East Recap | Round 12 Sunday

Image credit: Aaron Camua | @aaron.camua

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles beat past two NBL1 East women's champions in under 24 hours while Maddy Norris put up 50 as Lauren Nicholson returned for Sutherland Sharks, and Jason Cadee and Jaylin Galloway had 62 as Bankstown Bruins scored 130.

EAST RECAP | ROUND 12 SATURDAY

WOMEN

Norths Bears (76) lost to Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (93)

The statement weekend for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles continued and after beating the defending champions, they backed up on Sunday to beat the second placed Norths Bears 93-76.

The Sea Eagles had the challenge this weekend of taking on the two teams directly below them in the standings and also who just happen to be the last two championship teams in the NBL1 East.

Manly Warringah won an 11st straight game on Saturday with the 23-point win over the defending champion Newcastle Falcons ahead of taking on the Bears at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre.

The Bears were also fresh off beating Newcastle last Saturday so that had both teams all set up for the top-of-the-table clash on Sunday afternoon.

Norths made a solid start on their home floor too to be leading 17-14 by quarter-time before Manly Warringah worked their way on top in the second term with 31 points to 24 to head into the half-time break leading 45-41.

The Sea Eagles then dominated the third quarter with 30 points to 11 on the back of knocking down 6/9 from three-point territory while the Bears missed all four of their three-point attempts and shot 4/16 overall.

That saw Manly Warringah open up a 23-point lead and convert that into the eventual 17-point victory as they made it 12 wins in-a-row to be now clear in top spot with a 14-2 record after the biggest of statement weekends.

Kim Dickinson ended up top-scoring in the win for the Sea Eagles with 22 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two assists on 8/13 shooting and 6/6 at the foul line.

Zoey Miller also had 20 points, seven assists and three steals with 5/7 three-point shooting while Taylor Wurtz contributed 19 points and five boards, and Sari Mowbray 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.

The Bears are now 12-3 on the season as a result of the loss but do remain in second place with Carla Pitman finishing with 27 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Peggy Schell added 12 points and six rebounds, Emma Donnelly 12 points and three boards, and Maddie O'Hehir 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

NORTHS BEARS 76 (Pitman 27, Donnelly 12, Schell 12)

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 93 (Dickinson 22, Miller 20, Wurtz 19)

Bankstown Bruins (84) defeated Maitland Mustangs (80)

The Bankstown Bruins withstood a furious finish from the Maitland Mustangs to continue their winning ways since the arrival of Shyla Heal with the 84-80 victory.

The Bruins were back home at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on a six-game winning streak but it was a potentially season-defining match up with the Mustangs.

Coming into the contest and Bankstown were on a 7-8 record while Maitland were 7-8 too so the winner was going to finish Round 12 occupy a playoff position.

Maitland got off to a flying start to open up an eight-point lead by the end of the first quarter before Bankstown turned the tide in the second frame with 27 points to 13.

That saw the Bruins go into the half-time break leading 46-40 before it was a strong third term as well from the home team with 28 points to 19 on the back of shooting 11/21 from the field opposed to the 8/16 from the Mustangs.

Bankstown ended up leading by as much as 17 points before the delivered a big finish to get all the way back within three points in the dying stages.

The Bruins did hold on for the four-point victory to make it seven straight wins to improve to an 8-8 record in eighth position.

Shyla Heal top-scored once more with 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals with Jada Rice adding 19 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Juliunn Redmond also had 16 points, seven assists, four steals and three rebounds, and Sienna Tutani eight points, three boards and two assists.

The Mustangs now slip outside the top eight at 7-9 and having lost their past three matches with Mila Wawszkowicz delivering 23 points, six rebounds and three assists on 3/6 three-point shooting.

Sydney Hunter also had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Kasey Neubert 18 points, 13 boards, five assists and two blocks, and Hannah Fox eight points, three rebounds and two assists.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 84 (Heal 23, Rice 19, Redmond 16)

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 80 (Wawszkowicz 23, Hunter 22, Neubert 18)

Sydney Comets (62) lost to Sutherland Sharks (115)

Lauren Nicholson played her first game as a new mother, Maddy Norris lit it up for 50 points in a spectacular display and the Sutherland Sharks hammered the Sydney Comets 115-62.

