Tough home victories

A stunning opening quarter set up the OneFortyOne Mount Gambier Pioneers women fifth consecutive win as their start to the 2024 NBL1 season continues unblemished.

Hosting the winless Launceston Tornadoes, the home team went on a 13-0 scoring run to end up leading 31-13 by quarter time and then remained in control the rest of the evening to finish up with a 79-63 victory.

On their home court at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre the girls got the lead out to 25 in the third and 30 in the last before the final 16 point margin.

Isabella Brancatisano produced a dominant display for the Pioneers with 19 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and four steals with Zitina Aokuso adding 16 points, six assists, five rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

Haliegh Reinoehl also finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, Samantha Fatkin 13 points and six boards, and Zoe Hurley seven points, seven boards and three assists.

The Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers men had to dig deep and come from behind to overcome the North West Tasmania Thunder for the 91-84 home win on April 19.

The Thunder made a blistering start too opening up an 11-point lead in the first quarter and still being on top 28-19 by the end of one.

The Pioneers were able to turn the tide in the second frame outscoring the visitors 26 points to 16 to hold a narrow 45-44 advantage heading into half-time.

While the home side were able to open up a 10-point edge in the third quarter, the Thunder kept on coming and even regained the lead early in the final period on the back of a three-pointer from Tre Armstrong.

Akech Aliir continued his huge night for the Pioneers, though, to regain the lead for his team and they would hold on to that the rest of the way to end up winning by seven and improve to 4-1 on the season.

Even though North West finished the night taking 32 more field goal attempts than Mount Gambier on the back of pulling down 30 offensive rebounds to seven, it was the shooting of the Pioneers that was the difference.

Mount Gambier ended up shooting 57 per cent from the field opposed to the 37 per cent from the Thunder.

Akech Aliir ended the night with 30 points and seven rebounds for the Pioneers on 12/18 shooting from the field with Nick Marshall contributing 21 points, six boards and six assists.

Christian Peevy added 12 points and seven rebounds, Austin Shelley 10 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals, and Dylan Marshall 11 points, four assists and three steals.

RESULTS

Mount Gambier Pioneers 79 (Brancatisano 19, Aokuso 16, Reinoehl 14) d Launceston Tornadoes 63 (Oliver 20, McDonald 14, O’Neill 10)

Mount Gambier Pioneers 91 (Aliir 30, N Marshall 21, Peevy 12) d North West Tasmania Thunder 84 (Armstrong 25, Sylla 17, Swalve 14)