NBL1 Wrap (June 11, 2024)

South East Melbourne Phoenix’s potential new star signing Nathan Sobey was heating up the north over the weekend. Sobey put up 33 points against a strong Mackay Meteors that’s packed with NBL heads. 

Isaac White and Todd Blanchfield led a 2-0 weekend for the top-of-the ladder Meteors, with White scoring a combined 53 points, and Blanchfield 43. 

Darwin Salties’ NBL trio Kouat Noi (19 pts, 2 rebounds), Makuach Maluach (10 pts, four rebounds, 3 assists), and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (17 pts, 4 rebounds, 2 steals) earned a powerful game one win against the Sunshine Coast Phoenix. They followed that victory with a win over Jackson Makoi and the Northside Wizards to remain second on the North ladder.  

Makoi scored 14 points and amassed six rebounds and ten assists against the Salties.

Adelaide 36er Sunday Dech helped his East Perth Eagles side in the West with a 94-90 win over the Joondalup Wolves to hold on to the top end of the ladder. He finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. 

Wildcats big man David Okwera stepped up in Dech’s absence in game two, with 22 points and 14 rebounds to help claim the Eagles to their second win of the weekend.  

Michael Harris had another standout weekend for the Warwick Senators. He scored 30 points, to go with three rebounds and five assists against the Geraldton Buccaneers. 

New JackJumpers signing Gorjok Gak scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Rockingham Flames.

Down South, Round 9 was extended due to the all-important Heritage Round, with the round starting on May 31 and finishing on June 7. 

United teammates Campbell Blogg (15 pts, 6 rebounds) and Shea Ili (27 pts, 7 rebounds) were stars on the night for Sandringham, as well as New Zealand Breakers big Dane Pineau (12 rebounds). Pineau improved in game two with 12 points and ten rebounds in the team's second win of the weekend. 

Mason Peatling and the Dandenong Rangers claimed a win over the Frankston Blues to rise up the ladder. Peatling finished on 19 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists. 

Adelaide’s Nick Marshall and Akech Aliir led the Mount Gambier Pioneers to an 80-64 win, with the former top-scoring with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Aliir finished on 13 points and eight rebounds. 

Kyle Bowen hit a 15-piece double double for the Knox Raiders. He also finished with four assists and two steals in an unfortunate loss to the Diamond Valley Eagles.

Akech Aliir (Mt Gambier) – 13PTS, 8REB, 2AST vs Keilor
DJ Vasiljevic (Waverley) – 12PTS, 3REB, 1AST vs Sandringham 
Fraser Roxburgh (Waverley) – 2PTS, 1AST vs Sandringham 
Jason Cadee (Gold Coast) – 9PTS, 3REB, 7AST vs Logan | 24PTS, 8REB, 7AST vs North Gold Coast
Nick Marshall (Mt Gambier) – 18PTS, 13REB, 4AST vs Keilor
Sunday Dech (East Perth) – 16PTS, 6REB, 4AST vs Joondalup 

Isaac White (Mackay) – 17PTS, 5REB, 2AST vs Ipswich | 36PTS, 6REB, 5AST vs SW Metro
Matthew Johns (Brisbane) – 10PTS, 5REB, 3AST vs Southern Districts
Mitch Norton (Southern Districts) – 17PTS, 2REB, 3AST vs Brisbane
Sam McDaniel (Brisbane) – 22PTS, 5REB, 6AST vs Southern Districts
Tyrell Harrison (Southern Districts) – 25PTS, 13REB, 3AST vs Brisbane

Alex Mudronja (Cairns) – 11PTS, 4REB, 9AST vs Rockhampton
Kian Dennis (Cairns) – 10PTS, 7REB, 1AST vs Rockhampton

Luca Yates (Mackay) – 8PTS, 4REB, 2AST vs Ipswich | 22PTS, 10REB, 5AST vs SW Metro
Mason Peatling (Dandenong) – 19PTS, 13REB, 3AST vs Frankston
Todd Blanchfield (Mackay) – 22PTS, 7REB, 3AST vs Ipswich | 21PTS, 10REB, 1AST vs SW Metro
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (Darwin) – 17PTS, 4REB, 1AST vs Sunshine Coast  | 10PTS, 5REB, 1AST vs Northside

Kyle Bowen (Knox) – 15PTS, 15REB, 4AST vs Diamond Valley
Shea Ili (Sandringham) – 27PTS, 7REB, 3AST vs Ringwood | 10PTS, 4REB, 4AST vs Waverley

Dane Pineau (Sandringham) – 2PTS, 12REB, 2AST vs Ringwood | 12PTS, 10REB, 2AST vs Waverley

David Okwera (East Perth) – 4PTS, 10REB, 4AST vs Joondalup | 22PTS, 14REB vs Mandurah
Michael Harris (Warwick) – 30PTS, 3REB, 5AST vs Geraldton

Austin Rapp (Knox) – 26PTS, 9REB, 3BLK vs Diamond Valley
Kody Stattmann (Cairns) – 35PTS, 16REB, 2AST vs Rockhampton
Matt Kenyon (North Gold Coast) – 18PTS, 18REB, 4AST vs Gold Coast
Nathan Sobey (Ipswich) – 33PTS, 3REB, 4AST vs Mackay

Kouat Noi (Darwin) – 19PTS, 2REB, 1AST vs Sunshine Coast | 20PTS, 13REB, 2AST vs Northside
Makuach Maluach (Darwin) – 10PTS, 4REB, 3AST vs Sunshine Coast | 18PTS, 10REB, 2AST vs Northside
Shaun Bruce (Logan) – 11PTS, 3REB, 13AST vs Gold Coast | 19PTS, 4REB, 11AST vs Mackay

Sean Macdonald (Darwin) – 17PTS, 5REB, 6AST vs Sunshine Coast | 14PTS, 3REB, 6AST vs Northside