East Spotlight | Majak stars again in Inner West win

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Nathaniel Chappell had a huge four-point play late for the Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders to give themselves an outside chance but the Inner West Bulls steadied for the 91-84 NBL1 East win with Malok Majak delivering 27 points and six three-pointers.

The Spiders were back home at The Brickpit still hunting a first home win with Illawarra Hawks NBL25 championship hero Davo Hickey in the line-up as they welcomed a Bulls team trying to bounce back from a 21-point loss to the Illawarra Hawks.

Majak already had 15 points to half-time for the Bulls as they led by as much as 14 in the second quarter, 16 in the third and 17 in the fourth, but then the Spiders made an inspired run and were back within three late thanks to a four-point play from Chappell.

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The Bulls were able to ice the win at the foul line from there, though, to improve to a 5-4 record while the Spiders are now 1-8 and having gone 1-2 since adding Hickey ahead of last weekend.

Malok Majak continued his outstanding form for Inner West by delivering another 27 points with 10 rebounds on 6/10 three-point shooting and playing all but 2:22 of the game.

Max Clark had a hot start with 11 points to half-time and 16 for the game while Kobe Shannon contributed 15 points and three steals, Cooper Wilks 15 points and four assists, and Jasper Rentoy seven points and three assists.

After having seven turnovers in each of his first two games for Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai last weekend, Davo Hickey was under much greater control this time around with just the two of his team's 18 for the game.

He finished with 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals with Nathaniel Chappell top scoring with 25 points and six boards with 5/5 three-point shooting including that four-point play late that gave the Spiders a sniff.

Daniel Titus had 13 of his 14 points in the first half with four rebounds while Martez Brown finished with 12 points and 11 boards, and Raymond Takchi seven points, three assists and two rebounds.

Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai were back home hunting a second win of the season and first at home with Davo Hickey in the line-up but the Bulls were trying to bounce back from a loss too setting up the fascinating match up.

The Spiders did open up a seven-point lead in the first quarter and were still clinging to the 21-20 advantage by quarter-time with 9/23 field goal shooting to 7/19 from the Bulls.

The Bulls then took over in the second term with 23 points to 13 including completing a 11-0 scoring run on the way to leading by as much as 14 with Malok Majak already up to 15 points by half-time.

Inner West were still leading 43-34 by half-time with 6/18 three-point shooting to 3/15 while also forcing the Spiders into 11 turnovers but Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai did at least get the deficit back to single figures going into the break.

Majak added another nine points in the third quarter and the Bulls scored 26 more as a team to have extended their advantage to 59-55 by three quarter-time.

Inner West retained control most of the last quarter and were still up seven inside the last 30 seconds but then all of a sudden a four-point play from Nathaniel Chappell breathed life back into the contest.

Kobe Shannon hit four crucial free throws, though, to keep the Spiders at bay and the Bulls were able to complete the job on the seven-point victory.

The Bulls are on the road still next Saturday against the Bankstown Bruins while Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai are also away to the defending champion Canberra Gunners.

NBL1 EAST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 7

HORNSBY KU-RING-GAI SPIDERS 84 (Chappell 25, Hickey 21, Brown 12)

INNER WEST BULLS 91 (Majak 27, Clark 16, Shannon 15, Wilks 15)