NBLxNBL1 wrap (August 7)

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

The 2023 NBL1 conference seasons will come to a close this weekend, with even more champions set to be determined following Ipswich's NBL1 North win.

Photo: Rob Bibby

The 2023 NBL1 season is coming to a close. The North champions have already been crowned, and this weekend will see winners decided in each of the remaining conferences. Keep up with how your favourite NBL stars travelled over the weekend below.

Brisbane guard Nathan Sobey has once again hammered home his quality, and was named Grand Final MVP in Ipswich’s come-from-behind NBL1 North title triumph over the Gold Coast Rollers.

Sobey played something of a lone hand in resistance for the Force in Game 1 with 22 points, as they fell to the Rollers by 14 points. Adelaide’s Jason Cadee was closing in on a triple-double by half-time and ended the game with 23 points, nine rebounds and 16 assists, while teammate Todd Blanchfield top scored with 27 points and 14 boards.

The Olympic bronze medal winner exploded in Game 2, to keep the series alive in front of Ipswich’s home crowd with 39 points, while Kyrin and Jaylin Galloway combined for 41 points between them en route to a 21-point win.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DENG DENG MAKES A STATEMENT ?<br><br>Watch Game Three of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1NorthFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1NorthFinals</a> Grand Final Series Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/E7SDaxnkSw">pic.twitter.com/E7SDaxnkSw</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1688078265875914752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Uncontracted free agent Deng Deng then iced the series with a 40-point double-double in the decisive Game 3, where Sobey’s 21 points were enough to see him named as the best player over the course of the seesawing series.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nathan Sobey is your <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1North?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBL1North</a> Finals MVP ? <br><br>The Olympian finished with a series average of 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and three assists ?<br><br>?: @ officialbibby <a href="https://t.co/z6NA1YkwuS">pic.twitter.com/z6NA1YkwuS</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1688090134129037312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Melbourne-based pair Ben Ayre and Campbell Blogg’s scoring performance against Diamond Valley saw the Sandringham Sabres cruise into this weekend’s NBL1 South Grand Final.

New Phoenix guard Ayre led all comers with 27 points and eight assists, while Blogg chipped in with a crucial 19 points in the 21-point victory.

New Zealand centre Dane Pineau was a dominant force on the glass for the Sabres, and ended the clash with a phenomenal 25 rebounds – nine offensive – and four blocks.

The Sabres will face Mason Peatling and the Knox Raiders in the final following their win over Mt Gambier.

Peatling had four points and seven rebounds in the Raiders’ win, while Adelaide’s Nick Marshall added 15 points in a losing effort for the Pioneers.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nick Marshall rises ? <br><br>Watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1SouthFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1SouthFinals</a> Game of the Week Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/6OEgW8YpSe">pic.twitter.com/6OEgW8YpSe</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1687425174142877701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The West Adelaide Bearcats have set up a semi-final rematch with the Forestville Eagles in the NBL1 Central decider following their defeat of Sturt in the preliminary final.

Anthony Drmic and Mitch McCarron laid the bedrock for the cruisy 23-point victory over a Sabres side that was missing 36ers development player and star guard Keanu Rasmussen.

Drmic had 27 points on almost 65 per cent shooting, while McCarron finished the game with 21 points and nine assists.

Lachlan Olbrich finished the game with 14 points.

Gorjok Gak’s efforts weren’t enough to see Willeton progress to the NBL1 West Grand Final.

The Tigers suffered semi-final defeat at the hands of the Joondalup Wolves in a five-point nailbiter.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gorjok Gak cleans up the mess ? <br><br>Watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1WestFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1WestFinals</a> via <a href="https://t.co/NEk1I7kaV8">https://t.co/NEk1I7kaV8</a> or the NBL1 App ?&? <a href="https://t.co/KlDV3jubU3">pic.twitter.com/KlDV3jubU3</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1687082107661701120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gak starred with 26 points and 13 rebounds in the defeat.

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Mitch McCarron – West Adelaide Bearcats (NBL1 Central)
vs Sturt Sabres – 21 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists

Kyrin Galloway – Ipswich Force (NBL1 North)
vs Gold Coast Rollers
Game 1 – 8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Game 2 – 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Game 3 – 6 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kyrin Galloway sent that outta here ??<br><br>Watch Game One of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1NorthFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1NorthFinals</a> Grand Final Series Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/S5MVl24cMT">pic.twitter.com/S5MVl24cMT</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1687401487884845056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jason Cadee – Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North)
vs Ipswich Force
Game 1 – 23 points, 9 rebounds, 16 assists
Game 2 – 16 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists
Game 3 – 16 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The King of the North won't let up ? <br><br>Watch Game Three of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1NorthFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1NorthFinals</a> Grand Final Series Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/5ENjnE58wj">pic.twitter.com/5ENjnE58wj</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1688070160022679552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fraser Roxburgh – West Adelaide Bearcats (NBL1 Central)
vs Sturt Sabres – 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Nick Marshall – Mt Gambier Pioneers (NBL1 South)
vs Knox Raiders – 15 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist

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Nathan Sobey – Ipswich Force (NBL1 North)
vs Gold Coast Rollers
Game 1 – 22 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Game 2 – 39 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Game 3 – 21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists

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Mason Peatling – Knox Raiders (NBL1 South)
vs Mt Gambier Pioneers – 4 points, 7 rebounds

Lachlan Olbrich – West Adelaide Bearcats (NBL1 Central)
vs Sturt Sabres – 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

Todd Blanchfield – Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North)
vs Ipswich Force
Game 1 – 27 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist
Game 2 – 40 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
Game 3 – 20 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TODD BLANCHFIELD YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS ?<br><br>That's a Grand Final POSTER??<br><br>Watch Game Two of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1NorthFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1NorthFinals</a> Grand Final Series Live & Free via <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/NQc7CFrtXv">pic.twitter.com/NQc7CFrtXv</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1687778044310597632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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Malith Machar – Forestville Eagles (NBL1 Central)
DNP

Campbell Blogg – Sandringham Sabres (NBL1 South)
vs Diamond Valley Eagles – 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

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Dane Pineau – Sandringham Sabres (NBL1 South)
vs Diamond Valley Eagles – 9 points, 25 rebounds, 4 blocks

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Gorjok Gak - Willeton Tigers (NBL1 West)
vs Geraldton Buccaneers – 29 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist

Ben Ayre – Sandringham Sabres (NBL1 South)
vs Diamond Valley Eagles – 27 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists

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Jaylin Galloway – Ipswich Force (NBL1 North)
vs Gold Coast Rollers
Game 1 – 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
Game 2 – 18 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists
Game 3 – 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jaylin Galloway has the moves ? <br><br>Watch Game Three of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL1NorthFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL1NorthFinals</a> Grand Final Series Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/Qfy6LAgXDN">pic.twitter.com/Qfy6LAgXDN</a></p>— NBL1 (@NBL1) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL1/status/1688069290472132608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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