NBL1 Wildcard Recap | Sunday June 26

Some of the brightest young talent in Australia gained some more valuable experience up against the Knox Raiders in Sunday's NBL1 Wildcard match up.

The Women's Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence closed out their weekend by taking on the Knox Raiders on Sunday afternoon.

The Raiders came away with the 93-63 victory, putting them in first place in the Women's Wildcard Series with a formidable points percentage of 147.6. 

The Raiders win came on the back of the Frankston Blues also defeating the Basketball Australia team on Saturday night 73-66. It is the biggest margin, men's or women's for the year so far, as the Raiders became the fourth team to defeat the CoE this season, giving the CoE a record of 4-4.

The Centre of Excellence Women's team will next be in action on Sunday July 24 up against the East Perth Eagles at Mirrabooka out west before then playing the Warwick Senators two days later.

NBL1 WILDCARD – 2022 SEASON
SUNDAY

WOMEN
KNOX RAIDERS 93 defeated BASKETBALL AUSTRALIA CENTRE of EXCELLENCE 63

The best young female talent in the country got another chance to pit themselves against a powerful NBL1 team on Sunday afternoon when taking on the Knox Raiders at Melbourne's State Basketball Centre.

The Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence team had taken on the Frankston Blues on Saturday night and showed plenty of exciting signs in a narrow seven-point defeat.

In that game, Dallas Loughridge led the charge with 20 points and six steals while Nyadlew Puoch contributed 19 points, six boards and five steals, Bonnie Deas nine points and seven rebounds, and Caitlyn Martin eight points.

They backed up on Sunday afternoon taking on a powerful Knox team featuring some top quality experienced talent including WNBL star Alicia Froling, Klara Wischer who has plied her trade right around the country since coming down under and Leah Santomaggio.

The experience gained from playing against such talent is invaluable for the emerging Centre of Excellence stars and is exactly why the idea of the Wildcard system is such a crucial one in their development.

The Raiders had enough quality and experience to stretch their advantage throughout the afternoon after leading 25-18 by quarter-time.

They would go on to lead by seven points still at half-time, 25 points at three quarter-time and to win 93-63 in the end.

Klara Wischer enjoyed her chance to get out and play with freedom with the ball in her hands a lot where she could play playmaker. She ended the game for the Raiders with 26 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.

Alicia Froling added 20 points and seven rebounds for Knox, Sara Hamson 11 points and seven boards, Lucy Dawson 10 points, Kara Tessari seven points and two assists, and Leah Santomaggio six points, three assists and two steals.

Meanwhile for the Centre of Excellence team, Dallas Loughridge again showed just what an exciting prospect she is finishing with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists on 9/16 shooting along with 5/6 from the charity stripe.

Nyadlew Puoch added 11 points and four rebounds, Bonnie Deas 11 points and three boards, Kyra Webb four points and six rebounds, Isabel Whitelaw four points and three boards, and Ella Gordon four points, two rebounds and a huge block on Kiera Rowe.