Bofinger credits Bears for breakout season

Featured image: Aaron Camua | @aaron.camua

Lachie Bofinger is having a breakout NBL1 East season averaging a double double but he credits Norths Bears coach Tom Garlepp and teammates including NBL champions Fabijan Krslovic and Hunter Goodrick ahead of a huge and rare Friday night match up.

After seven years away firstly at Montverde Academy and then in college at The University of Texas San Antonio and finally Saint Mary's University Texas, Bofinger was excited to return home to the Bears in 2025 to play under coach Garlepp once more.

What he was unaware of was how far the league had grown in his absence having transformed into the NBL1 East or how far Norths have come, but now he couldn’t be more excited to be part of it.

He had a solid first season in 2025 and now has grown in leaps and bounds in 2026 putting up 17.5 points and 10.1 rebounds a game while shooting at 53 per cent from the field.

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As a result Bofinger has become a key reason why Norths currently sit in second position in the NBL1 East with a 14-3 record, but he can't wait now for a rare Friday night game in the penultimate round this weekend.

It's the lone regular season meeting for the Bears with old foes the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles who are in third place just behind the Bears at 13-5 raising the stakes for the Friday night battle at The Cave.

"Last time we played was the finals last year and we managed to beat them at home which was nice so hopefully we can do it again," Bofinger said.

"We didn’t play them earlier in the year but we're lucky enough to have this home game against them and of course we've been looking forward to playing them again all year.

"I've been looking forward to this one all season really and especially this week now that it's here to get ready to play against Manly, our rivals, it's going to be a big one. It's starting to amp up now and I'm getting really excited for it for sure."

Plenty at stake on Friday night

Not only is it always a big game any time the Bears play the Sea Eagles, but there's plenty at stake this time around as well with Norths a chance to secure a top two finish with the win while if Manly Warringah prevail, it sets up a fascinating last round.

It's the first time the teams have met since the Bears ended the Sea Eagles' season last year in the quarter finals and Bofinger can't wait to resume hostilities.

"It's a massive game for both teams and even though there's a lot riding on it in terms of top two, I think me and the boys are just going to approach it like every other game," Bofinger said.

"We just want to get better and keep building, and stay together. If that means that we come out with the win then that's awesome, but if not we're still going to be alright and we'll be just as ready to go when it comes finals time."

How well this season is going

As for this season as a with the Bears having three games left in their regular season over the last two weeks, Bofinger couldn’t be happier with what they are building.

After losing to the Centre of Excellence in the semi finals last year, the Bears have kept much of that squad together while adding in Fabijan Krslovic with someone like Bailey Hanson has continued to take giant leaps forward.

After going 12-8 in 2025, they have improved so far to be 14-3 and at the very least guaranteed of a top four finish but top spot is still within reach.

Bofinger couldn’t be happier with what they are building.

"It's been awesome and we have a very similar team to last year and I think we're just building off that initial foundation," Bofinger said.

"A lot of the boys have been playing together for years and years so we've been thrilled with how it's going, but it hasn’t come easy and it's definitely something that we had to earn. I think we're all really proud of ourselves but also at the same time knowing the job's not done yet.

"We're looking towards the future and hopefully this season can be the foundation for the one and after and hopefully we can get a whole thing going, and just continue to build the association."

Playing alongside an NBL veteran

One new addition for the Bears in 2026 has been 234-game NBL veteran and championship winner Fabijan Krslovic but he's no stranger to Norths.

He has returned to where it all began for him before his time in college at the University of Montana, and now playing in the NBL at the Cairns Taipans, Tasmania JackJumpers and Melbourne United since.

Bofinger can't speak more highly of what it's been like to be able to call him a teammate.

"It's been unreal and he's a great leader and obviously an NBL veteran so I've been personally learning a lot from him along with the rest of the team," Bofinger said.

"We all take nuggets from everything he says and obviously he's just an amazing player at the same time. He can stretch the floor and he's a great rebounder and defender so he's very invaluable to us and I'm very glad that he made the decision to come home."

Welcoming back an NBL champion

Speaking of NBL champions, another Bears product is now back in the line-up just in time for finals with Hunter Goodrick returning in last Saturday's win over the Canberra Gunners with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

He earned himself an NBL opportunity following a standout 2025 season with Norths and went on to win a championship at the Sydney Kings and now Bofinger is delighted he's back in time for finals.

"He's way too humble for anything like that (showing off ring) but it has been great to have him back," Bofinger said.

"He has such a presence and you know, he makes us better just the way he dominates. Teams have to collapse on him and they have to go double team him and I'm pretty sure he got quadruple teamed by Canberra a times by Canberra last week in his first game back.

"It opens things up for the rest of the team so he's going to be huge for us the rest of the way."

Norths organisation being fun to be part of

Not only is Bofinger excited to be part of what the Bears men's team are currently building, but also the feeling around the whole organisation couldn’t be better with the women's team under Renae Garlepp also currently undefeated ahead of their clash with the reigning champions on Friday.

"It's awesome and the thing about Norths is that it really starts from the top down and Eric (Stephens) is a huge supporter of us, and the whole staff faculty are all great supporters, and get around it," Bofinger said.

"Then down to Tom and Renae the coaches, obviously they're together and they're massive for us and really do care about us and the club.

"So I think everyone feels super comfortable playing for them and they instil a lot of confidence in us so everyone's super happy to be around.

"There's not one person that I could talk bad about on either team and they've done a great job of recruiting and the whole organisation is doing really well at the moment."

Coming to the Bears after college

When Bofinger was ready to return home to Sydney after his extended stint over in Texas, he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do with basketball or even what to expect from the NBL1 scene.

But it didn’t take long after speaking to coach Garlepp that he was back on board with Norths and he never has looked back.

"College was a great experience for me and I had the best time ever over there in the States, but when I was over there I wasn’t really thinking about what I was going to do next," Bofinger said.

"I also was gone for seven years so the NBL1 wasn’t even around and I think it was the ABA when I left so I wasn’t even really aware of what was going on and how much the league had grown.

"So when I got the call from Tommy about coming back from Norths after I finished my last season, it was basically like a done deal from then on and was set in stone.

"If the league had grown so much and with Tommy coaching who had coached me previously so I had already a good relationship with him, it was always going to be Norths for sure."

Happy with growth of own game

Bofinger didn’t see a whole lot of court time in his time at UTSA, but by the time he got to Saint Mary's Texas he put up 11.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in 2023/24, and 13.3 points and 9.7 boards in 2024/25.

Then upon returning home, he put up 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in a solid first season with the Bears in 2025 which has skyrocketed to the 17.5 points and 10.1 rebounds in over 28 minutes in 2026.

He couldn’t be happier with the growth in his game, but is thankful for the help and support to get to this point.

"Once again it stems from how comfortable I feel with Norths and with Tommy as coach and all my teammates, and they've just allowed me to feel confident," Bofinger said.

"I think that's sort of been part of the reason why I've been able to play so well and definitely if I didn’t have the same teammates and coach, it wouldn’t be the same story.

"I really do owe it all to them and they've done such a great job and have just made it super easy for me so I'm very grateful."