today like this ??????? from Jaylin Galloway ?

The kid has serious hops!

Watch #NBL1North via https://t.co/NEk1I7kIKG or the NBL1 App ? & ? pic.twitter.com/u9uJBVlNw7

— NBL1 (@NBL1) April 16, 2023

The Rollers may have ended the season with an 18-game win streak, and they may boast some highly qualified veteran talents, but Galloway believes his Force side is primed to overcome the odds and take home the title.

“For us, it’s going to have to start on the defensive end,” Galloway told NBL Media. 

“Everybody knows we’re probably the most talented team in the league.

"What we’re going to have to do is step up, and just be consistent on defence.

"That will be the key to our success.”

The North conference is unique in the landscape of NBL1, in which the Grand Final is decided by a best-of-three series.

Galloway claimed bragging rights over Sydney Kings teammate Shaun Bruce at the Semi-Final stage of the competition by defeating the Logan Thunder in a seesawing eight-point win. Following the single-game, do-or-die clash, Galloway and the Force are now facing the prospect of needing to defeat the reigning champions twice in as many as three days.

The two teams split their season series 1-1 across the 2023 campaign, Ipswich emerged with a dominant 20-point win in the first meeting of the sides back in Round 2. Galloway dropped 17 points and eight boards in the victory, while brother Kyrin put in a man-of-the-match performance with his 28-point, four-block display – however, Blanchfield was absent for the Rollers.

The second meeting came in Round 13, where Gold Coast emerged as five-point winners in a high-scoring arm wrestle. Jaylin Galloway finished that game with 26 points and four steals, while Deng put up 24 points and 14 boards in the defeat. It was Blanchfield who put the Force to the sword though with a 42-point, 19-rebound masterclass.

Where Blanchfield was absent in the first meeting between the sides, it’s also worth noting Kyrin Galloway didn’t play in the second.

“I think it’s definitely a positive,” Galloway said about the competition’s three-game series.

“If you play badly in one game you still have the potential to come back and redeem yourself.

"You can also go into more detail and update your scout, and I just think it makes it more competitive.

“I didn’t get the chance to win the title last season, so to be able to try again and do it now would really mean a lot.”

Watch the NBL1 North Grand Finals Series starting Friday night, from 7:30pm AEST Live & Free via Kayo Freebies here.