East Recap | Anzac Round Sunday

Image credit: @capturedbyrekz | Rex Bergas

Carla Pitman had a triple-double as the Norths Bears kept winning with Bankstown Bruins getting first win while the Canberra Gunners are last unbeaten NBL1 East team after the Bears beat the Sutherland Sharks.

EAST RECAP | ANZAC ROUND SATURDAY

EAST RECAP | ANZAC ROUND FRIDAY

WOMEN

Norths Bears (113) defeated Sutherland Sharks (69)

Carla Pitman produced a triple-double and Maddie O'Hehir and Emma Donnelly combined for 42 points as the Norths Bears stayed unbeaten with the 113-69 home win over the Sutherland Sharks.

The Bears were back home at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre putting their unbeaten record on the line up against the grand finalists from last year with the Sharks having picked up their competitiveness with the inclusions of Laci Hawthorne and Vanessa Panousis.

Norths were fresh off the 20-point Anzac Day win over the Sydney Comets while the Sharks were attempting to hit back from a loss back on Friday to the Illawarra Hawks.

The Bears made a flying start with 28 points to 14 in the opening quarter on their home floor and then they only continued to ram home their dominance the rest of the way.

The 2023 championship winners delivered another 31 points to 14 in the second quarter to lead by as much as 31 points to be up 59-28 by half-time.

That lead grew to 41 points in the third quarter and 44 in the fourth before the Bears scored the 44-point victory to improve to a perfect 6-0 on the season.

Norths dominated the glass with 55 rebounds to 36 including 19 of those coming at the offensive end as they attempted 12 extra field goals and nine more free throws while shooting at 51 per cent from the field opposed to the 36 from the Sharks.

Carla Pitman continued her impressive form for the Bears with the Sydney Flames WNBL star delivering a triple-double made up of 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.

Emma Donnelly also scored 21 points to go with five rebounds on 9/12 shooting while Maddie O'Hehir added 21 points with 3/5 three-point shooting, Ruby Perkins 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, Caitlyn Martin 13 points and four assists, and Peggy Schell 11 points and 12 boards.

The Sharks slip to 1-4 for the season with the defeat with Aliza Fabbro delivering 19 points, five assists and four rebounds with Maddie Norris contributing 17 points, three boards and three assists, and Vanessa Panousis 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.

NORTHS BEARS 113 (O'Hehir 21, Donnelly 21, Pitman 16)

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 69 (Fabbro 19, Norris 17, Panousis 12)

Canberra Nationals (66) defeated Penrith Panthers (58)

The Canberra Nationals started well at home on Sunday and were able to convert that into a 66-58 victory against the Penrith Panthers.

The Nationals were back home at Belconnen Basketball Stadium looking to rebound after an Anzac Day loss to the Centre of Excellence while the Panthers were completing their double-header trip to Canberra.

Penrith also lost to the Centre of Excellence on Saturday so both teams came into the Sunday match up on a similar form line and it was Canberra who got off to the strong start.

The Nationals outscored the Panthers 18 points to 10 in the first quarter with that lead ending up ultimately being the difference throughout the afternoon.

Neither team was really ever able to find much of an offensive flow or knock down shots on a regular basis, but Canberra still managed to be leading by 10 points at half-time, by eight at three quarter-time and then going on to secure the eight-point win at home.

It was a rough offensive game for both teams with the Nationals ending up shooting 35 per cent from the floor to the 32 from the Panthers, but Canberra did end up taking 14 extra shots even though Penrith got to the foul line 18 times to six.

Canberra improves to a 2-3 record with the win with Callie Bourne delivering 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists with 3/7 from three-point territory.

Carlie McAlister (nee Smith) also produced 20 points, seven rebounds and two steals with Abby Solway contributing 10 points, three assists, two boards and two steals.

The Panthers are now sitting on a 2-4 record for the season after the two losses in Canberra in less than 24 hours with Serika Shillingsworth finishing with 20 points and a block.

Mia Heide pulled down a monster 23 rebounds to go with four points and two blocks with Jolzyne Impreso adding 10 points, two boards and two assists, and Zoe Jackson nine points and eight rebounds.

CANBERRA NATIONALS 66 (McAlister 20, Bourne 20, Solway 10)

PENRITH PANTHERS 58 (Shillingsworth 20, Impreso 10, Jackson 9)

Sydney Comets (71) lost to Maitland Mustangs (75)

Shakera Reilly made five three-pointers on her way to 29 points to help the Maitland Mustangs keep their winning form going with the 75-71 win against the Sydney Comets.

The Mustangs made it a second straight win when beating the Hills Hornets back on Anzac Day ahead of taking on Sydney at Comets Stadium on Sunday to wrap up the round.

The Comets suffered a loss to the Norths Bears also back on Anzac Day and it was the Mustangs who made the flying start with 29 points to 15 in the opening quarter.

