NBL1 South Recap | Saturday Semi Finals

Ngor Manyang showed his love of the big moment to lead the Diamond Valley Eagles to an upset win over the second ranked Frankston Blues in an NBL1 South semi-final on Saturday night while the Knox Raiders just managed to hold out Owen Foxwell and the Eltham Wildcats.

The two men's semi finals in the NBL1 South took place on Saturday night with the Diamond Valley Eagles beating the Frankston Blues 95-91 while the Knox Raiders defeated the Eltham Wildcats 84-81.

The women's semi finals began on Friday with the Mount Gambier Pioneers beating the Ringwood Hawks 74-72. They will wrap up on Sunday with the Waverley Falcons hosting the Eltham Wildcats.

NBL1 SOUTH RECAP | FRIDAY SEMI FINALS

MEN

Manyang the star as Eagles knock out Blues

A season that promised so much for the Frankston Blues is now over in straight sets after the Diamond Valley Eagles led by Ngor Manyang produced the stunning 95-91 road victory.

Frankston was right in the hunt for top spot for a lot of the regular season before a three-game losing streak late. But still the Bules finished second at 16-6 before losing last week's qualifying final to the Mount Gambier Pioneers at home.

They had earned a second chance, though, and hosted the Eagles on Saturday at Dreamstreet Lending Arena. Diamond Valley came into the finals from seventh position at 12-10 before beating the Nunawading Spectres last week to keep their season alive.

Ngor Manyang launched it ?

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Diamond Valley then opened up the semi-final on fire to lead by eight during the opening quarter, but Frankston had steadied to lead 25-24 by quarter-time.

The Blues continued that momentum into the second stanza to open up a 10-point advantage to be on top 51-41 by half-time.

However, what the Eagles delivered coming out of half-time blew the game wide open and all but ended the season of the Blues in the process.

Diamond Valley piled on 34 points to 18 in the third stanza and would go on to lead by as much as 13 early in the fourth, and then hold out Frankston down the stretch to win by four.

The win advances the Eagles to a preliminary final against the Sandringham Sabres while the season is over for the Blues.

Ngor Manyang is a proven championship winner having won a title back west with Mike and Cody Ellis as his coach and captain at the Warwick Senators, and he showed his love of the big moment with a match-winning performance for Diamond Valley.

He finished the night with 30 points, eight rebounds and three steals while shooting 11/21 from the floor, 5/9 from downtown and 3/3 at the foul line.

BJ Symons also contributed 20 points and five rebounds on 8/11 shooting for the Eagles, Matt Reynolds 15 points and two assists with 3/4 three-point shooting, and Mandrell Worthy 11 points, four steals and three rebounds.

Daniel Trist produced another 22 points, six rebounds and two assists for Frankston with Lucas Barker adding 20 points, 11 boards and seven assists, Brad Newley 17 points and seven rebounds, and Lachlan Barker 14 points, six assists and four boards.

What a chase down block by Brad Newley! ?

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Raiders hold out Wildcats to stay alive

The Knox Raiders had to withstand a fast start and blistering finish from the Eltham Wildcats but were just able to prevail and win 84-81 at home on Saturday night to keep their season alive.

Knox finished the regular season in top spot of the NBL1 South two games clear but then suffered a loss to the Sandringham Sabres in the qualifying final last week.

Eltham, meanwhile, ended the regular season in fifth position and stayed alive by beating the Waverley Falcons in an elimination final to set up their clash with the Raiders at the State Basketball Centre.

What a dime by Owen Foxwell ?

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Eltham started on fire to open up an early eight-point lead to put the pressure back on Knox quickly but the Raiders responded well to lead 26-21 by quarter-time.

The Raiders continued to build on that lead with it getting out to as much as 13 points in the second quarter, 18 in the third and it was still 11 in the fourth, but the Wildcats weren’t going to let their season end without a fight.

By the time Owen Foxwell drained a three-point bomb for the Wildcats with just over a minute to play it was just a three-point ball game and the visitors had all the momentum.

However, that would prove the final score of the game with the Raiders holding on for the eventual three-point victory to end the season of Eltham and advance to a preliminary final against the Mount Gambier Pioneers. 

JOSH. SYKES. THAT'S THE TWEET ?

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Wayne Stewart Jr was outstanding in the win for Knox finishing with 26 points and nine rebounds on shooting 10/17 from the field and 4/8 from three-point territory.

Ke'Jhan Feagin contributed 16 points, four assists and three rebounds, Bailey Nunn 14 points, three boards, three assists and two steals, and Madut Akec 12 points, three rebounds and two steals.

Owen Foxwell did all he could to try and keep Eltham's season alive ending up with 35 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals with Josh Sykes producing 21 points and six boards, and Angus Glover 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Throw that DOWN Madut Akec ?

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