Men cement top two finish

THE OneFortyOne Mount Gambier Pioneers Women are certainly going down swinging in the 2025 NBL1 South season, throwing everything at the Bendigo Braves in their Friday night Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre clash before falling three points short, 65-68.

Both teams had no hope of a last minute play off berth and were playing for pride.

Neither side had a hot hand in the opening quarter, indeed the opening half, and it was the visitors by two at the first change and it was a one point game at the half, in favour of the Braves.

Conversion from both teams improved in the second half and it was the Braves who held a seven point three quarter time lead, extending to that to a game high 12 points in the last before the fast finishing Pioneers made a run before falling three points shy.

Skipper Isa Brancatisano finished with 19 points, 20 rebounds and three assists for the Pioneers with contributions from Mackenzie Burke, who had 15 points and five rebounds, Chloe Hildebrand 11 points and three boards, and Keryl Ousey (pictured below) eight points, four rebounds and two assists.

The girls backed up to take on the Nunawading Spectres on Saturday night in what was another arm wrestle.

The visitors took a four point in the lead into the first change and it was three at the half but with a play off spot still part of the equation for the Spectres, they were always going to step it up and that’s exactly what they did in the third.

The visitors won the quarter by 10 with the Pioneers again struggling with an inability to nail their scoring opportunities.

Brancatisano once again topped the scoring for Mount Gambier with 16 points to go with 18 rebounds, six assists and three steals, while Maddy Timms also had 10 points, four rebounds and three steals, and Cat MacGregor eight points, seven boards and three assists.

Things were a lot easier for the Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers Men who easily accounted for the Braves on Friday night and then outlasted the Spectres in a tight one on Saturday night.

The two home court victories saw the Pioneers cement their top two position in the NBL1 South standings.

It was clear the home side meant business from the get-go, starting the game with a 12-0 run and by quarter time, thanks to some stunning conversion from the floor, they led by 11 points.

That advantage was extended to 18 points in the second and then simply continued to grow to that 38 point final whistle buffer.

In what was an even performance from the Pioneers, Joe Palmer (pictured top right) delivered 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Akech Aliir (pictured right inset) had 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks, Robinson 12 points, 14 boards, three steals, three blocks and two assists, Austin Shelley 12 points, three rebounds and three steals, and Alex Mudronja nine points, eight boards and six assists.

It was the Allir show on Saturday night as the rising star put up 31 points as the Pioneers made it five on the bounce as the play offs fast approach.

The first half was a genuine arm wrestle with the visitors leading by three at the first change and that same margin at the half before scores were all tied up heading into the last.

The Pioneers worked their way to a nine point lead late in the final quarter, holding on for that six point victory.

Aliir added 11 rebounds and two assists to his 31 points on 13/25 shooting from the floor, while Mudronja recorded 18 points, six assists and four rebounds, Robinson 17 points, seven boards and two assists, and Palmer 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

RESULTS

WOMEN

Bendigo Braves 68 (Porchia 21, Harvey 14, McLean 14) d Mount Gambier Pioneers 65 (Brancatisano 19, Burke 15, Hildebrand 11); Nunawading Spectres 65 (Snyder 13, Antoniadou 13, Dut 11) d Mount Gambier Pioneers 53 (Brancatisano 16, Timms 10, MacGregor 8)

MEN

Mount Gambier Pioneers 89 (Palmer 19, Aliir 17, Robinson 12, Shelley 12) d Bendigo Braves 51 (Diing 18, Murphy 10, O’Brien 6); Mount Gambier Pioneers 92 (Aliir 31, Mudronja 18, Robinson 17) d Nunawading Spectres 86 (Mack II 22, Devers 20, D’Angelo 17)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF @andrew_scherer / DLNQNT PHOTOGRAPHY & @3pointphotography