East Spotlight | Bears lock down Gunners in Q4

Featured image: Aaron Camua | @aaron.camua

The Canberra Gunners were right on track to avoid a fifth straight NBL1 East loss as reigning champs until a five-point fourth quarter with the Norths Bears retaining top spot winning 81-70 having welcomed in Hunter Goodrick.

The Bears arrived at Southern Cross Stadium still in top spot despite last week's loss to the Bankstown Bruins with the Gunners back home having lost their past four to just be clinging to a place inside the top eight.

The Gunners then led for the large majority of the opening three quarters including by six points at quarter-time, by five at half-time and four at three quarter-time, but from there it was all the Bears.

Norths had 20 points to five in the fourth quarter with the Gunners only shooting 2/18 in the final 10 minutes for the Bears to win by 11 to stay in top spot at 14-3 while Canberra are now 10-8 with the five consecutive defeats.

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Eventually the Bears wore the Gunners down and thanks to that dominant fourth quarter ended up attempting five extra shots for the game and 11 more free throws on the back collecting 18 offensive rebounds to seven.

Norths retained top spot with the win Melbourne United NBL big man Fabijan Krslovic starring with 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists with 7/7 free-throw shooting.

Iggy Mitchell added 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals with 3/5 three-point shooting with Bailey Hanson contributing 14 points and three boards, and Lachlan Bofinger 13 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

Hunter Goodrick was also into the line-up for the first time this season on the back of winning an NBL championship with the Sydney Kings. He played 10 points and 13 rebounds in 22 minutes.

Canberra are now in real jeopardy of missing the finals as reigning champs despite DJ Hoskins top scoring with 25 points with two assists.

Will Mayfield added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, James Toohey seven points, Will Rice seven points and three boards, and Ed Bigg-Wither six points and four rebounds.

Canberra couldn’t afford to keep losing or are at risking of missing the playoffs as defending champions while the Bears also needed to avoid consecutive losses or risk conceding top spot setting up the Saturday match up.

Norths were up by five early before Canberra responded with a 9-0 run on the way to the 26-20 lead by quarter-time on the back of going 5/12 from beyond the arc to 1/6.

Canberra's lead then grew to nine points in the second period and by half-time they were still on top 46-41 with DJ Hoskins having points and Will Mayfield 11 with them shooting 8/19 still from downtown to the 3/16 from the Bears.

It remained a tight contest through the third quarter and with Hoskins adding another nine points, it was the Gunners clinging to the 65-61 advantage by three quarter-time.

It was then a total domination from the Bears in the fourth stanza with 20 points to five on the back of holding the Gunners to juts 2/18 shooting and 1/8 from beyond the arc to turn that four-point deficit into the 11-point victory.

The Gunners now finish their season away to the Albury Wodonga Bandits next Saturday and the Sydney Comets the following week.

The Bears have a double next weekend against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles on Friday night and then the Inner West Bulls on Saturday.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

CANBERRA GUNNERS 70 (Hoskins 25, Mayfield 13, Rice 7, Toohey 7)

NORTHS BEARS 81 (Krslovic 18, Mitchell 16, Hanson 14)