Recap NBL1 South | Round 5 Sunday

The Kilsyth Cobras scored a pair of Sunday NBL1 South wins over Geelong United while the Mount Gambier Pioneers also scored both victories on the road to the Bendigo Braves.

The two Sunday's women's fixtures in the NBL1 South saw the Kilsyth Cobras defeat Geelong United 88-77, and the Mount Gambier Pioneers defeat the Bendigo Braves 99-81.

Then in the men's fixtures, the Pioneers defeated the Braves 90-75 and the Cobras downed Geelong United 83-69.

RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 5 SATURDAY

RECAP NBL1 SOUTH | ROUND 5 FRIDAY

WOMEN

Kilsyth Cobras (88) defeated Geelong United (77)

The Kilsyth Cobras are on the board for the 2024 season with the 88-77 home win over a Geelong United team fresh off handing Mount Gambier a first defeat.

Geelong pulled off the stunner the previous night with Shaneice Swain hitting the game winner as they handed the Pioneers a first loss of 2024, which they attempted to back up against the winless Cobras at Kilsyth Sports Centre on Sunday.

Kilsyth lost a seventh straight match to start the season the previous night to the Dandenong Rangers, but it was a different looking Cobras team back on their home floor on Sunday afternoon.

It was a tight battle through the first half with no more than six points separating the two teams but Kilsyth outscored Geelong United 26 points to 15 in the second period to turn a five-point deficit into the 44-38 advantage.

The Cobras then took charge in the second half to open up a 15-point advantage and from there secure the 11-point win to score their first win of the season, and first since July 15 last year.

Nikita Young delivered a standout performance in the win for Kilsyth delivering 28 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals on 8/16 shooting from the field, 3/5 from downtown and 9/15 at the foul line.

She had plenty of help too with Tyra Whitehead producing 20 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and three assists, Georgia Booth 19 points, nine boards and six assists, and Tegan Cunningham 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Geelong United is now 2-5 following the loss with Shaneice Swain outstanding once more with 34 points, six rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Lasha Petree also had 16 points, six boards and three steals, Jada Rice 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Sarah Elsworthy 10 points, 10 boards, four assists and two steals.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday night with United at home to the Sandringham Sabres while the Cobras are on the road to the Casey Cavaliers.

KILSYTH COBRAS 88 (Young 28, Whitehead 20, Booth 19)

GEELONG UNITED 77 (Swain 34, Petree 16, Rice 14)

Bendigo Braves (81) lost to Mount Gambier Pioneers (99)

The defending champion Bendigo Braves have now lost twice in the space of eight days after the Mount Gambier Pioneers bounced back from their own first loss of 2024 with the 99-81 win.

With both teams having just one loss each so far this season it was always going to be a fascinating contest at Red Energy Arena.

A lot of the intrigue was to see how well Bendigo could still perform in the absence of Amy Atwell and Ally Wilson against a high quality opponent especially with the Pioneers determined to bounce back from a first loss of the season the previous night to Geelong United.

It was a tight contest throughout the first half with scores level at 26-26 by quarter-time and then after Bendigo went out to a five-point lead to start the second quarter, Mount Gambier responded with a 13-0 scoring run to take a game high eight-point lead up to that point.

The Pioneers were still leading by eight going into half-time and then continued to pull away throughout the second half to lead by 20 points in the third quarter, and 24 in the fourth before winning by 18.

It's now two losses in the space of eight days for Bendigo having not lost at all up to that point since the 2022 Grand Final while Mount Gambier responds to that first loss to Geelong to now improve to 7-1 and remain in top spot.

Samantha Fatkins produced a terrific performance in the win for the Pioneers with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists on the back of shooting 9/17 from the floor and 3/6 from three-point range.

Isa Brancatisano added 22 points, six boards and three assists with Zitina Aokuso contributing 18 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals, Sherrie Calleia 17 points, seven boards and six assists, and Haliegh Reinoehl 15 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Braves still did their best to compete despite the absence of Amy Atwell and Ally Wilson with Megan McKay superb once more with 33 points and 14 rebounds on 12/17 shooting and going 9/11 at the free-throw line.

