One on One at the NBL1 National Finals

It’s the third year of the NBL1 National Finals and the NBL1’s General Manager, Dean Anglin discussed how the event has adapted, evolved and what may be in store for future years.

In 2019, when the NBL1 brand was first unveiled, it was the start of an attempt to unite basketball around Australia, for both Men and Women, under one banner. Since 2022, when the fifth state conference was added, the NBL1 has grown in terms of quality, coverage and reputation.

Each year, the winners of each conference come together, along with the defending champions, for the NBL1 National Finals, to crown a new National Champion for both Men’s and Women’s competitions. The 2024 National Finals, the third incarnation, was held this past weekend on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and was split across two venues for the first time.

Photo credit: NBL1

In the Women’s competition, the Waverley Falcons continued their hot streak to win their thirteenth straight game and add a National Championship to their South Conference title. They defeated a Bendigo Braves team trying to go back-to-back, but one that was missing two OIympians in Amy Atwell (Opals) and Ally Wilson (Gangurrus), while Meg McKay returned from a three-month absence at this event. Bec Cole of the Falcons and WNBL’s Southside Flyers took home MVP honours to add to this, her third title in just 6 months (WNBL, NBL1 South and now NBL1 National Champion).

On the Men’s side, it was the defending champion Knox Raiders (South Conference), who found some form at the right time, going on to defeat a Mackay Meteors (North) team that was missing three NBL players at the Nationals. One of them, in Luca Yates, was a late inclusion for the Championship game, but a determined second half comeback gave the Raiders back-to-back titles in a narrow win, as Melbourne United’s Kyle Bowen won the MVP.

Photo credit: NBL1

NBL1 General Manager, Dean Anglin, was kind enough to spend some time exclusively with the Pick and Roll at the UniSC Arena, just before those Championship Games tipped off on Sunday, to discuss the state of play of the league and the National Finals concept.