Image credit: Xavier Papadakos | @xnp_photography

Issie Bourne and Maddy Rocci fired Keilor Thunder to another NBL1 South win as did Harry Froling, Jack Purchase and Tom Wilson for Melbourne Tigers, and Ben Ayre and Dash Daniels for Sandringham Sabres on Friday night.

SOUTH RECAP | ROUND 9 SUNDAY

WOMEN

Melbourne Tigers (80) lost to Keilor Thunder (91)

The dynamic duo of Issie Bourne and Maddy Rocci produced 57 points, 19 rebounds and 16 assists as Keilor Thunder beat the Melbourne Tigers consolidate their top two spot in the NBL1 South.

There were stars everywhere you looked across the two teams with the Tigers' line-up consisting of Sara Blicavs, Izzy Borlase, Sienna Harvey, Indiah Bowyer and Tall Fern Ella Tofaeono as they took on the Thunder with Rocci, Bourne and company.

The two teams then combined to score 51 points in the first quarter while going 6/11 from three-point range between them with Keilor leading Melbourne 27-24 by quarter-time.

The Tigers then still scored 21 points in the second frame while holding the Thunder to just the 15 on 6/21 shooting which saw the home team go into the half-time break having worked 45-42 on top.

The third quarter is when Keilor made their move not only scoring 33 points themselves on 12/15 shooting, but holding the Tigers to juts eight on 3/13 shooting.

The Thunder were able to turn that into a 25-point lead on the back of scoring 21 points in-a-row to set up the eventual 11-point win that improves them to an 11-2 record in second spot.

Maddy Rocci and Issie Bourne are proving just about unstoppable together this season so far for Keilor with the former finishing with 27 points, 14 assists, seven rebounds and four steals, and the latter 30 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

Lily Carmody also had 14 points and two rebounds for the Thunder, Penina Davidson 11 points, 12 boards, seven assists and two steals, and Kasey Burton eight points, five assists and two rebounds.

Melbourne are now 7-5 on the season having suffered back-to-back defeats despite getting 30 points, 10 rebounds and four assists from Izzy Borlase who went 10/12 shooting at the foul line.

Sienna Harvey added 15 points, two rebounds and two assists, Indiah Bowyer nine points, four assists and two steals, and Charlotte Brancatisano six points and three assists while Sara Blicavs had an uncharacteristically tough night with four points and six rebounds on 1/10 shooting.

MELBOURNE TIGERS 80 (Borlase 30, Harvey 15, Bowyer 9)

KEILOR THUNDER 91 (Bourne 30, Rocci 27, Davidson 11)

Kilsyth Cobras (79) defeated Bendigo Braves (77)

The Bendigo Braves fell back down nine points in the final quarter but drew level with the Kilsyth Cobras three times only for the home team to respond each time for the eventual 79-77 victory.

The Cobras and Braves came into the Friday night match up at Kilsyth Sports Centre both hunting a fourth win of the season and to snap their respective losing streaks.

It was a fast start at home for Kilsyth as they opened up a 26-14 lead already by quarter-time but then Bendigo responded impressively in the second frame.

The Braves outscored the Cobras 23 points to 12 in that second quarter which saw by half-time it was Kilsyth just clinging to a 38-37 advantage.

Bendigo then even grabbed their first lead of the game early in the third quarter, but Kilsyth soon worked back on top to be again leading by 10 in the third quarter, and then by nine with 5:30 to play after a bucket to Shannon Dufficy.

Bendigo weren’t done with yet, though, and fired back with the next eight points topped off with a three ball from Jessica Smith that saw them back within a point.

Cassidy McLean then tied scores up with 2:30 to go only for Abby O'Connor to respond for Kilsyth up the other end following an offensive rebound.

The Braves kept on coming and were back square once more with a triple from Smith with just under a minute to play and that's where scores stayed with the shot clock turned off, and Kilsyth with possession out of a timeout.

Dufficy was fouled and made both and that proved to be enough to clinch the win with Porchia missing the attempted tying shot up the other end for Bendigo.

The win for the Cobras ends their run of four straight losses to improve them to a 4-10 record with Shannon Dufficy delivering 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Abby O'Connor also had 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, Nikita Young 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Anamaria Virjoghe 14 points, six boards and two blocks, and Hannah Day 12 points on 4/6 three-point shooting.