Cassidy McLean also produced 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Kelly Wilson 12 points, 10 assists and four boards, and Kasey Burton six points and three rebounds.

The Pioneers are back home to host the Nunawading Spectres now on Friday night while the Braves will be at home to the Frankston Blues on Saturday.

BENDIGO BRAVES 81 (McKay 33, McLean 20, Wilson 12)

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 99 (Fatkin 24, Brancatisano 22, Aokuso 18)

MEN

Kilsyth Cobras (83) defeated Geelong United (69)

The Kilsyth Cobras scored their second win of the NBL1 South season with Adrian Tomada putting up 29 points in the 83-69 victory at home to Geelong United.

Both teams were coming off Saturday night defeats with Kilsyth losing to the Dandenong Rangers while United went down at home to the Mount Gambier Pioneers.

It was the Cobras back home at Kilsyth Sports Centre to host Geelong United on Sunday and it was the home side racing out to the hot opening with a 15-point advantage in their favour already in the first term.

Kilsyth would still be leading 28-14 by the end of one and the Cobras would go on with the job from there with Geelong never quite being able to get close enough to be a real threat.

The Cobras led by as much as 21 points on the way to the eventual 14-point victory to improve to a 2-6 record on the season with Adrian Tomada the star with 29 points, seven assists and five rebounds including hitting 5/8 from three-point range.

Corey Jeffs also delivered 16 points, five rebounds and two assists, Bryce Davis 10 points and five boards, and Tim Lang eight points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Geelong United slip to 2-5 with the loss with George Blagojevic top-scoring with 16 points to go with 12 rebounds and four assists.

DeMarcus Gatlin added 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals with Latrell Jones contributing 12 points and five boards, and Liam Herbert 10 points and two rebounds.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday night with Geelong at home to the Sandringham Sabres while the Cobras are on the road to the Casey Cavaliers.

KILSYTH COBRAS 83 (Tomada 29, Jeffs 16, Davis 10)

GEELONG UNITED 69 (Blagojevic 16, Gatlin 15, Jones 12)

Bendigo Braves (75) lost to Mount Gambier Pioneers (90)

The Mount Gambier Pioneers end the round on top of the standings in the NBL1 South following the 90-75 road win against the Bendigo Braves.

The Braves were riding high with the buzzer-beating win over the Casey Cavaliers with the game winner from Rowan Mackenzie back on April 14 before a nail-biting loss to the Nunawading Spectres.

Mackenzie, their leading scorer, has been out with a back complaint since and Bendigo had lost four straight coming into Sunday's match up against the Pioneers at Red Energy Arena.

Mount Gambier arrived having beaten Geelong United the previous evening, and the Pioneers raced out to an early 11-point lead.

However, Bendigo fought back well to be back within four by quarter-time before even briefly grabbing the lead during the second period.

Mount Gambier had pushed back out to the 41-34 lead at half-time before the Pioneers took further control throughout the second half to end up leading by 16 points in the third frame, and then 24 in the fourth on the way to the 15-point victory.

The win improves the Pioneers to the 6-2 record on the season with the double win weekend on the road with Nick Marshall delivering 24 points and five rebounds on 9/13 shooting from the floor.

Austin Shelley added 22 points, four blocks and three assists, Titus Robinson 14 points and four rebounds, Akech Aliir 14 points and 15 boards, and Christian Peevy 12 points, four boards, three steals and two assists.

Bendigo is now 3-6 with the five consecutive defeats with Andrew Robinson producing 20 points, four rebounds and four assists with 6/12 three-point shooting.

Koch Bar added 17 points, four rebounds and two steals, Dylan McCauley 15 points, three boards and three assists, and Lachlan O'Brien 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

The Pioneers are back home to host the Nunawading Spectres now on Friday night while the Braves will be at home to the Frankston Blues on Saturday.

BENDIGO BRAVES 75 (Robinson 20, Bar 17, Lachlan O'Brien 16)

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 90 (N Marshall 24, Shelley 22, Robinson 14, Aliir 14)