Mon
Mar 31, 2025
The Biggest NBL1 Headlines: March 29-30
NBL1.com.au
Each week, we’ll take a deep dive into the narratives and storylines you need to be keeping an eye on across the country.
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With over 50 games across the weekend, it’s hard to keep track of all the basketball action.
Here are ten things you need to know after this weekend!
Erin Phillips makes her return
After nine years since her last professional basketball game, Erin Phillips made her return to the sport on Saturday for the Woodville Warriors. In 35 minutes, she scored four points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals while being closely guarded by the West Adelaide Bearcats.
They spoiled her fairytale return 70-73, led by former Halls Medallist (Central MVP) and AFLW player Olivia Levicki’s 25 points, 16 rebounds and four assists.
Phillips will coach her daughter's team at the club this season, so expect to see a lot more of the former Opal and two-time WNBA champion in 2025.
Yaeger’s explosive return
After winning the NBL1 North championship last season, Morgan Yaeger made her explosive return to NBL1 Central – with 47 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Defeating the defending champions 110-81, Yaeger single-handedly gave the team their first win of the season. The Eastern Mavericks finished with a 2-16 record last season, so is this the first of many W’s in 2025?
Forestville’s new superteam tested
After a widely discussed offseason, where the defending champions brought in the reigning Woollacott Medallist and Best Defensive Player, Alex Starling and NBL star Dejan Vasiljevic, the Forestville Eagles rolled out their historic starting five on Saturday.
Bringing in two NBL-level talents into their already championship-winning trio was always going to result in wins. But Saturday saw the team tested by club rivals, the Sturt Sabres. In the 101-83 finish, there were fights, technical fouls, and the Sabres proved the Eagles weren’t invincible.
While Sturt’s Sharif Black made a good first impression with Sabres fans by scoring 31 points, it was Vasiljevic’s own 31 points that stole the show. Alongside Starling’s 13 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four steals – this was a strong showing of what this team may look like come Finals time.
Geelong’s all-stars shine
With a major recruiting drive by coach Megan Moody this offseason, the fruits of their labour were shown on Saturday against Mount Gambier. In the 112-72 win, five players scored in double-digits, led by Gemma Potter’s 25, Hannah Hank’s 22 and captain Jaz Shelley’s 19, respectively.
Geelong has a loaded roster and this weekend’s game showed how not one player shined, but an entire talented group carried the offensive burden.
Dallas Loughridge's breakout season?
In a 2-0 weekend for the Dandenong Rangers, Dallas Loughridge blossomed into the go-to player. Traditionally led by Nyadiew Puoch, Loughridge stepped up to fill the absence and had a leading role, averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals across Round 1.
With Puoch preparing for her eventual WNBA debut with the Atlanta Dream, will Loughridge become the Rangers’ primary option this season?
Keilor’s dynamic duo shines
Coming off a Grand Final appearance last year, Maddi Rocci and Isabelle Bourne had a massive weekend. Rocci went ballistic with an average of 29.5 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals, while Bourne added 31.5 points and eight rebounds.
Coming into the season even more motivated, expect to see these two WNBL stars fill out box scores every weekend.
Hornsby’s limitless ceiling
The Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders have made small improvements each season. In their debut 2023 season, they only claimed a single win. In 2024, they improved to five wins, and to open the 2025 season, they claimed the win over the Central Coast Crusaders.
It was led by Jessie May-Hall, the 17-year-old finished the game with 20 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. She generated fast-break opportunities by herself with her breathtaking athleticism and outstaged former Olympian Leilani Mitchell.
In her debut, 17-year-old Lucy Mead made a major impact off the bench. In 19 minutes, she scored 19 points and made three triples and swung the game’s outcome into the Spiders’ favour.
The Hornsby broadcast duo, James and Garen (2feetindapaint), said this on broadcast.
“You got to believe the hype around this Hornsby team,” so could we see this young core make a push into the top 14?
Champion DNA continues in Illawarra
With two championship-winning NBL Illawarra Hawks players and an assistant coach in Matt Flinn taking on coaching responsibilities, the NBL1 side will continue the momentum into 2025.
Kobe McDowell-White had a starring season in the NBL1 North with the Sunshine Coast, while Todd Blanchfield was the Finals MVP for the Mackay Meteors. The pair have both moved from the North and will stay in Wollongong for the offseason, where they gave the defending champion Maitland Mustangs a rude awakening.
In the 96-88 win, McDowell-White had 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds while Blanchfield had 31 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. With a young core surrounding them, can the NBL1 East’s Hawks replicate the NBL side's success this season?
Season’s debuts spoiled
Unfortunately, the Inner West Bulls and the Hills Hornets will have to wait another week to make their season debuts. Due to slippery conditions in the humid capital, both the women’s and men’s games were cancelled at Sydney University.
On the bright side, homecoming queen Sherrie Calleia will now make her debut at home in the Hills. While the Bulls’ opener will now be on the road in Canberra.
The NBL1 West will kick off this Friday with a blockbuster fixture, featuring Finals rematches, historical rivalries and more.
With the competition as strong as it’s ever been, this will be a must-watch season over in Western Australia.
Check out the full fixture here.
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