Maitland made 4/7 from behind the three-point line in that first quarter before still being in control leading 49-31 going into the half-time break.

Sydney did manage to outscore Maitland 40 points to 26 in the second half, but they could never get back closer than the final four-point margin that came when Abi Curtin knocked down a three-pointer on the last score of the game.

The Mustangs have now won three straight and improve to 4-1 on the season with Shakera Reilly the star with 29 points, seven rebounds and two steals on 12/24 shooting from the floor, and 5/12 from three-point territory.

Kasey Neubert also had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the win for Maitland with Sydney Hunter contributing 12 points and 14 boards, Mila Wawszkowicz 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and Alexis Plater seven points, four boards, four assists and two steals.

The Comets have now lost three straight matches to have a 2-4 record on the season with Abi Curtin continuing her impressive form with another 27 points, nine rebounds and six steals.

Piper Anderson also had 13 points, three rebounds and three steals, Jade Yeomans nine points, two boards and two steals, Mikayla Pirini eight points and six assists, and Alex Kayrouz four points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two assists.

SYDNEY COMETS 71 (Curtin 27, Anderson 13, Yeomans 9)

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 75 (Reilly 29, Neubert 14, Hunter 14)

Bankstown Bruins (67) defeated Central Coast Crusaders (53)

The two winless teams in the NBL1 East did battle on Sunday and it was the Bankstown Bruins opening their account beating the Central Coast Crusaders 67-53 despite the 27 points from Leilani Mitchell.

Both the Crusaders and Bruins had combined for a 0-9 record to start the season coming into Sunday's match up at Bankstown Basketball Stadium.

That included Central Coast losing two Sundays ago to the Norths Bears in their previous hit out while the Bruins had returned to action on Anzac Day where they suffered a loss at home to the Inner West Bulls.

They were back home on Sunday hosting the Crusaders but it was the visitors who started the better to be leading 22-17 by the end of the first quarter.

Central Coast maintained that advantage to be leading 35-30 at half-time, but it was all Bankstown in the second half and it started at the defensive end as they held the Crusaders to just 18 points the entire second half.

The Bruins put up 15 points themselves in the third quarter and 22 in the fourth on the way to the 14-point win that sees them open their account for 2025 following the five consecutive losses.

Bankstown snapped a 10-game losing streak dating back to last year with Shalome Dunlop top-scoring with 14 points and six rebounds while Kiahna Davis-White contributed 13 points, 12 boards, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Sienna Tutani added 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Jada Rice 11 points, 13 boards, four assists, four steals and four blocked shots.

The Crusaders are now the last remaining winless team in the NBL1 East at 0-5 with Leilani Mitchell doing all she could to lift her team with 27 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

However, combined the rest of the Central Coast team only scored 26 points with 26 rebounds and eight assists on shooting 7/38 from the field at 18 per cent.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 67 (S Dunlop 14, Davis-White 13, Tutani 13)

CENTRAL COAST CRUSADERS 53 (Mitchell 27, Dombkins 9, Loader 7)

MEN

Norths Bears (84) defeated Sutherland Sharks (75)

Not even 33 points and 12 rebounds from Sydney Kings pair Kouat Noi and Jason Spurgin was enough for the Sutherland Sharks on Saturday with the Norths Bears scoring the 84-75 home victory.

The Bears were back home on Sunday at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre looking for a third straight win and to back up the Anzac Day win over the Sydney Comets as they took on a Sharks team who also beat the Illawarra Hawks back on Friday.

That set up a fascinating match up to close the weekend and the Bears were aggressive attacking the basket from the outset and got to the foul line 14 times in the first quarter on the way to leading 23-20.

The Bears outscored the Sharks 24 points to 17 in the second quarter as well to go into the half-time break leading 47-37.

Norths scoring dried up in the third quarter and they shot just 4/21 from the field and even only managed to make 6/13 at the foul line with the Sharks able to work back into the contest to only be trailing by eight at three quarter-time.

But the Bears maintained control of the contest to end up securing the nine-point victory to make it three wins on the trot and to improve to a 3-3 record.

Michael Yoong delivered 19 points and five rebounds in the win while Hunter Goodrick provided 16 points, 13 boards, three assists and two steals, Robert Moore 15 points, two rebounds and two assists, and Jake Weinstein 13 points, four boards and two assists.

Sutherland suffered a first loss of the season to now be sitting on a 4-1 record with Kouat Noi finishing with 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals on 8/25 shooting.

Luke Jamieson also had 21 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals, Jason Spurgin 12 points and seven boards, Bailey MacArthur 11 points, four assists and three rebounds while Lochlan Hutchison dished out 12 assists.

NORTHS BEARS 84 (Yoong 19, Goodrick 16, Moore 15)

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 75 (Noi 21, Jamieson 21, Spurgin 12)

Canberra Gunners (108) defeated Penrith Panthers (72)

The Canberra Gunners remain the last undefeated team this NBL1 East season with last year's runners-up dominating the Penrith Panthers for the 108-72 Sunday victory.