Bendigo are now 3-12 on the season having lost three in-a-row with Taisheka Porchia producing 28 points, 10 rebounds and two steals with Cassidy McLean contributing 22 points, 10 assists and nine boards, and Jessica Smith 14 points on 4/6 three-point shooting.

KILSYTH COBRAS 79 (Dufficy 19, O'Connor 18, Virjoghe 14, Young 14)

BENDIGO BRAVES 77 (Porchia 28, McLean 22, Smith 14)

Casey Cavaliers (96) defeated Sandringham Sabres (86)

The Casey Cavaliers were able to snap their five-game losing streak heading into the King's Birthday long weekend with the 96-86 home victory against the Sandringham Sabres.

The Cavs were back home at Casey Stadium looking to win for the first time since May 3 as they played host to a Sabres team who had slipped two games outside of the top eight having lost four of their past five matches.

So that meant both teams were desperate for the Friday night victory and it was an enterprising start from both teams as they combined for 55 points with the Cavs leading 28-27 by quarter-time.

The Cavaliers turned that one-point lead into a 12-point advantage during the second term and on the back of that still held a 48-42 lead by half-time.

Casey then continued to see that lead grow and it got out to as much as 17 points in the fourth period before they scored the 10-point victory while knocking down 14/34 from three-point range for the night.

The win improves the Cavaliers to a 5-8 record having snapped their losing run with Ahlise Hurst top-scoring with 22 points, five rebounds and three steals with 6/10 three-point shooting.

Esra McGoldrick added 19 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks, Sharne Robati 17 points, seven boards and two assists, Sabrina Haines 14 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals, and Lauryn Hippolite 11 points, five assists and three boards.

Sandringham are now 6-6 on the season to remain outside the top eight with Funda Nakkasoglu producing 20 points, three steals and two rebounds while Isis Lopes contributed 18 points, eight boards and four assists.

Eilidh Vanderwal produced 14 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals with 4/8 three-point shooting, Lucy Cochrane 14 points, four boards and three blocks, and Haylee Andrews 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

CASEY CAVALIERS 96 (Hurst 22, McGoldrick 19, Robati 17)

SANDRINGHAM SABRES 86 (Nakkasoglu 20, Lopes 18, Cochrane 14, Vanderwal 14)

MEN

Melbourne Tigers (101) defeated Keilor Thunder (74)

The big three at the Melbourne Tigers of Harry Froling, Jack Purchase and Tom Wilson delivered 64 points, 24 rebounds and 13 assists in their team's 101-74 home win over Keilor Thunder.

Leading into the King's Birthday long weekend, the Tigers were at home at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre looking to bounce back from a loss to Geelong United to consolidate their hold on a spot in the top eight.

Keilor arrived trying to snap a two-game losing run too and to stay in contention of the playoffs, and it would be a tight battle in the first quarter with Melbourne just leading 24-22 by the end of one.

The Tigers then worked on top in the second term with 29 points to 17 on the back of shooting 8/13 and getting to the foul line 13 times while Keilor shot 6/15 and had just eight free-throw attempts.

That saw Melbourne leading 53-39 at half-time and then that lead continued to grow through the second half getting out to as much as 22 points in the third quarter, and 29 in the fourth before the Tigers secured the 27-point win.

Melbourne finished up shooting 54 per cent from the floor opposed to 42 from Keilor to go with 10/20 from downtown to 5/22, and 31/37 at the foul line to 13/20 along with forcing the Thunder into 16 turnovers.

Harry Froling's remarkable return to basketball continued with him delivering another 27 points, 13 rebounds and two assists with 13/15 shooting from the free-throw line.

Jack Purchase also provided 19 points on 4/7 three-point shooting with Melbourne United NBL26 signing Tom Wilson adding 18 points, 10 assists and three rebounds on 10/11 shooting at the charity stripe.

Mason Gaze also had 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Chris Arcidiacono nine points on 3/5 shooting.

Keilor are now 4-9 on the season following the loss with Daniel Foster top-scoring with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Dante Thompson added 13 points and six rebounds, and Daniel Poelsma 11 points, four boards and two assists.

