Double delight

The OneFortyOne Mount Gambier Pioneers women maintained their hold on top spot in the NBL1 South with the 80-63 home victory against the Nunawading Spectres.

Back at home after a split road double, the girls started well to be leading by six points at quarter time and then went on with the job from there to open up a 15-point advantage in the second term, and to go into half-time on top 49-34.

The lead kept growing through the second half as well with Mount Gambier ending up leading by 20 points in the third quarter, and 21 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 17-point triumph.

The Pioneers improve to an 8-1 record on the season as a result of the win with Haliegh Reinoehl (inset) delivering 24 points, 15 rebounds and two assists on 10/17 shooting from the floor.

Isa Brancatisano added 20 points, four rebounds and four assists, Zitina Aokuso 12 points, four boards, four assists and two steals, and Sherria Calleia 12 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers men dominated the second half to set up the eventual 96-78 home court victory over the Nunawading Spectres.

Mount Gambier came into Round 6 of the NBL1 South in top spot having won their last two games while Nunawading were attempting to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Diamond Valley Eagles.

It was a tight game for the opening three quarters with no more than seven points separating the two teams with Nunawading leading by a point after one, and then scores being all square by half-time.

Both teams had their time in front in the third quarter as well before Mount Gambier went into three quarter-time leading by six, and then it was all the Pioneers in the final term.

Mount Gambier outscored Nunawading 27 points to 15 to secure the 18-point home win to improve to 7-2 on the season and remain in top spot on the NBL1 South table.

Nick Marshall (main photo) produced a huge night in the win for the Pioneers finishing with 34 points, nine assists and seven rebounds on 13/16 shooting from the floor and 6/7 from three-point territory.

Dylan Marshall also had 17 points and two rebounds on 5/9 three-point shooting while Austin Shelley contributed 16 points and three assists, Titus Robinson 11 points, three boards and two assists, and Akech Aliir 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The Pioneers teams hit the road again this weekend.

RESULTS

Mount Gambier Pioneers 80 (Reinoehl 24, Brancatisano 20, Aokuso 12, Calleia 12) d Nunawading Spectres 63 (Antoniadou 13, Feller 11, Kennedy-Hopoate 7)

Mount Gambier Pioneers 96 (N Marshall 34, D Marshall 17, Shelley 16) d Nunwading Spectres 78 (D’Angelo 19, Gandolfo 17, Johnson 14)