East Spotlight | Gunners open title defence in style

Featured image: @editedarchives 

The Canberra Gunners were pushed all the way by the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles with a big first up showing by Emmanuel Tshimanga, but their championship mettle was on show in NBL1 East season opening 80-75 win.

The Gunners come into the 2026 not only as the reigning NBL1 East champions but also fresh off winning the NBL1 National Finals where they secured that title in a brilliant atmosphere in Canberra to end 2025.

They started their championship defence on Saturday on the road to the Sea Eagles at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre.

They had to battle hard all evening only leading the Sea Eagles by four points at quarter-time, by five at the half and then eight at three quarter-time before it was just a one-point ball game with 30 seconds remaining.

However, the Gunners scored the last four points to secure the four-point win despite giving up 19 offensive rebounds to three.

Manly Warringah only managed seven points from those o-boards, though, with the Gunners having 17 fast break points to six, and shooting 42 per cent to 35, and 10/34 from downtown to 6/22.

Even without stalwart Glenn Morison, the Gunners proved too strong to open their championship defence with five players scoring in double-figures led by Will Mayfield with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Evan Wardlow added 14 points and four assists while Darnell Hoskins contributed 13 points and two steals having previously played in the NBL1 out West with the Willetton Tigers in 2023, and then in the Big V with RMIT University in 2025.

Championship captain James Toohey provided another 11 points, five rebounds and three assists with Cameron Pender contributing 10 points, 12 boards and three assists, and Will Rice nine points on 3/4 three-point shooting.

Fresh off his college career combined between the University of California – Irvine, California at San Diego and then finally New Mexico State, Emmanuel Tshimanga was impressive first up in the NBL1 East for the Sea Eagles.

He finished with 17 points, 23 rebounds and two blocks on 6/11 shooting with 5/8 at the foul line with seven of his boards at the offensive end.

Quinn Slazinski also ended up with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Sea Eagles with Jack Giddens contributing 13 points and seven boards, Stefan Valkovic 11 points on 5/9 shooting, and Oliver Hammond nine points and six assists.

The Gunners got out to run in the opening quarter of their championship defence with 10 fast break points along with getting 16 points to two off the bench for them to lead 21-17 by quarter-time with a triple on the buzzer from Will Rice.

The Sea Eagles were struggling shooting in the first term going just 28 per cent on their home rims. Canberra did retain a degree of control through the second frame to go into half-time leading 37-32.

Eight offensive rebounds were helping to keep Manly Warringah in the contest including 12 boards already to Emmanuel Tshimanga but still the Gunners were up five with slightly better shooting overall despite going 5/19 from downtown.

Canberra then continued to build on that lead to be up eight by three quarter-time, but the Sea Eagles kept on coming in the fourth quarter and in the final minute closed within a solitary paint when Stefan Valkovic scored.

That would be the last score of the night for Manly Warringah with Canberra able to close out the win with free throws from Angus Byatt for his only points in the game and then championship captain James Toohey.

Now following the Easter break, the Sea Eagles will be on the road to the Hills Hornets on Friday April 10 while the Nationals open their season at home on the Saturday against the Illawarra Hawks.

NBL EAST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 1

MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES 75 (Tshimanga 17, Slazinski 16, Giddens 13)

CANBERRA GUNNERS 80 (Mayfield 18, Wardlow 14, Hoskins 13)