East Finals | CoE advance despite Lytle's 40

Featured image: @DiscoveryOne_Photography, Greg Francis

The Centre of Excellence remain a chance to reach a second straight NBL1 East Grand Final after withstanding 40 points from Emily Lytle to take charge in the fourth quarter and beat the Albury Wodonga Bandits 77-69.

The seasons of both the CoE and the Bandits went on the line at the Australian Institute of Sport with a place in a preliminary final against the Bankstown Bruins on the line.

The Centre of Excellence finished the regular season in fourth position and then played a first game in more than a month last week to open the finals when they fall short against the Norths Bears.

The Bandits ended up in fifth spot to close the regular season before beating the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders last week to set up the clash with the CoE in the semi finals.

The Centre of Excellence were back home and started the game on fire with a 10-0 run in the first quarter to already be leading 29-8 by the end of the first quarter.

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That lead got out to 22 points as well in the second frame in favour of the CoE but Albury Wodonga did work back into the contest led by Emily Lytle to cut the advantage of the home team back to 45-32 by half-time.

The Bandits continued to work back into the contest with another 22 points to 10 in the third quarter to be down one by three quarter-time, and then they had all the momentum when they hit the front with the first four points as well of the fourth term.

The Centre of Excellence responded with the next seven points including a triple from Aspen Crase and never surrendered the lead again to secure the eight-point win to keep their season alive and end the season of the Bandits.

Aspen Crase ended up top scoring for the Centre of Excellence with 15 points and three rebounds with Olivia Olechnowicz adding 14 points and six assists, Isabel Smith 14 points and four boards, and Jasmine Jones nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Albury Wodonga are now eliminated at the same stage they were last year by the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles after going just 36 per cent shooting from the field and 2/19 from downtown to be unable to take advantage of 23 offensive rebounds and an extra 10 foul shots.

Emily Lytle had a monster performance despite the loss for the Bandits ending up with 40 points, eight rebounds and three assists with 14/24 field goal shooting and going 11/11 at the free-throw line.

Unique Thompson added 16 points, 16 rebounds and four steals but then the rest of their teammates only combined for 13 points on 5/24 shooting.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | SEMI FINALS

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE 77 (Crase 15, Smith 14, Olechnowicz 14)

ALBURY WODONGA BANDITS 69 (Lytle 40, Thompson 16, McCowan 5)