Derek with the domino that fells Sabres by 1 point

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Canberra Gunners 99 def. Sandringham Sabres 98

Canberra Gunners Derek Emelifeonwu hit a 10-foot pull-up jumper from the right block to break Sandringham Sabres hearts 99-98 in the first game of the 2025 NBL1 Men's National Championships in Canberra on August 29, 2025.

Sabres' Malith Machar missed a pair of free throws with 22 seconds, which could have put the Sabres up three, instead is gave Emelifeonwu the chance to win it ... and he did. Emelifeonwu had just seconds before hit bucket to bring the Gunners to within 98-97.

• Result: Canberra 99 def. Sandringham 98
• When: 29th of August, 2025
• Where: Southern Cross Stadium Crt 1, Canberra

By the Numbers

• William Mayfield (Canberra) starred with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in 42 minutes.
• Elliott Brown (Sandringham) scored 28 points, and had seven rebounds, seven assists in 40 minutes.

What Happened

Canberra started strong with a balanced attack but trailed Sandringham 24-22 after the opening quarter. The home team found their rhythm in the second period, outscoring the visitors 29-27 to level the contest at 51-51 heading into halftime.

Tom Koppens, who went 9-from-13 from two-point range, helped the visitors build a 77-74 advantage heading into the final frame.

William Mayfield proved to be the difference-maker for Canberra, contributing across the board with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. His ability to get to the free-throw line was crucial, as he converted seven of his 10 attempts from the charity stripe. Glenn Morison provided strong support with a double-double performance of 17 points and 10 rebounds.

For Sandringham, Elliott Brown delivered an outstanding performance with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. Koppens was remarkably efficient, scoring 25 points on 11-from-15 shooting from the field, including a perfect 2-from-2 from beyond the arc.

Canberra's defensive presence was evident with four blocks compared to Sandringham's two, with James Toohey contributing three swats despite not scoring a point. The home team also forced more turnovers (eight to three), which proved critical in the close contest. Although Sandringham shot better from the field (54.5% compared to Canberra's 46.9%), Canberra's ability to create additional scoring opportunities through offensive rebounds (13 compared to Sandringham's four) helped them overcome the deficit and secure the crucial win in the NBL1 Finals opening round.

Geraldton Bulldogs 96 def. West Adelaide 71

Geraldton took full advantage of NBL1 Central Men's MVP Keanu Rasmussen and Lat Mayen playing for the Adelaide 36ers during the NBL1 Blitz, crushing the Bearcats 96-71 in Canberra.

Johny Narkle continued his outstanding 2025 season dropping 29 points in 33 minutes.

• Result: Geraldton Bulldogs 96 def. West Adelaide 71
• When: August 29, 2025
• Where: Southern Cross Stadium Crt 2, Geraldton

By the Numbers

• Johny Narkle (Geraldton) starred with 29 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal in 33 minutes.
• Carter Truslove (West Adelaide) scored 18 points, and had five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 17 minutes.

What Happened

Geraldton started the game with tremendous intensity, outscoring West Adelaide 27-15 in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs established their dominance early through efficient inside scoring, with Joshua Keyes and Johny Narkle combining for 16 first-quarter points.

West Adelaide responded in the second quarter, narrowly winning the period 21-19 behind Joel Spear's outside shooting. However, Geraldton maintained their double-digit lead heading into halftime with a comfortable 46-36 advantage.

The third quarter saw Geraldton extend their lead further, outscoring West Adelaide 23-18. Narkle's efficient 11-from-17 shooting from the field was instrumental throughout the contest.

Verle Williams controlled the tempo for Geraldton, dishing out a game-high 16 assists while adding six points, four rebounds and four steals in a complete floor general performance. His connection with Narkle proved unstoppable as the duo consistently generated quality scoring opportunities.

The final quarter belonged entirely to Geraldton as they put together their most dominant stretch, outscoring West Adelaide 27-17 to seal the 25-point victory. The Bulldogs' impressive 55.6% shooting from the field (40-from-72) compared to West Adelaide's 41.2% (28-from-68) highlighted their offensive efficiency.

Geraldton's interior dominance was evident with 32 two-point field goals compared to West Adelaide's 18. The Bulldogs also controlled the glass, winning the rebounding battle 41-36, with Mathew Wundenberg collecting seven boards in just 22 minutes off the bench.

For West Adelaide, Carter Truslove provided a bright spot with a perfect 6-from-6 shooting performance for 18 points in limited minutes, while Joel Spear contributed 14 points including four three-pointers. However, captain Hamish Staude struggled significantly, going scoreless on 0-from-3 shooting while committing three turnovers.

Defensively, Geraldton recorded five blocks to West Adelaide's two, with Joshua Keyes and Mathew Wundenberg each recording two rejections. The Bulldogs also forced 20 turnovers while committing just 15 themselves, converting those opportunities into valuable transition points.

Southern Districts 95 def Illawarra Hawks 86

Spartans star Tamuri Wigness led Southern Districts to a hard-fought 95-86 win against the Illawarra Hawks, without NBL1 East Men's MVP, in the last game of the first day of the NBL1 National Championships in Canberra.

Blanchfield is playing for Illawarra Hawks in the NBL Blitz pre-season tournament and Narkle took advantage dropping 33 points in 37 minutes

Key Details

• Result: Southern Districts 95 def. Illawarra 86
• When: August 29, 2025
• Where: Southern Cross Stadium Crt 1

By the Numbers

• Tamuri Wigness (Southern Districts) starred with 33 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 37 minutes.
• Kobe McDowell-White (Illawarra) scored 22 points, had six rebounds, and 13 assists in 35 minutes.

What Happened

Southern Districts rallied after a slow start to secure an important 95-86 victory against Illawarra in the opening round of the NBL1 Finals.

The game shifted dramatically in the third quarter when Southern Districts outscored Illawarra 20-11. The defensive adjustments from Southern Districts proved crucial, as they limited Illawarra to just 24 percent shooting from three-point range overall (12-from-49), forcing them into difficult shots throughout the second half.

Tamuri Wigness was exceptional for Southern Districts, delivering an efficient 33-point performance on 12-from-20 shooting. His ability to get to the rim was on display as he converted eight of his 11 two-point attempts at an impressive 72 percent clip. Blake Jones added a stellar double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, providing Southern Districts with a dominant interior presence.

For Illawarra, NBL1 development player Kobe McDowell-White tried to keep his team in the contest with 22 points and 13 assists, but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 39 percent from the field. Kyle Leslie contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, while Matthew Mims added 15 points despite shooting a lacklustre 28 percent from the field.

The free throw disparity proved decisive in the final outcome. Southern Districts made 27-from-35 attempts at the charity stripe compared to Illawarra's mere six-from-eight. This 21-point advantage from the line ultimately made the difference in a game where field goal percentages were relatively close. Southern Districts also dominated the glass, out-rebounding Illawarra 57-40, including 12 offensive boards that led to crucial second-chance opportunities.