28
Apr
East Men
Todd Blanchfield one assist shy of triple double
Illawarra Hawks forward Todd Blanchfield controlled the game with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a dominant win over Norths Bears. Photo: Rob Sheeley/@robshots
Todd Blanchfield and Matthew Mims power Illawarra while CoE stay unbeaten in 2026 NBL1 East race
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Illawarra delivered the defining result of Round 4, dismantling Norths Bears to push into the top tier, while Centre of Excellence maintained their unbeaten start to keep pressure on the ladder leaders.
With multiple teams now clustered behind Canberra, the race is tightening into a genuine multi-team contest.
Illawarra Hawks 111 def. Norths Bears 82 – Watch the Replay
- Quarter Scores: 28–19, 25–17, 35–22, 23–24
- Largest Lead: Illawarra by 34
- Illawarra moved to 5–1 with a statement win over a top-three opponent
Illawarra broke the game open through the middle quarters, overwhelming Norths with scoring efficiency and ball movement to hand the Bears their second loss of the season.
Todd Blanchfield controlled the contest with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, dictating tempo across all four quarters. Matthew Mims provided the scoring punch with 30 points on 11–16 shooting, including five threes, while adding 11 rebounds.
Illawarra shot 57.9% from the field and generated 23 assists, consistently creating high-value looks inside and out. Mason Peatling (12 points, six rebounds) and Jonah Flinn (12 points on perfect shooting) added depth as the lead extended rapidly in the third.
Norths were led by Fabijan Krslovic (17) and Ignatius Mitchell (14), but struggled to contain Illawarra’s offensive flow and fell behind early without a sustained response.
By the Numbers
FG%: 57.9–44.8% (Illawarra) │ Rebounds: 44–31 (Illawarra) │ Assists: 23–16 (Illawarra)
Centre of Excellence 86 def. Maitland Mustangs 69 – Watch the Replay
- Quarter Scores: 24–20, 12–12, 22–17, 28–20
- Largest Lead: CoE by 19
- Centre of Excellence improved to 4–0 and remain unbeaten
Centre of Excellence controlled the game defensively before pulling away in the fourth quarter, maintaining composure on the road to stay perfect through four games.
Alexander Dickeson led with 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals, while Jai Faale added 14 points on efficient shooting. CoE forced 19 turnovers and converted consistently in transition.
Maitland stayed within range behind Billy Parsons, who shot a perfect 7–7 for 17 points, and William Cranston-Lown, who added 20 points and nine assists. However, inefficiency from the perimeter (4–22 from three) limited scoring runs.
CoE finished at 47.1% from the field, winning the possession battle through pressure defence and rebounding to control the final quarter.
By the Numbers
FG%: 47.1–37.3% (CoE) │ Turnovers: 19–20 │ Rebounds: 45–35 (CoE)
Other Results
- Bankstown Bruins def. Sydney Comets 99–89
- Norths Bears def. Sydney Comets 70–59
- Hills Hornets def. Central Coast Crusaders 80–68
- Newcastle Falcons lost to Centre of Excellence 78–48
- Maitland Mustangs lost to Centre of Excellence 86–69
- Illawarra Hawks def. Sutherland Sharks 84–77
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles def. Albury-Wodonga Bandits 105–83
- Inner West Bulls def. Central Coast Crusaders 79–76
Ladder Snapshot
- Canberra Gunners (5–0) remain unbeaten at No.1
- Centre of Excellence (4–0) stay perfect in second
- Norths Bears (6–1) absorb key loss but remain top three
- Illawarra Hawks, Manly Sea Eagles (5–1) strengthen contender status
Round 5 Watchlist
- Can Illawarra sustain this level against top-tier opposition?
- Does CoE’s defence translate against higher-scoring teams?
- How do Norths respond after a heavy defeat?
- Which 5–1 team separates as the biggest challenger?
Key Games — Round 6
- Centre of Excellence vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Unbeaten CoE face one of the league’s most efficient offences - Sutherland Sharks vs Canberra Gunners
Top spot under threat against a defensive-minded opponent - Bankstown Bruins vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Mid-tier vs contender with ladder implications
Round 6 Questions
- Are Illawarra now a genuine title contender?
- Can Centre of Excellence maintain an unbeaten start deeper into the season?
- Which team breaks into the top two behind Canberra?
- How quickly can Norths reset after a heavy loss?
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