17
May
East Men
Surgin' Spurgin's 29 points, nine boards lifts Sharks
Jason Spurgin shoots a free throw during Sutherland Sharks’ 111-94 win against Albury-Wodonga Bandits in the NBL1 East Men on May 16, 2026. Photo: captured_by_cammo_photography
Jason Spurgin and Lachlan Bofinger starred in major 2026 NBL1 East Men Round 7 wins.
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Norths Bears and Sutherland Sharks produced statement wins as the East Men finals race tightened in Round 7.
Norths continued their unbeaten run behind another efficient offensive performance, while Sutherland exploded offensively on the road to hand Albury-Wodonga another defeat.
The top end of the ladder continues separating through scoring depth, transition pressure and rebounding control, with Canberra, Norths, Centre of Excellence and Illawarra all building momentum heading deeper into the season.
What the Round Told Us
- Norths Bears continue looking like the league’s most complete team
- Sutherland’s offensive ceiling remains among the highest in the competition
- Albury-Wodonga’s backcourt can score but defensive consistency remains an issue
- Central Coast continues struggling defensively against top-tier offences
- The race for the middle playoff positions remains highly volatile
Game of the Round #1
Sutherland Sharks 111 def. Albury-Wodonga Bandits 94
Jason Spurgin dominated inside as Sutherland Sharks produced one of their best offensive performances of the season in a high-scoring road win over Albury-Wodonga.
Spurgin finished with 26 points and nine rebounds on 56.3% shooting while consistently punishing deep seals, offensive rebounds and early transition touches.
Bailey Macarthur added 18 points, while Lochlan Hutchison controlled tempo with 11 points, six assists and five steals.
The Sharks shot 52% from the field and generated efficient offence through interior scoring, finishing 33-from-53 on two-point attempts.
Lucas Walker added seven points on perfect perimeter shooting, while Luke Jamieson contributed 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
Sutherland also forced 22 Albury-Wodonga turnovers and repeatedly converted defensive pressure into transition offence throughout the opening three quarters.
The Bandits still generated strong offensive production from their primary scorers.
Lochlan Cummings finished with 27 points and nine assists, while Kevion Blaylock added 22 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Christian Cook contributed 20 points, but Albury-Wodonga struggled containing Sutherland’s pace and paint pressure for long stretches.
Game Snapshot
Quarter Scores: Albury-Wodonga 17-31, 27-29, 26-30, 24-21
Largest Lead: Sutherland +24
Game Context: Sutherland controlled the game through transition offence and interior efficiency
By the Numbers
- Jason Spurgin: 26 pts – 9 reb
- Lochlan Cummings: 27 pts – 9 ast
- Kevion Blaylock: 22 pts – 11 reb – 3 blk
- Sutherland: 62.3% 2PT – 14 steals
- Albury-Wodonga: 22 turnovers
Game of the Round #2
Norths Bears 107 def. Central Coast Crusaders 90
Lachlan Bofinger and Fabijan Krslovic powered Norths Bears to another dominant offensive performance as the league leaders improved to 11-0.
Bofinger finished with 27 points on 78.6% shooting while consistently scoring through cuts, transition finishes and deep post position.
Krslovic added 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in one of the most complete performances of the round.
Norths shot 52% from the field and controlled the paint throughout the night, finishing with 53 rebounds and 25 assists.
Ignatius Mitchell contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, while Robert Moore added 13 points on efficient shooting from the perimeter.
The Bears repeatedly punished Central Coast’s defensive rotations through ball movement and second-side actions, generating high-percentage looks across all four quarters.
Central Coast remained competitive offensively for stretches behind Haidyn Gunderson and Jamal Shoaib.
Gunderson scored 24 points on 66.7% shooting, while Shoaib added 19 points with five made threes.
Aaron Redhead contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, but Central Coast allowed 107 points and struggled defensively against Norths’ offensive balance.
Game Snapshot
Quarter Scores: Norths 30-19, 23-29, 24-29, 30-13
Largest Lead: Norths +20
Game Context: Norths separated late through rebounding control and offensive depth
By the Numbers
- Lachlan Bofinger: 27 pts on 78.6% shooting
- Fabijan Krslovic: 21 pts – 10 reb – 5 ast
- Haidyn Gunderson: 24 pts on 66.7% shooting
- Norths: 53 rebounds – 25 assists
- Central Coast: 53.3% FT
Other Results
- Centre of Excellence defeated Hills Hornets 88-69
- Illawarra Hawks defeated Penrith Panthers 94-84
- Inner West Bulls defeated Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Spiders 91-84
- Newcastle Falcons defeated Maitland Mustangs 81-73
- Canberra Gunners defeated Bankstown Bruins 96-92
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles defeated Sydney Comets 68-61
- Centre of Excellence defeated Penrith Panthers 91-72
Men’s Ladder – After Round 7
- Canberra Gunners – 8-0
- Norths Bears – 11-0
- Centre of Excellence – 9-1
- Illawarra Hawks – 8-1
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles – 9-1
- Inner West Bulls – 5-4
- Sydney Comets – 5-5
- Maitland Mustangs – 4-5
Watchlist – Round 8
- Norths Bears host Centre of Excellence in a genuine top-of-the-table clash
- Newcastle Falcons face Illawarra Hawks in a major top-five test
- Sydney Comets host Albury-Wodonga in a key middle-table matchup
- Sutherland Sharks meet Central Coast Crusaders looking to build momentum
Round 7 Questions
- Can anyone consistently score against Norths over four quarters?
- Is Sutherland’s offence good enough to climb into the top eight?
- Are Centre of Excellence emerging as the league’s most balanced team?
- Which middle-tier team can produce consistent defensive stops?
- Is the top five already separating from the rest of the competition?
