10
Aug
South Prelim Finals
Mitch 'McCarries' Eltham into Grand Final showdown
Eltham Wildcats Mitch McCarron. Photo: Ian Knight Photography
Highlights
Three of the four NBL1 South preliminary finals were decided inside the final 30 seconds of play.
- Knox won by two on a jump shot with seven seconds to play
- Eltham beat Nunawading in overtime after the sides finished level at 83
- All four eliminated clubs had a team-of-the-year player this season
Jack Purchase hit a three-pointer with one second on the clock and the Melbourne Tigers still lost, Frankston holding on 82-79 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Saturday, August 8, 2026 to reach the NBL1 South Grand Final.
It was the tamest of the four finishes.
Across two days, three of the four South preliminary finals were settled inside the last 30 seconds. One needed overtime. The four winners were Frankston, Eltham, Waverley and Knox, and every side that went out had a team-of-the-year player in it.
Frankston Blues 82 defeated Melbourne Tigers 79
Melbourne led by 11 at half-time after a 29-point second quarter, then scored 11 for the whole third.
Frankston won the last quarter 22-15.
Tom Wilson played all 40 minutes for the Tigers and finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, going 13-from-15 from the charity stripe. Purchase added 17 and George Blagojevic 13. All three were named in this season's NBL1 South teams of the year, Wilson in the first, Blagojevic and Purchase in the second.
It was not enough.
Dibaji Walker top-scored for Frankston with 19 on 6-from-10, Austin Shelley had 18 and Jeremy Combs 14 and eight rebounds. Captain Lucas Barker did not score, going 0-from-6, and still took eight rebounds and handed out three assists.
Frankston out-rebounded Melbourne 47-38 with 16 offensive boards to eight.
The finish was ugly and it was close. Walker missed both free throws with five seconds left that would have iced it. Jack Stanwix made two at 0:02. Purchase answered with a three at 0:01. Stanwix made one of two at the buzzer.
Eltham Wildcats 91 defeated Nunawading Spectres 89 in overtime
The sides finished level at 83 at Montmorency Secondary College.
Zak Cunningham carried Eltham with 28 points and 12 rebounds on 11-from-25, TJ Weeks scored 21, and Mitchell McCarron had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Benjamin Griscti answered with 24 points and 12 rebounds for Nunawading, going 5-from-7 from beyond the arc. Owen Lobsinger had 21 and 13.
Nunawading had the competition's Coach of the Year in Andrew Cutler and a first-team selection in Christian D'Angelo. D'Angelo went 4-from-17 for eight points.
McCarron scored the first basket of overtime and the one that put Eltham four clear at 89-85. Weeks made two free throws with 53 seconds left for 91-87. Griscti tipped one back in at 0:31.
Lobsinger missed a three with one second remaining.
Knox Raiders 80 defeated Sandringham Sabres 78
Madi Ryan scored 22 points on 8-from-11, made four of her five three-point attempts, and tied the game at 78 with a driving layup 26 seconds from the end.
Paige Bradley won it 19 seconds later.
The Knox captain hit a pull-up jump shot with seven seconds on the clock for her 20th point, and Sandringham did not score again. Bradley finished with 20 points, two rebounds and an assist.
Alicia Froling had 19 points and 13 rebounds for Knox, and Haliegh Reinoehl scored 13 on 4-from-5 with four free throws from four.
Sandringham led by seven at half-time after a 27-point second quarter, then managed 14 in the third.
Isis Lopes scored 20 for the Sabres on 8-from-9 from the line. Stephanie Reid played all 40 minutes for 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Sandringham shot 46.43 per cent for the night against Knox's 42.47 and lost by two, having attempted 17 fewer shots.
Waverley Falcons 70 defeated Diamond Valley Eagles 61
The only game not decided late.
Liana Kinkela scored 20 with eight rebounds on 9-from-15, Katelyn Shumate had 15 and Georgia Pineau 14. Captain Tayla Dalton had 11 points and eight assists.
Diamond Valley shot 30.14 per cent and made three of 25 attempts from three.
Abbey Ellis, a first-team selection this season, went 6-from-26 for 18 points. Alex Sharp had 13 and nine rebounds, and Shannon Dufficy 13, 10 and seven assists.
Waverley took three of the four quarters and led by nine at the end after scoring 20 in the last.
Both NBL1 South Grand Finals are on Saturday, August 15. The men's is Frankston against Eltham. The women's is Waverley against Knox.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Zak Cunningham (Eltham) - 28 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime win
- Tom Wilson (Melbourne) - 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists in all 40 minutes, and out
- Benjamin Griscti (Nunawading) - 24 points and 12 rebounds, 5-from-7 from three, and out
- Madison Ryan (Sandringham) - 22 points on 8-from-11, tied it with 26 seconds left, and lost
- Paige Bradley (Knox) - 20 points including the winner with seven seconds on the clock
- Liana Kinkela (Waverley) - 20 points and eight rebounds on 9-from-15
- Abbey Ellis (Diamond Valley) - 6-from-26 from the field for 18 points
- Lucas Barker (Frankston) - 0-from-6 for no points, with eight rebounds and three assists
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