Canberra continued its unbeaten start to the season back on Anzac Day with the thrilling home win over the Centre of Excellence thanks to a huge late triple from Will Mayfield.

The Panthers suffered a 41-point loss to that same CoE team on Saturday to begin their double weekend in Canberra ahead of taking on the Gunners on Sunday at Belconnen Basketball Stadium.

Canberra got off to a flying started putting up 33 points to 19 in the first quarter on the way to leading by as much as 17 points following a 11-0 scoring run.

It was more of the same in the second term with another 28 points to 19 from the Gunners with the lead growing to as much as 24 and they were on top 62-38 by half-time as a result.

That lead continued to grow through the second half with the Gunners unleashing their firepower and leading by as much as 36 points in the third frame, and 38 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 36-point victory.

Canberra now sits clear on top of the table with a 5-0 record after an afternoon of shooting 55 per cent from the field with 13/29 from three-point range while limiting Penrith to 35 per cent shooting and to hit 6/27 from behind the three-point arc.

Championship captain and Grand Final MVP Glenn Morison led the charge for Canberra with 24 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks on 9/14 shooting.

Will Mayfield added 20 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals, Cameron Pender 13 points, six boards and four assists, and Derek Emelifeonwu 13 points, three rebounds and three assists.

The Panthers are now 2-4 following the defeat with Brodie Schwarzer putting up 17 points and two assists with 5/11 long-range shooting while Zeke Evans added 13 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, and Oliver Amajoyi 10 points and four boards.

CANBERRA GUNNERS 108 (Morison 24, Mayfield 20, Pender 13, Byatt 13)

PENRITH PANTHERS 72 (Schwarzer 17, Evans 13, Amajoyi 10)

Sydney Comets (62) lost to Maitland Mustangs (77)

The Maitland Mustangs made it four straight wins by dominating the Sydney Comets on Sunday for the first three quarters on the way to the 77-62 victory.

The Comets were back home at Comets Stadium attempting to bounce back from an Anzac Day loss to the Norths Bears while the Mustangs were fresh off a home win also on Friday against the Hills Hornets.

Sydney jacked up 11 three-point attempts in the first quarter but only managed to knock down two of them with Maitland leading 19-16 by quarter-time.

It was then a complete domination from the Mustangs in the second period as they outscored the Comets 26 points to eight to go into the half-time break in control leading 45-24.

Maitland kept that momentum going in the third quarter as well to be leading 63-38 by three quarter-time and it was only 24 points in the last term from the Comets that cut the Mustangs final winning margin back to 15.

The win means that Maitland is now 4-1 with four consecutive wins in the championship defence with Mandrell Worthy finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.

He had plenty of help too with James Hunter delivering 18 points and four rebounds with Billy Parsons contributing nine points, six boards, three blocks, two assists and two steals, and Christian Little six points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.

The Comets are now 3-3 on the season after the two defeats this weekend with Obi Kyei doing all he could with 21 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

Anthony Mundine III added 13 points, four assists and four steals, Lamar Wright-McGuirt eight points, three rebounds and two steals, and Jacob Smith six points and five boards.

SYDNEY COMETS 62 (Kyei 21, Mundine III 13, Wright-McGuirt 8)

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 77 (Worthy 23, Hunter 18, Parsons 9)

Bankstown Bruins (93) defeated Central Coast Crusaders (76)

The Bankstown Bruins bounced back from an Anzac Day loss by beating the Central Coast Crusaders 93-76 with recently retired NBL great Jason Cadee putting up 28 points.

The Bruins went down at home to the Inner West Bulls back on Anzac Day while the Crusaders were playing their first game back before Easter when they lost to the Norths Bears.

The two teams locked horns on Sunday afternoon at Bankstown Basketball Stadium with the Bruins managing to go into quarter-time leading 24-20.

The lead for Bankstown got out to nine points in the second term but Central Coast hit back with nine straight points on the way to outscoring the Bruins 28-20 for the period to go into half-time leading 48-44.

The Crusaders were attempting to avoid a third straight defeat, but Cadee and the Bruins had other ideas taking control in the last quarter going from three points behind to set up the 17-point win on the back of 27 points to seven in those final 10 minutes.

Having retired after a glittering 424-game NBL career only a couple of months ago, Jason Cadee starred in the win for Bankstown with 28 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Hayden Blankley added 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Bruins, Andre Wolford 15 points and two steals, and Charlie McBeath 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Central Coast are now 2-3 on the season following the third consecutive loss with Ilisia Washington finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Klairus Amir added 14 points and four rebounds for the Crusaders, Lino Manhom 12 points and 14 boards, and Garric Young 11 points and seven rebounds.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 93 (Cadee 28, Blankley 18, Wolford 15)

CENTRAL COAST CRUSADERS 76 (Washington 16, Amir 14, Manhom 12)