NBLxNBL1 Player Watch (August 22)

By Dan Woods - NBL Media
Photo: Joshua Springfield

With NBL1 conferences across the country, NBL players are front and centre suiting up for various teams, with all the action live and free to watch on the NBL1 App and NBL1.com.au.

The number of active NBL players in this NBL1 clashes were few and far between this past weekend. As conferences progress deeper into the playoffs teams are beginning to fall left, right and centre.

Kouat Noi lived up to his word last week after stating he felt his USC Rip City side would dispose of Cairns to make the NBL1 North Grand Final.

Rip City cantered to a 27-point win with Noi once again proving why he was named the conference MVP a few weeks ago.

He was dominant with 32 points and 19 rebounds, while Wani Swaka Lo Buluk chipped in with eight points off the bench.

Ben Ayre was the leading source of resistance for the Marlins by putting up 24 points on 50 per cent shooting. Lay Mayen also performed strongly with 14 points.

Gold Coast dispatched Northside with consummate ease in the other NBL1 North semi-final, with Jason Cadee, DJ Mitchell and Tanner Krebs proving too strong for the Wizards.

Mitchell was an assassin with the ball in hand, dropping 35 points on over 66 per cent shooting. He also registered nine rebounds and two blocks.

Cadee was likely the man Mitchell had to thank for his high calibre looks, as the veteran guard finished with 13 assists. His penchant for passing the ball didn’t stop him impacting other areas of the game though – he also had 17 points and four steals.

Krebs also put together a remarkable game and managed to contribute well at both ends of the floor. He finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Keanu Pinder and Lual Diing playe starring roles in what was, ultimately, an unsuccessful effort for Northside.

Pinder finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Diing added 19 points of his own.

Mt Gambier and Hobart both secured Preliminary Final spots in NBL1 South, with Nick Marshall in particular impressing for the Pioneers.

Marshall has 18 points and 16 rebounds in his side’s 10-point win over Kilsyth.

Poor shooting was the major player in the Cobras' loss to the Pioneers, but Deng Deng impressed with 22 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Hobart’s win was led by a lethal two-pronged attack of Sam McDaniel and Jarred Bairstow, with the pair ably supported by versatile big man Harry Froling.

All three players registered double-doubles. Bairstow starred with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while McDaniel finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Froling had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Other strong performances came from Daniel Johnson in NBL1 Central and Iggy Mitchell in NBL1 East.

Johnson's 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists helped see his Forestville side into the Preliminary Final at the expense of Norwood.

Mitchell couldn't drag his Norths Bears side into the NBL1 East semi-finals, with his 21 points and eight rebounds not enough to get the job done against Illawarra.

Nick Marshall – Mt Gambier Pioneers (NBL1 South): 18 points, 16 rebounds v Kilsyth
Daniel Johnson – Forestville Eagles (NBL1 Central): 22 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists v Norwood
Anthony Drmic – Northside Wizards (NBL1 North): 11 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists v Gold Coast

Jason Cadee – Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North): 17 points, 13 assists, 4 steals v Northside
DJ Mitchell – Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North): 35 points, 9 rebounds v Northside
Tanner Krebs – Gold Coast Rollers (NBL1 North): 19 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals v Northside
Harry Froling – Hobart Chargers (NBL1 South): 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists v Sandringham
Kody Stattmann – Cairns Marlins (NBL1 North): 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals v Rip City
Lual Diing – Northside Wizards (NBL1 North): 19 points, 6 rebounds v Gold Coast

Ben Ayre – Cairns Marlins (NBL1 North): 24 points, 6 rebounds v Rip City
Majok Deng – Ipswich Force (NBL1 North): DNP
Keanu Pinder – Northside Wizards (NBL1 North): 27 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals v Gold Coast
Lat Mayen – Cairns Marlins (NBL1 North): 14 points, 6 rebounds

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk – USC Rip City (NBL1 North): 8 points, 2 steals v Cairns
Deng Deng – Kilsyth Cobras (NBL1 South): 22 points, 7 rebounds v Mt Gambier

David Barlow – Coaching Sandringham Sabres (NBL1 South): 3 points, 6 rebounds v Hobart
David Okwera – Sandringham Sabres (NBL1 South): 4 points, 6 rebounds v Hobart

Kyle Zunic – Warwick Senators (NBL1 West): 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals v Perry Lakes
Majok Majok – Warwick Senators (NBL1 West): 6 points, 5 rebounds v Perry Lakes
Mitch Clarke – Bendigo Braves (NBL1 South): 14 points, 4 rebounds v Knox

No players in action. 

Iggy Mitchell – Norths Bears (NBL1 East): 21 points, 8 rebounds v Illawarra
Kouat Noi – USC Rip City (NBL1 North): 32 points, 19 rebounds v Cairns

Sam McDaniel – Hobart Chargers (NBL1 South): 18 points, 10 rebounds v Sandringham
Jarred Bairstow – Hobart Chargers (NBL1 South): 18 points, 10 rebounds v Sandringham