NBL1 Women vs Hobart Huskies
Frankston have recorded a gutsy win against a determined Hobart to snap a two-game losing streak at the Frankston Basketball Stadium.
With the Huskies on a four-game slide of their own, both sides came into this one desperate for a win as they traded baskets throughout the opening half. With neither side willing to give an inch, Frankston went into the half-time break with a four-point edge.
But with the match on a knife’s edge, the Blues came out of the break and blew the Huskies out of the water with a 30-15 third quarter that featured a 17-4 Blues run smattered with Stephanie Reid jump shots.
Teammates Sharna Thompson (20 points) and Nikki Greene (12 points, 6/7 field goals) provided some resistance with the tide against Hobart in the third.
Reid led the Blues with 20 points as her side maintained their 19-point three-quarter time lead to run out 94-75 winners.
Reid, JoAnna Smith (16 points) and Shereesha Richards (13 points, 9 rebounds) handled the bulk of the scoring for Frankston, but it was bench scoring that proved the difference between the clubs.
Thompson, Green, Ellie Collins (16 points) and Tayla Roberts (16 points) all scored in double digits for Hobart, but the Huskies bench could only muster five points compared to 26 from the Frankston secondary unit.
With the win, Frankston improve to 3-7 while Hobart take a hit to their pursuit of 50%, slipping to 4-6 ahead of their Sunday afternoon matchup with Eltham.
NBL1 Men vs Hobart Huskies
Hobart have pulled off a stunning come-from-behind win to overrun Frankston 104-100 in double-overtime.
The Huskies travelled to Frankston Basketball Stadium full of moxy on a three-win streak, while the Blues boasted a four-game winning streak.
Both sides came out brimming with confidence, with open scoring a feature of the first half. Damon Bozeman (32 points) got off to a hot start that would continue throughout as he looked to shoulder the scoring burden for the Blues.
Bozeman duelled with Tad Dufelmeier (30 points, eight rebounds, five assists) and Jacob Richards (26 points) in the first half, before pulling away with an 18-10 third quarter saw Frankston hold a nine-point lead heading into the final period.
But just when Hobart looked defeated, a quickfire 11-4 run had the Huskies within touching distance midway through the fourth, before Dufelmeier’s jump shot knotted the scores at 73 with three minutes to play.
With scores tied headed into the final minute, a crazy passage of play saw a Bozeman shooting foul compounded by a technical on the Blues’ bench, sending Zachary White (14 points, nine rebounds, five assists) to the line to knock down four clutch free throws to put the Huskies up four.
Following a Lachlan Barker (10 points) layup and a missed free throw from Jalen Adams who was immediately fouled after the basket, Igor Hadziomerovic (25 points) stepped up to the plate to knock down an ice-cold three-pointer with four seconds remaining to force overtime.
After leading for the entire five minutes of OT, Hobart again looked to have buried the Blues when Dufelmeier knocked down both free throws on a trip to the line that gave the Huskies a three-point lead with 12 seconds remaining.
However, Hadziomerovic showed all present on Saturday night that he is a primary carrier of the clutch gene, when he unbelievably drained another huge three-point bucket to force double-OT.
As the second additional period wound down, the stage looked set for Hadziomerovic when Dufelmeier again knocked down two free throws to give Hobart a two-point lead with 22 seconds remaining.
However inexplicably this time it was Daniel Trist’s number called, who couldn’t get a tough layup to go, with Richards adding another two free throws from the resulting foul to seal an amazing road victory for the Huskies.
Hobart have now won their last four and find themselves back level at 5-5 after a horror start to the season.
NBL1 Women vs Ringwood Hawks
The Blues’ first quarter set the tone for their 86-66 road win over the Hawks at The Rings on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors scored 22 of the game’s opening 30 points, building themselves a 14-point buffer at quarter time.
Frankston led by as many as 22 in the contest early in the third after keeping Ringwood at bay all afternoon, cruising to their 20-point win.
Stephanie Reid led the way for the visitors with 21 points and four assists, while Saraid Taylor added 15 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
Cassidy Mihalko (18 points, eight rebounds) and Megan Mullings (16 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks) led the way for the hosts, but didn’t have enough help from their teammates in order to keep themselves in the game.
The Blues are now 4-7 on the season, while the Hawks lost just their third game of the season to move to 7-3.
NBL1 Men vs Ringwood Hawks
Damon Bozeman’s pair of free throws with just six seconds remaining proved to be the match-winning points, as the Blues held off the Hawks at The Rings on Sunday afternoon.
Joey Miller had a mid-range look to give Ringwood the win on the buzzer, but his shot just rimmed out as the Blues held on for their fourth win from their past five starts.
Bozeman would finish with 28 points, nine rebounds, seven assists for the visitors, while Najeal Young added 19 points and six rebounds.
For the hosts, Jacob Gibson had a monster night with 32 points including five triples, while adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Frankston led by as many as 18 points during the second term, before Ringwood chipped away at the margin for the entire second half before taking a lead in the final minute.
However, it wasn’t to be for the hosts, who move to 3-7 on the season, while Frankston are 6-5.