SEABL Round 12: Thunder Lose Two Heart-Breakers while the Capitals Break Their Duck
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SEABL MEN Sitting atop the South Conference at the beginning of the round, the N/W Tasmania Thunder came crashing back to Earth with two heartbreaking losses to the Canberra Gunners and Brisbane Spartans. The round began with a 93-91 win for Canberra as Dan Jackson nailed a buzzer beater after his side trailed by as much as 13 points. A 29-18 fourth term stunned the Thunder with Matt Staff (22 points, 14 rebounds) and Garlon Green (22 and 8) leading the charge. N/W Tasmania shot 51% and had all five starters score 13+ but the win for Canberra keeps them only a win outside the South’s top four. Following that stunning loss, the Thunder finished two points short again on Saturday night, losing 82-84 after Nick Haywood missed on a game winning three. Scott Kenny’s season high 28 points proved the difference for Brisbane as N/W Tasmania was left to rue a +8 advantage in both offensive rebounds and second chance points. BJ Jenkins finished the round with an average of 25.5 points while Nathan Wilson (18.5 points, 8 rebounds) was solid but their second losing streak of the season is a blow to their championship hopes. A tough weekend for the Albury/Wodonga Bandits saw them lose two games against quality opposition in the Nunawading Spectres and Dandenong Rangers. The Spectres celebrated veteran Jason Todorov’s 300th game in style, winning every quarter in a 94-68 demolition. Their bench scored 39 points while Simon Conn had 20 points and 9 rebounds and Tommy Greer chipped in 8 and 14 (5 offensive). The win keeps Nunawading outright second in the East Conference. The following day saw the Bandits’ worst loss of the season, going down 77-111 while giving up 17 points off turnovers and 13 second chance points. Dandenong utilised their extensive bench with Lucas Barker (16 points) and Dwayne Campbell (10) damaging while Owen Odigie finished with a double-double of 15 and 10 rebounds. For Albury/Wodonga, Lamar Mallory’s 22 points was a season high and hopefully a promise of things to come while Alex Bogart-King had a superb weekend, averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.5 steals and a block. Dandenong’s victory came a night after they disposed of the Knox Raiders 94-74. Knox made the scoreline respectable with a 22-13 final quarter and Delwan Graham’s tireless efforts saw him keep up his double-double average with 14 points and 11 rebounds. But the killer combo of Daequon Montreal (31 points on 9-12 shooting) and Tony Lewis (21 points, 15 boards) proved too much for the Raiders and their two wins place them two games clear in the East Conference’s third spot. In a very tight South Conference, the Hobart Chargers have only themselves to blame after dropping out of the top four with two losses to the Mt. Gambier Pioneers and Kilsyth Cobras this weekend. They held an 8 point lead at half-time against Mt. Gambier but were out-scored 37-25 from that point to fall 77-81. Damian Johnson was all over the glass, grabbing 8 offensive boards to finish with 23 points and 14 rebounds while Brad Hill had 22 and 8 with 3 steals as the Pioneers stayed unbeaten at home (7-0). The Chargers were disappointing the following day, again leading at the main break before scoring just 27 second half points to lose 72-94. Deba George recorded 19 points against the Pioneers but had more turnovers than field goals against Kilsyth, hitting 3-14 for a season low 9 points. Khalil Hartwell (22 points, 9 rebounds) and Tom Wright (22 and 6 assists) made up for George’s forgettable day but Joel Naburgs (25 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists) helped Kilsyth cruise. It was a tougher task for the Cobras the previous night in their match-up against the Frankston Blues. Despite giving up 17 offensive rebounds, Kilsyth managed to hang on 73-69 with Kyle Adnam’s 7 points in the fourth quarter sealing the win. Adnam finished the weekend with a 16.5 point average, Naburgs averaged 22.5 and Tim Lang had a double-double average of 19.5 and 10 rebounds. Frankston received strong performances from Chuck Long (14 and 15) and Brandon Polk (19 and 12) but the loss puts them a game outside the South Conference top four while Kilsyth’s impressive weekend moves them to 10-5. One of the games of the year saw the Geelong Supercats just edge the Ballarat Miners, 97-95, in overtime. The Miners had to overcome a 3-24 start but they did take a late lead before Geelong’s Nick Owusu nailed a game-tying three at the siren. Owusu then scored 5 of his 10 points in the extra period as Ken Horton missed a long range shot on the buzzer. There were super performances across the board; Eric Gaff’s 23 points and 13 rebounds and Mike Mercer’s 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists led the Supercats while Roy Booker had 29 and Horton finished with 25 and 17 with 4 steals for Ballarat. However, the match was marred somewhat by injuries to both Mercer and Booker. Finally, a strong finish from the Sandringham Sabres saw them overcome the Bendigo Braves and convert an important South Conference win. Bendigo led by as much as 6 in the last period but the Sabres ended the game with a 23-10 run to win 82-75. The Braves grabbed 21 offensive boards but were wasteful from the three point line (4-21) and free throw line (11-24) with Zack Atkinson (18 points, 17 rebounds) providing the only highlights. Sandringham have moved within a win of the fourth placed Braves and Junior Hairston (16 and 15) looks to have found his groove.
