Christian D'Angelo silences Thunder in 31-point show

• Eltham outscored Dandenong 34-11 in the final quarter to win 87-69
• Knox buried 17 triples in a 95-51 win against Melbourne, the biggest margin
• Waverley won overtime 8-3 against Casey after the sides tied 59-59 in regulation

Eltham's 34-point final quarter, Knox's 17 triples and a Waverley overtime headline eight 2026 NBL1 South qualifying finals.

MEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 1 - Eltham Wildcats 87 def Dandenong Rangers 69

Montmorency Secondary College, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Eltham Wildcats bench forward Harrison Hornery scored 22 points on 7-from-7 free throws as the Wildcats hung 34 points on Dandenong Rangers in the final quarter to win 87-69 at Montmorency Secondary College on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Dandenong led 58-53 at three-quarter time. Eltham then outscored them 34-11 over the last 10 minutes.

Mitchell McCarron filled the sheet with 16 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals, and Zak Cunningham added 16 points and nine boards on 8-from-18 shooting. Eltham won the rebound count 49-36 and went 10-from-11 from the charity stripe. Joe Palmer top-scored for Dandenong with 22 points and five triples, Sam Davidson had 17, and Harrison Froling posted 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a losing side.

MEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 2 - Nunawading Spectres 83 def Keilor Thunder 79

Nunawading Basketball Centre, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Nunawading Spectres guard and Melbourne United Development Player Christian D'Angelo poured in 31 points and seven assists on 11-from-19 shooting to hold off a late Keilor Thunder charge and win 83-79 at Nunawading Basketball Centre on Saturday, August 1, 2026. D'Angelo went 7-from-8 from inside the arc and 5-from-5 from the line. The Spectres led 72-55 at three-quarter time.

Keilor won the final quarter 24-11 and ran out of clock. Dyson King-Hawea gave Nunawading 17 points on 6-from-10 off the bench, and Kingsley Box had 10 points and nine rebounds. The difference was the three-ball: Nunawading buried 11-from-29 to Keilor's 5-from-24. Landon Seaman led the Thunder with 22 points and nine rebounds, Daniel Foster had 20 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, and Matthew Johns dished eight assists.

MEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 3 - Frankston Blues 99 def Knox Raiders 94

Jubilee Park Stadium, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Frankston Blues forward Jeremy Combs scored 19 points on 6-from-9 shooting as the Blues shared the ball for 28 assists and beat Knox Raiders 99-94 at Jubilee Park Stadium on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Knox scored 33 points in the second quarter and still trailed 53-48 at the main break. Frankston led the rest of the way.

Twenty-eight assists on 36 made field goals tells the story of how Frankston scored. Jack Stanwix added 18 points, Kynan Philippe 16 off the bench, and Corey Hastings 13 with four triples, while Justin Shelley and captain Lucas Barker had eight assists each. Kobe Williamson was enormous for Knox with 23 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks, and Trazarien White also had 23. The Raiders shot 24-from-37 inside the arc but only 10-from-33 from deep.

MEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 4 - Melbourne Tigers 72 def Sandringham Sabres 68

Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Melbourne Tigers captain Tom Wilson had 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the Tigers won the game inside the arc and beat Sandringham Sabres 72-68 at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Melbourne shot 26-from-46 on twos. Sandringham managed 18-from-46.

That was the whole margin, because Melbourne went 4-from-30 from three and lost the boards 51-45. Jack Purchase backed Wilson with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Wilson Amos scored 12 on 5-from-7 off the bench. Kyle Bowen pulled 16 rebounds for Sandringham and Dane Pineau another 10, while Kyle Adnam top-scored with 17 on 5-from-20 and Harry Neilson went 6-from-7 for 13 points in 16 minutes.

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 1 - Diamond Valley Eagles 73 def Eltham Wildcats 66

Montmorency Secondary College, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Diamond Valley Eagles guard Shannon Dufficy scored 17 points and went 6-from-6 from the line as the Eagles closed the last quarter 22-14 to beat Eltham Wildcats 73-66 at Montmorency Secondary College on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Eltham led 52-51 at three-quarter time. Diamond Valley finished it at the free-throw line.

The Eagles shot worse from the field, 27-from-72 against Eltham's 25-from-64, and won anyway on the glass and at the stripe: 45 rebounds to 39, 14 of them offensive, and 11-from-12 free throws to 7-from-9. Sophie Byrnes came off the bench for 13 points on 3-from-7 from deep, Abbey Ellis had 12 and Alex Sharp a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double. Lil Dart led Eltham with 18 points and seven assists on 7-from-22, and Sarah Elsworthy played all 40 minutes for 17 points on a perfect 4-from-4 from three. Eltham turned it over 20 times.

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 2 - Waverley Falcons 67 def Casey Cavaliers 62 (OT)

Waverley Basketball Centre, Sunday, August 2, 2026

Waverley Falcons forward Katelyn Shumate posted 13 points and 10 rebounds as the Falcons won overtime 8-3 to beat Casey Cavaliers 67-62 at Waverley Basketball Centre on Sunday, August 2, 2026. The teams were locked at 59-59 at the end of regulation. Waverley scored eight of the 11 points that followed.

Neither side could shoot: Waverley went 23-from-76, Casey 23-from-64. So Waverley won it on possessions, forcing 22 turnovers with 13 steals, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds and converting 17-from-22 free throws. Liana Kinkela scored 12 off the bench and captain Tayla Dalton had nine points and four assists. Chelsea D'Angelo played 43 minutes for 19 points and nine rebounds for Casey, Samantha Bowman had 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Nyaduoth Lok added 16.

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 3 - Sandringham Sabres 87 def Keilor Thunder 67

Keilor Stadium, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Sandringham Sabres guard Stephanie Reid had 21 points and nine assists as the Sabres won the second quarter 32-12 and beat Keilor Thunder 87-67 at Keilor Stadium on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Sandringham led 50-27 at the main break. Keilor never got closer than 16 after it.

Lucy Cochrane was the difference at both ends with 17 points on 6-from-8, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a nine-block team night, and Madison Ryan scored 16 on 6-from-10. The Sabres went 18-from-19 from the line and 24-from-42 inside the arc. Tess Heal played all 40 minutes for a game-high 25 points on 4-from-7 from deep, Lara McSpadden had 18 points and nine rebounds, and captain Maddison Rocci finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

WOMEN'S QUALIFYING FINAL 4 - Knox Raiders 95 def Melbourne Tigers 51

State Basketball Centre, Saturday, August 1, 2026

Knox Raiders captain Paige Bradley shot 9-from-11 for 23 points and eight assists as the Raiders buried 17 triples to beat Melbourne Tigers 95-51 at State Basketball Centre on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Knox won every quarter and led by 28 at the half. It is the biggest margin of the eight qualifying finals.

Bradley went 5-from-6 from beyond the arc, and Knox as a team shot 17-from-35 from three while turning it over just seven times and recording 24 assists. Alicia Froling had 18 points and 16 rebounds, Haliegh Reinoehl 15 and nine off the bench, and Rachel Bell 13 points in eight minutes. Eve Braslis top-scored for Melbourne with 20 and Isabella Brancatisano had 13 points, six rebounds and six assists. The Tigers went 3-from-18 from deep and 10-from-20 at the line.