East Spotlight | Falcons consolidate home final hold

Featured image: Kye Santarossa | @kye.santarossa

The Newcastle Falcons are building nicely towards the NBL1 East playoffs with Saffron Shiels still to come in who was on the bench as they beat the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders 74-46 on Sunday.

The Falcons were back home at Newcastle Basketball Stadium having won three straight including a 40-point win the previous night against the Central Coast Crusaders to stay solid in fifth position.

Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai were still in a playoffs position despite Friday night's eight-point loss to the Sydney Comets, but right from the outset on Sunday and the Falcons took control.

Newcastle were already leading 25-14 by quarter-time and then 43-23 by half-time with Kate Kingham already having 17 points.

The Falcons converted that into the 28-point victory to stay fifth at 13-6 while the Spiders are just clinging to eighth position at 10-9 with just one game to go to lock in a finals spot next Saturday at home to the Bankstown Bruins.

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It was a monster win for Newcastle as they consolidate fifth position finishing up shooting 40 per cent from the field to 25 along with 10/29 from the outside to 3/28 and collecting 12 offensive rebounds to 10, and forcing the Spiders into 17 turnovers.

Newcastle kept their winning form going on the back Kate Kingham hitting 6/11 from beyond the arc for 24 points and two rebounds.

Meg Jefferson also provided 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, Sophie Brennan 12 points, five boards and four assists, and three-time MVP Nicole Munger six points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals after just re-signing at the UC Capitals for WNBL27.

Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai were always up against it without Jessie-May Hall, Ruby Perkins and Elizajane Loader to now have lost twice this weekend to now only be just clinging to eighth place.

Ay'Anna Bey top scored with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists, Kristina Moore 12 points, 10 boards and two assists, and Laya Hartman six points and three rebounds

Both teams had already played this weekend with Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai losing back on Friday night to the Sydney Comets while Newcastle had a big win on the road on Saturday over the Central Coast Crusaders.

It was a flying start from Newcastle who need to keep winning to stay locking into hosting a home final and they were already leading by 15 points in the first quarter and 25-14 by quarter-time.

The Falcons went 4/7 from the outside to 1/6 from the Spiders with Kate Kingham having 11 points, and Mia Heide along with Sophie Brennan seven each.

Newcastle had another 18 points to nine in the second quarter while holding Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai to 3/13 shooting and that saw the Falcons head into half-time well in control leading 43-323 with 7/14 three-point shooting to 1/13.

It was then just 13 points apiece in the third quarter and then Newcastle had another 18 to 10 in the fourth on their way to the 28-point win to make it a double win weekend and further consolidate themselves in fifth position.

Newcastle now finish their season away to the Maitland Mustangs on Saturday night while Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai are at home to the Bankstown Bruins.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

NEWCASTLE FALCONS 74 (Kingham 24, Jefferson 17, Brennan 12)

HORNSBY KU-RING-GAI SPIDERS 46 (Bey 15, Moore 12, Hartman 6)