Canberra Gunners are NBL1 East champions

MVP Todd Blanchfield (198-F/G-1991) did all he could for the Illawarra Hawks but the strong core of the Canberra Gunners delivered them a second NBL1 East championship in four years winning a Grand Final of wild swings 99-91. The two teams finished in the top two spots at the end of the regular season and both have game experience including Todd Blanchfield and Kobe McDowell-White (183-PG-2004) coming into this NBL1 East season fresh off being part of the Hawks' NBL25 triumph as well. Canberra are also no stranger to the big stage having won the championship back in 2022 before losing in a preliminary final in 2023 and then losing last year's Grand Final in heartbreaking fashion against the Maitland Mustangs. Both teams ended the regular season with 15-5 records before the Hawks won into the Grand Final by beating the Sydney Comets and the Centre of Excellence. Canberra also advanced by beating the Centre of Excellence and the Sutherland Sharks when they produced a miraculous fightback to do so. Canberra did manage to open up a lead as much as six points in the first quarter and still by quarter-time were on top 29-26 even with the Hawks knocking down 5/12 from long-range. Again the Gunners pushed out to a six-point advantage in the second frame but the Hawks were able to hit back too with Canberra's lead just 49-46 by half-time with them shooting 19/41 from the field to 15/37 to the Hawks but 3/14 from three-point land to the 9/24 from Illawarra. It was Illawarra's turn to grab the momentum during the third quarter and not only did they grab the lead, but went on with it to open up an eight-point advantage after both Kobe McDowell-White and Todd Blanchfield knocked down three-point bombs. The momentum swings continued and Canberra got rolling again just before three quarter-time and were back in front when William Mayfield (F-2000) knocked down his own three-pointer. By three quarter-time it was still Canberra leading by a solitary point and it would turn out to be the most dramatic of final quarters with the championship up for grabs. Just as Canberra threatened to go on with the job with a six-point lead early in the final term, Lachlan Dent landed a three-pointer for Illawarra before Blanchfield scored inside and suddenly scores were tied once more. Christian Maran put them in front at the foul line but Glenn Morison answered up the other end for Canberra before Blanchfield hit two at the line, and then Derek Emelifeonwu (190-G-2000, college: Walsh) brought the Gunners back level in response. Blanchfield put Illawarra up three landing another from downtown and that championship was getting closer for the Hawks when McDowell-White put them up five with four minutes to go. But Emelifeonwu answered for Canberra and then Defensive Player of the Year Mayfield scored going to the hoop to return the Gunners to the lead with two minutes on the clock. Maran and Mayfield then traded buckets but it was the Canberra veterans who delivered when it mattered most to decide the championship with Morison scoring strongly on the inside and then James Toohey landed the biggest shot of the game with a triple. That gave Canberra the five-point lead with 45 seconds to go and was enough to end up securing the eight-point victory and for the Gunners to make it two championships in the last four years to go with the triumph from back in 2022. Derek Emelifeonwu was named Grand Final MVP in the championship triumph for Canberra having finished with 28 points, four rebounds and three assists with 4/10 three-point shooting. And as impressive and important as he was, it was that tried and trusted core group with the Gunners that ended up having a massive say in their championship triumph. Glenn Morison was the best big man in the Grand Final and finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds and two assists on 11/19 shooting while James Toohey added 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and William Mayfield nine points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals. In the end, Peter Herak did a terrific job as coach leading his Gunners team to another championship and now they will get to remain at home for the National Finals in two weeks' time. The Hawks went ever so close to adding an NBL1 East championship to an NBL title in the same year with MVP and 441-game NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield finishing with 29 points, 14 rebounds and two assists with 5/16 three-point shooting but going 10/11 at the foul line. Kobe McDowell-White added 18 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals, Lachlan Dent 15 points, six assists and two boards, Christian Maran 15 points and three rebounds, and Matthew Mims nine points, four boards and two steals.
Courtesy of: nbl1.com.au