MELBOURNE TIGERS 101 (Froling 27, Purchase 19, Wilson 18)

KEILOR THUNDER 74 (Foster 19, Thompson 13, Poelsma 11)

Kilsyth Cobras (97) defeated Bendigo Braves (81)

The Kilsyth Cobras returned to the winner's list and kept themselves knocking on the door of a playoff spot with the 97-81 home win on Friday night over the Bendigo Braves.

The Cobras were back home at Kilsyth Sports Centre attempting to bounce back from losing their past couple of games ahead of hosting a Braves outfit also still clinging to playoff contention despite arriving on a three-game losing run.

Both teams had their turn with the lead in the first quarter with scores tied at 19-19 by quarter-time before Kilsyth pulled away in the second term with 27 points to 19.

The Cobras then kept that momentum going with another 30 points to 21 in the third quarter to see that lead get out to 17 points, and then it was 21 in the fourth term before they secured the eventual 16-point victory.

The win improves Kilsyth to an 8-6 record on the season to remain right in the top eight mix with Khadim Sy delivering 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Dillon Stith added 21 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, Adrian Tomada 20 points, three boards, three assists and three steals, Corey Jeffs 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and Jamie Ahale eight points, eight assists and two steals.

Bendigo have now lost four straight going into the King's Birthday long weekend with a 7-8 record with Charles Matthews top-scoring with 27 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

Justin Johnson also had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Lual Diing 17 points and five boards.

KILSYTH COBRAS 97 (Sy 24, Stith 21, Tomada 20)

BENDIGO BRAVES 81 (Matthews 27, Johnson 18, Diing 17)

Casey Cavaliers (100) lost to Sandringham Sabres (103)

Ben Ayre, Dash Daniels and Malith Machar combined for 75 points as the Sandringham Sabres overcame 30 points in the first and 32 in the last from the Casey Cavaliers for 103-100 win.

It always loomed as a mouth watering match up at Casey Stadium ahead of the King's Birthday long weekend with the Sabres looking to make it a third straight win having added South East Melbourne Phoenix guard Ayre to a line-up featuring Melbourne United Next Star Daniels.

They were up against a Cavs team sitting in third spot and looking to maintain pace with a top two spot as well and it was a contest that well and truly lived up to its billing.

It was a flying start from Casey who put up 30 points to 21 in the first quarter on the back of shooting 10/20 from the field and making 5/8 from behind the three-point arc.

The Sabres were able to light it up draining 8/11 from three-point range in the second term with 24 of their 30 points coming from long range as they cut the Cavaliers lead to 54-51 by the main break.

Sandringham then didn’t make a single three in the third quarter on just three attempts but they still outscored Casey 24 points to 14 to go into three quarter-time leading 75-68.

It took less than four minutes of the final quarter for the Cavs to be back within just two points when Trendon Hankerson knocked down a three ball and eventually with just over three minutes to play he scored again to make it a one-point ball game.

But every time Casey got back within striking distance, Sandringham would answer and Ayre knocked down a jumper that turned into a three-point play to stretch the lead back out to four.

Machar then produced a three-point play when he copped contact on a breakaway dunk before ultimately four clutch free throws sealed the win for the Sabres even though a late triple from Hankerson kept things interesting.

He couldn’t hit another on the buzzer to force overtime with Sandringham securing the three-point win to make it three on the trot and improve to a 5-7 record to stay in the playoff hunt.

Ben Ayre was making his first appearance of the NBL1 South season and starred with 26 points, six assists and four rebounds on 4/9 three-point shooting with Dash Daniels adding 25 points on 7/12 shooting from the field, 3/4 from deep and 8/10 at the foul line.

Malith Machar also had 24 points and three rebounds, Tom Koppens 11 points, eight boards and four assists, and CJ Asuncion-Byrd 10 points and two rebounds.

The Cavaliers are now 8-5 following the loss on their home floor with Trendon Hankerson delivering 24 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Hunter Marks added 18 points, four rebounds and two blocks, Preston Bungei 14 points and 12 boards, Ben Waller 11 points and five rebounds, Nate Roberts 11 points and 13 boards, and Tyler Robertson 11 points on 3/4 three-point shooting before his night ended after just nine minutes with an ankle injury.

CASEY CAVALIERS 100 (Hankerson 24, Marks 18, Bungei 14)

SANDRINGHAM SABRES 103 (Ayre 26, Daniels 25, Machar 24)

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Chris Pike

South Recap | Round 9 Friday (2)