SEABL Round 12: Thunder Lose Two Heart-Breakers while the Capitals Break Their Duck
SEABL Round 12: Thunder Lose Two…
SEABL Round 12: Thunder Lose Two Heart-Breakers while the Capitals Break Their Duck
SEABL MEN Sitting atop the South Conference at the beginning of the round, the N/W Tasmania Thunder came crashing back to Earth with two heartbreaking losses to the Canberra Gunners and Brisbane Spartans. The round began with a 93-91 win for Canberra as Dan Jackson nailed a buzzer beater after his side trailed by as much as 13 points. A 29-18 fourth term stunned the Thunder with Matt Staff (22 points, 14 rebounds) and Garlon Green (22 and 8) leading the charge. N/W Tasmania shot 51% and had all five starters score 13+ but the win for Canberra keeps them only a win outside the South’s top four. Following that stunning loss, the Thunder finished two points short again on Saturday night, losing 82-84 after Nick Haywood missed on a game winning three. Scott Kenny’s season high 28 points proved the difference for Brisbane as N/W Tasmania was left to rue a +8 advantage in both offensive rebounds and second chance points. BJ Jenkins finished the round with an average of 25.5 points while Nathan Wilson (18.5 points, 8 rebounds) was solid but their second losing streak of the season is a blow to their championship hopes. A tough weekend for the Albury/Wodonga Bandits saw them lose two games against quality opposition in the Nunawading Spectres and Dandenong Rangers. The Spectres celebrated veteran Jason Todorov’s 300th game in style, winning every quarter in a 94-68 demolition. Their bench scored 39 points while Simon Conn had 20 points and 9 rebounds and Tommy Greer chipped in 8 and 14 (5 offensive). The win keeps Nunawading outright second in the East Conference. The following day saw the Bandits’ worst loss of the season, going down 77-111 while giving up 17 points off turnovers and 13 second chance points. Dandenong utilised their extensive bench with Lucas Barker (16 points) and Dwayne Campbell (10) damaging while Owen Odigie finished with a double-double of 15 and 10 rebounds. For Albury/Wodonga, Lamar Mallory’s 22 points was a season high and hopefully a promise of things to come while Alex Bogart-King had a superb weekend, averaging 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.5 steals and a block. Dandenong’s victory came a night after they disposed of the Knox Raiders 94-74. Knox made the scoreline respectable with a 22-13 final quarter and Delwan Graham’s tireless efforts saw him keep up his double-double average with 14 points and 11 rebounds. But the killer combo of Daequon Montreal (31 points on 9-12 shooting) and Tony Lewis (21 points, 15 boards) proved too much for the Raiders and their two wins place them two games clear in the East Conference’s third spot. In a very tight South Conference, the Hobart Chargers have only themselves to blame after dropping out of the top four with two losses to the Mt. Gambier Pioneers and Kilsyth Cobras this weekend. They held an 8 point lead at half-time against Mt. Gambier but were out-scored 37-25 from that point to fall 77-81. Damian Johnson was all over the glass, grabbing 8 offensive boards to finish with 23 points and 14 rebounds while Brad Hill had 22 and 8 with 3 steals as the Pioneers stayed unbeaten at home (7-0). The Chargers were disappointing the following day, again leading at the main break before scoring just 27 second half points to lose 72-94. Deba George recorded 19 points against the Pioneers but had more turnovers than field goals against Kilsyth, hitting 3-14 for a season low 9 points. Khalil Hartwell (22 points, 9 rebounds) and Tom Wright (22 and 6 assists) made up for George’s forgettable day but Joel Naburgs (25 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists) helped Kilsyth cruise. It was a tougher task for the Cobras the previous night in their match-up against the Frankston Blues. Despite giving up 17 offensive rebounds, Kilsyth managed to hang on 73-69 with Kyle Adnam’s 7 points in the fourth quarter sealing the win. Adnam finished the weekend with a 16.5 point average, Naburgs averaged 22.5 and Tim Lang had a double-double average of 19.5 and 10 rebounds. Frankston received strong performances from Chuck Long (14 and 15) and Brandon Polk (19 and 12) but the loss puts them a game outside the South Conference top four while Kilsyth’s impressive weekend moves them to 10-5. One of the games of the year saw the Geelong Supercats just edge the Ballarat Miners, 97-95, in overtime. The Miners had to overcome a 3-24 start but they did take a late lead before Geelong’s Nick Owusu nailed a game-tying three at the siren. Owusu then scored 5 of his 10 points in the extra period as Ken Horton missed a long range shot on the buzzer. There were super performances across the board; Eric Gaff’s 23 points and 13 rebounds and Mike Mercer’s 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists led the Supercats while Roy Booker had 29 and Horton finished with 25 and 17 with 4 steals for Ballarat. However, the match was marred somewhat by injuries to both Mercer and Booker. Finally, a strong finish from the Sandringham Sabres saw them overcome the Bendigo Braves and convert an important South Conference win. Bendigo led by as much as 6 in the last period but the Sabres ended the game with a 23-10 run to win 82-75. The Braves grabbed 21 offensive boards but were wasteful from the three point line (4-21) and free throw line (11-24) with Zack Atkinson (18 points, 17 rebounds) providing the only highlights. Sandringham have moved within a win of the fourth placed Braves and Junior Hairston (16 and 15) looks to have found his groove.