WNBL star Ellis is 'Diamond' for surging Eagles

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Round 5 in the South separated contenders from chasers. Diamond Valley delivered the most complete performance of the weekend, while Frankston reinforced its position inside the top tier with a controlled win over Nunawading. Across the round, scoring depth and defensive pressure defined outcomes.

Game of the Round 1

Diamond Valley Eagles 93 def. Keilor Thunder 68 – Watch the Replay

Game Snapshot

• Quarter Scores: 23–18, 30–19, 24–18, 16–13
• Largest Lead: 25 points
• Game Context: Diamond Valley broke the game open in the second quarter

Abbey Ellis finished with 25 points and 5 assists, setting the tone offensively as Diamond Valley surged in the second quarter to create separation.

The Eagles shot 52.2% from the field and 50% from three (9-from-18), with multiple contributors stepping in.

• Tayha Watkins: 15 points on 5-from-6 shooting
• Alex Sharp: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
• Erin Riley: 13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 blocks

Keilor had three players in double figures – Lara McSpadden (18), Isobelle Wightman (17), and Tess Heal (17) – but couldn’t contain Diamond Valley’s scoring runs.

By the Numbers

• Diamond Valley: 93 PTS │ 52.2% FG │ 9–18 3PT │ 45 REB
• Keilor: 68 PTS │ 40% FG │ 17 turnovers

Game of the Round 2

Frankston Blues 82 def. Nunawading Spectres 68 – Watch the Replay

Game Snapshot

• Quarter Scores: 14–16, 24–21, 24–18, 20–13
• Largest Lead: 18 points
• Game Context: Frankston took control through the middle quarters

Louise Brown delivered a dominant inside presence with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists, anchoring Frankston’s offence and rebounding edge.

Frankston had multiple contributors:

• Pahlyss Hokianga: 14 points, 7 assists, 3 steals
• Emily Monaghan: 12 points, 3 steals
• Sophie Alexander: 10 points, 7 rebounds

Despite Riley Lupfer’s 21 points and Eliza Hollingsworth’s 12 points, 14 rebounds, the Spectres shot 34.8% from the field and couldn’t sustain scoring runs.

By the Numbers

• Frankston: 82 PTS │ 50 REB │ 13 STL │ 41.3% FG
• Nunawading: 68 PTS │ 21 TO │ 34.8% FG

What the Round Told Us

• Diamond Valley’s offence is elite when clicking
  Shooting efficiency and depth make them one of the hardest teams to guard.
• Frankston’s structure travels
  Defence and rebounding consistency continue to underpin their wins.
• Sandringham still the benchmark
  The ladder leaders remain the most complete team despite others closing.
• Mid-table volatility remains
  Teams between 5th–10th continue to trade results week-to-week.

Ladder Context (Post Round 5 Snapshot)

• Top Tier: Sandringham, Casey
• Chasers: Eltham, Diamond Valley
• Middle Pack: Ballarat, Frankston, Mt Gambier, Knox

Round 6 Watchlist

• Casey vs Sandringham – early title preview
• Frankston vs Keilor – separation game
• Dandenong vs Kilsyth – both chasing consistency

Round 5 Takeaway

The South is evolving into a two-speed competition. The top teams are not just winning – they are dictating games early and sustaining control. For the rest, the margin for error is shrinking fast as the finals race tightens.