'Right on': Penn drops 25, dishes six assists in 3pt win

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Nunawading Spectres stayed on top after a 112-109 shootout against Frankston, while Ringwood Hawks produced the upset result of the round against Dandenong.

What the Round Told Us

• Nunawading can win high-scoring games under pressure
• Ringwood showed they are better than their record
• Dandenong’s defence remains a concern against efficient teams
• Frankston’s offence is dangerous even in losses
• The top-eight race is already heavily congested

Nunawading Spectres 112 def. Frankston Blues 109 – Watch the Replay

Game Snapshot

• Quarter Scores: Frankston 24-27, 30-27, 33-23, 22-35
• Largest Lead: Frankston +10
• Game Context: Nunawading closed with a 35-point fourth quarter to steal the road win

Dylan Penn scored 25 points and added six assists, leading Nunawading Spectres to a 112-109 road win over Frankston Blues in the highest-quality shootout of Round 5.

Nunawading trailed by 10 entering the fourth quarter but flipped the game with a 35-22 final period. Penn was central to the response, shooting 10-from-16 from the field and consistently getting downhill to generate efficient offence.

Christian D’Angelo added 23 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Jack Gandolfo gave Nunawading a major scoring lift with 21 points off the bench. Daniel Baxter added 12 rebounds and four assists, helping the Spectres win the glass 43-35.

Frankston had enough scoring to win most games. Tom Garrett produced 23 points on 8-from-11 shooting, including 5-from-8 from three, while Daniel Trist added 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Dibaji Walker scored 19 points and Jack Stanwix added 14.

The Blues shot 53.5% from the field and 51.7% from three, but Nunawading’s fourth-quarter scoring and extra possessions were enough to decide it.

By the Numbers

• Nunawading: 112 points - 51.3% FG - 30-from-43 2PT - 43 rebounds
• Frankston: 109 points - 53.5% FG - 15-from-29 3PT - Garrett 23 pts

Ringwood Hawks 102 def. Dandenong Rangers 91 – Watch the Replay

Game Snapshot

• Quarter Scores: Ringwood 30-23, 25-21, 24-16, 23-31
• Largest Lead: Ringwood +19
• Game Context: Ringwood built control across the first three quarters and absorbed Dandenong’s late push

Jonathan Lawton delivered 30 points and seven assists, leading Ringwood Hawks to a 102-91 road win over Dandenong Rangers.

Ringwood entered the round near the bottom of the ladder but played with a top-eight scoring profile, shooting 53.5% from the field and 50% from three.

Lawton controlled the game as a scorer and creator, finishing 9-from-18 from the field, 4-from-7 from three and 8-from-10 at the line. His playmaking also helped Ringwood finish with 26 assists on 38 made field goals.

Chris Brandon added 21 points and 13 rebounds, giving the Hawks interior efficiency and second-shot control. Uche Dibiamaka added 15 points, while Tom Carroll contributed nine points, five rebounds and five assists.

Dandenong were led by Joe Palmer, who finished with 25 points and eight rebounds. Ryan Rapp added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Michael Meadows scored 12.

The Rangers made a late 31-point fourth-quarter push, but the gap had already been created. Ringwood’s ball movement and efficiency gave them enough control to close out one of the round’s biggest results.

By the Numbers

• Ringwood: 102 points - 53.5% FG - 10-from-20 3PT - 26 assists
• Dandenong: 91 points - Palmer 25 pts - 15 turnovers - 13 assists

Other Results

• Bendigo Braves 93 def. Northern Force 84
  Bendigo opened the round with a road win over Northern Force.
• Hobart Chargers 104 def. Bendigo Braves 79
  Hobart split Bendigo’s weekend with a 25-point win.
• Sandringham Sabres 94 def. Geelong United 70
  Sandringham controlled Geelong in a 24-point result.
• Kilsyth Cobras 98 def. Ballarat Miners 67
  Kilsyth handled Ballarat in one of the round’s most one-sided games.
• Eltham Wildcats 88 def. Casey Cavaliers 82
  Eltham stayed inside the top four with a six-point road win.
• Keilor Thunder 101 def. Diamond Valley Eagles 98
  Keilor edged Diamond Valley in a three-point result.
• Mt Gambier Pioneers 111 def. Knox Raiders 108
  Mt Gambier handed Knox a costly three-point loss.
• Melbourne Tigers 105 def. Knox Raiders 80
  Melbourne backed up their top-four credentials with a 25-point win.
• Keilor Thunder 91 def. Geelong United 75
  Keilor completed a strong round with a second win.
• Sandringham Sabres 112 def. Mt Gambier Pioneers 99
  Sandringham produced a 112-point response against Mt Gambier.
• Nunawading Spectres 102 def. Diamond Valley Eagles 80
  Nunawading backed up the Frankston win with another strong result.
• Dandenong Rangers 98 def. Waverley Falcons 85
  Dandenong split the round with a Sunday response.

Watchlist – Round 6

• Frankston vs Keilor – top-eight pressure game
• Dandenong vs Kilsyth – finals positioning test
• Casey vs Sandringham – mid-table separation game
• Mt Gambier vs Hobart – road-trip measuring stick