Sharks Devour Panthers Behind Panousis' 29

The Sutherland Sharks defeated the Penrith Panthers 94-70 on Saturday evening at Sutherland Basketball Stadium. The Sharks were led by a standout performance from Vanessa Panousis, who poured in 29 points on an efficient 43 percent shooting, including five triples. Sutherland's ball movement was exceptional, dishing out 20 assists to Penrith's 11, with Olivia White contributing six helpers. The Sharks dominated the glass, pulling down 52 boards (22 offensive) which led to 23 second-chance points. Their defensive pressure was relentless, forcing 22 turnovers and converting them into 14 points. Penrith struggled to maintain possession, committing nearly twice as many turnovers as assists. Despite the loss, Tahlia Tupaea delivered an impressive 33-point performance on 53 percent shooting, including 6-of-10 from outside. Rhiannon Pope added nine points and grabbed nine rebounds, but shot just 14 percent from the charity stripe. The Panthers struggled to get contributions from their bench, scoring only three points from non-starters. **SUTHERLAND SHARKS 94 (Vanessa Panousis 29, Emily Garland 15, Jordyn Dewhurst 11).** **PENRITH PANTHERS 70 (Tahlia Tupaea 33, Chloe Williams 15, Rhiannon Pope 9).**