The Sharks have left themselves with plenty of work to do to play finals in 2025, but it's not out of the question after a dominant pair of games this weekend.

It started on Saturday with the 20-point win over the Central Coast Crusaders and then Nicholson entered the line-up for the first time in 2025, and the first time since giving birth to her first child with partner and former Illawarra Hawks NBL coach Jacob Jackomas.

Sutherland already had the momentum from the day before, then got that extra boost with the presence of Nicholson and they proved a team on a mission upon arrival at Comets Stadium.

Sydney did come into the match up fresh off beating the Penrith Panthers on Saturday as well but it was a Sharks team ready to make a statement including opening up a nine-point lead in the opening term.

It was in the second period where Sutherland worked further on top with 32 points to 19 on the back of shooting 9/16 from the field while Sydney went at 7/17 with the Sharks leading 57-37 by half-time.

It was another 31 points to 14 in the third term in favour of the Bruins before another 27 to 11 in the fourth quarter and they outscored the Comets 58-25 in the second half on 22/44 shooting from the field and 8/17 from downtown.

Sutherland secured the eventual 53-point victory on the back of shooting 48 per cent from the field to 29 from the Comets along with making 14/32 from three-point territory to 5/28, and 25/27 at the foul line to 13/18.

The Sharks now improve to a 6-10 record to be starting make a charge towards the top eight with Maddy Norris delivering a spectacular performance with 50 points, 16 rebounds and five assists on 18/32 field goal shooting, 8/17 from downtown and 6/7 at the free-throw line.

Lauren Nicholson marked her return with 25 points, five rebounds and four assists too while Vanessa Panousis contributed 23 points, nine boards, five assists and four steals.

The Comets also remain on the outside of a playoff position now with a 7-9 record with Abi Curtin finishing with 22 points, six rebounds and two steals.

Piper Anderson added 10 points, five boards and two steals, and Mikayla Pirini six points, four assists and two rebounds.

SYDNEY COMETS 62 (Curtin 22, Anderson 10, Kayrouz 8)

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 115 (Norris 50, Nicholson 25, Panousis 23)

MEN

Norths Bears (90) defeated Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (78)

Hunter Goodrick put up 27 points and 17 rebounds and the Norths Bears made it four consecutive wins with the 90-78 victory against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

The Bears were back home at North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre on a three-game winning run including a 32-point win against the Newcastle Falcons last Saturday in their last appearance.

Manly Warringah were without captain and point guard Mason Bragg and also score the seven-point win against Newcastle on Saturday of Round 12.

The Sea Eagles started well away from home to lead by as much as eight points in the first quarter to still be leading 23-20 by quarter-time.

Manly Warringah were still on top 45-41 by half-time but it was in the second half when Norths took over the contest.

That started with 28 points to 19 in the third quarter and then 21 to 14 in the fourth as they turned that four-point half-time deficit into the eventual 12-point victory.

It's a fourth straight win for Norths as they improve to an 8-7 record to be sitting in sixth position by the end of Round 12.

Hunter Goodrick ended the afternoon with 27 points, 17 rebounds and three assists for the Bears on 11/18 field goal shooting.

Lachlan Bofinger added 22 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, Austin Patterson 17 points, 10 assists and three boards, Robbie Moore 14 points and five rebounds, and Iggy Mitchell nine points and three boards.

Manly Warringah are clinging to eighth position with an 8-8 record and having split their two games this weekend with Preston Purifoy once more top-scoring with another 25 points and two assists.

Oliver Hammond also had 14 points, five assists and three rebounds, Isaiah Lee 12 points and four assists, Matthew Eldridge nine points, eight boards and three blocks, and Jamie Munro eight points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

NORTHS BEARS 90 (Goodrick 27, Bofinger 22, Patterson 17)

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 78 (Purifoy 25, Hammond 14, Lee 12)

Bankstown Bruins (130) defeated Maitland Mustangs (102)

The full firepower of the Bankstown Bruins was unleashed on the defending champion Maitland Mustangs with Jason Cadee and Jaylin Galloway combining for 62 points in the 130-102 victory.

