East Finals | Sea Eagles set up clash with Bears

Jayda Jansen and Zoey Miller combined for 47 points and 10 assists as the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles set up the most sought after of NBL1 East preliminary finals with the Norths Bears by beating the Newcastle Falcons 90-78.

The two teams are lost two championship winners in the NBL1 East but only one of them would still be alive in 2026 after Sunday's match up at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre.

On the back of last year's championship triumph and then having a 26-game winning streak that ended up back on May 9 this year, the Sea Eagles still end this regular season in second position at 18-2 but had to bounce back from last week's loss to the Bankstown Bruins.

Newcastle won the championship back in 2024 before losing in the preliminary final last year to Manly Warringah and then the Falcons advanced to the semi finals by beating the Hills Hornets last week to advance.

The Sea Eagles then did have the better of the start with 24 points to 20 in the first quarter with Jayda Jansen having seven points and the home team shooting 9/17 from the field to the 8/17 from the Falcons along with 4/8 from the outside to 1/5.

Mia Heide was doing her best to keep Newcastle in touch with 10 points on 4/4 shooting with the rest of her team just managing 10 on 3/13.

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Manly Warringah pushed out to a double figure lead in the second quarter and then were still leading 39-32 by the half-time break and went into the locker room shooting 44 per cent to 38, and 5/16 from the outside to 1/7.

Newcastle did have 12 of the 16 free-throw attempts in the first half but they also had 10 turnovers and that was important in them being down seven despite the 12 points and 11 rebounds already from Heide.

The defending champions then took further control in the third quarter and had 25 points to 17 on the way to a 19-point lead and they were still on top 64-49 by three quarter-time with Zoey Miller up to 17 points while Jansen had 15.

Newcastle also had another six turnovers in the quarter with Manly Warringah's pressure working well and then even with Newcastle putting up 29 points in the last quarter with their season on the line, the Sea Eagles still wrapped up the 12-point victory.

What the win does for Manly Warringah is set up the mouth watering preliminary final against the Norths Bears on Saturday night as they renew their rivalry.

Jayda Jansen delivered 25 points, six rebounds and three steals for the Sea Eagles with Zoey Miller adding 22 points and nine assists on 3/4 shooting from the outside.

Alex Delaney also had 15 points and nine rebounds, Bree Delaney 14 points, three assists and three steals, and Kim Dickinson seven points, five rebounds and two assists.

It's the season now over for Newcastle eliminated for the second straight year by the Sea Eagles with triple MVP Nicole Munger delivering another 24 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Mia Heide also finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots with Sophie Brennan contributing 16 points and three boards, and Meg Jefferson nine points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | SEMI FINALS

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 90 (Jansen 25, Miller 22, A Delaney 15)

NEWCASTLE FALCONS 78 (Munger 24, Heide 22, Brennan 16)