The Bruins started their weekend beating the Hills Hornets before return home on Sunday to Bankstown Basketball Stadium to play host to a defending champion Mustangs team struggling for momentum in their title defence.

Maitland did deliver a big finish to beat the Inner West Bulls on Saturday but taking on the Bruins with the firepower they possess was always going to be another story.

Bankstown signalled their intentions right from the outset with 38 points in the first quarter while shooting 16/24 from the floor and 6/9 from downtown.

They opened up an 18-point lead as a result which got out to 26 in the second term before they went into half-time having already put up 69 points on 11/14 three-point shooting to the 1/8 and 45 points from the Mustangs.

The lead then got out to 35 points in the second half and Bankstown put up 61 more points to 57 to end up scoring the 28-point win in a game that featured 232 points and 22 made threes of which 16 came from the Bruins with just the 27 attempts.

The two wins this weekend for Bankstown see them improve to an 8-8 record and to now sit in seventh position by the end of Round 12.

He might be retired from the NBL now, but Jason Cadee has plenty left to offer and he put up 32 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and two steals while knocking down 6/9 from three-point range.

Jaylin Galloway also had 30 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals on 4/6 three-point shooting with Charlie McBeath adding 18 points and seven rebounds, Andre Wolford 12 points and two boards, and Dominique Keyes 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Maitland have now lost five of their last six matches to slip to a 7-9 record and remain outside the top eight with Mandrell Worthy top-scoring with 21 points and two assists.

Daniel Millburn also had 21 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Mustangs, Billy Parsons 13 points, eight boards and three assists, Christian Little 12 points, six rebounds and two steals, Luka Vea 10 points, two boards and two steals, and James Beavis 10 points, two rebounds and two assists.

BANKSTOWN BRUINS 130 (Cadee 32, Galloway 30, McBeath 18)

MAITLAND MUSTANGS 102 (Millburn 21, Worthy 21, Parsons 13)

Sydney Comets (86) defeated Sutherland Sharks (82)

Biwali Bayles and Anthony Mundine III combined for 65 of the 86 points for the Sydney Comets as they went on to claim the thrilling 86-82 overtime victory against the Sutherland Sharks.

Coming into the Sunday match up at Comets Stadium and Sydney had won nine straight to be sitting on top of the NBL1 East while the Sharks were trying to break into the top four and bounce back from a loss on Saturday to the Central Coast Crusaders.

With the talent on either team including Biwali Bayles and Kouat Noi, it was always going to be a fascinating contest and it certainly did deliver.

It was the Comets leading 20-14 by the end of the first quarter and they the home team were still clinging to the 37-32 advantage at the half-time interval.

Still the Comets were five points up by three quarter-time but then the Sharks made their move in the fourth frame and were able to draw level when Adrian Cabrera knocked down a three ball with five minutes to play.

Ryan Abbott then also knocked down a three-pointer to put the Sharks up by that margin but Anthony Mundine III responded in kind immediately for the Comets with a four-point play.

Biwali Bayles made a couple of tough buckets at the end of regulation to help Sydney to the three-point lead but it was a clutch three-pointer from Abbott for Sutherland that sent the game to overtime.

Then in the extra period, Sutherland were leading with just over a minute to play thanks to a pair of free throws from Kouat Noi but from then on the Comets took over with Bayles scoring six points in the last 1:15 of the game to lift his team to the four-point victory.

The win is a 10th in-a-row for the Comets as they improve to a 13-3 record to remain in top spot with Biwali Bayles spectacular once more with 41 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks on 17/35 field goal shooting.

Anthony Mundine III added 24 points with 6/16 three-point shooting while the rest of the team for Sydney only combined for 21 points.

The Sharks come away with two defeats for the weekend to slip to a 9-7 record but they remain in fifth place in the standings with Kouat Noi producing 23 points, 15 rebounds and two assists.

Ryan Abbott added 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, Taylor Young 10 points, two boards and two assists, and Geoff Gerlach eight points.

SYDNEY COMETS 86 (Bayles 41, Mundine III 24, Kyei 6)

SUTHERLAND SHARKS 82 (Noi 23, Hutchison 16, Young 10, Abbott 10)