South Spotlight | Eltham stays top, Kyle makes history

Featured image: Travis Palmieri | traviphotography

The Eltham Wildcats retained NBL1 South top spot beating the Kilsyth Cobras 94-76 to open the last round at the same time that Kyle Adnam exploded for 70 points to set a new national NBL1 single game scoring record.

It was quite the dramatic Friday night to start the final round in the NBL1 South with the defending champion Sandringham Sabres beating the Northern Force 130-80 with a simply remarkable performance from 261-game veteran NBL guard Adnam.

He became the first player in the history of the NBL1 across the country to break the 70-point barrier finishing with 70 points with nine assists on 19/34 shooting from the field, 13/22 from the outside and 19/21 at the foul line.

Then at Montmorency Secondary College, there was plenty on the line between Eltham and Kilsyth with the Wildcats trying to maintain top position with the Cobras still needing to lock in a top 10 finish.

Eltham ended up starting the better leading by 10 points at quarter-time and then seeing that advantage grow to 16 by half-time, 19 by three quarter-time and then they won by 18 in the finish.

The win keeps the Wildcats in top spot at 17-4 while the Cobras now must win on Saturday night against the Bendigo Braves to avoid any danger of missing playoffs altogether.

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Eltham were able to make it seven straight victories on the back of ending up shooting 55 per cent from the field to the 45 from Kilsyth along with making 10/31 from the outside to 8/28, and 18/19 at the free-throw line to 8/19.

The Wildcats remain in first place and will stay there with one more win in a battle for that regular season championship with the Melbourne Tigers on the road on Saturday night.

TJ Weeks top scored once more for Eltham with 23 points to go with seven rebounds and two assists on 5/15 shooting from the outside.

Zak Cunningham also had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, Leonardo Colimerio 19 points, seven boards and two assists, Mitch McCarron 13 points, six assists and four rebounds, and Sam Short eight points, four assists and three boards.

Kilsyth are just clinging to their playoff position at 11-10 having now lost three straight with Angus Glover top scoring with 16 points with three rebounds on 3/8 shooting from the outside.

Malik McKinney added 14 points and four rebounds, Adrian Tomada seven points, six boards and four assists, Corey Jeffs seven points and five rebounds, and Chris Payton Jr seven points and two boards.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 15

ELTHAM WILDCATS 94 (Weeks 23, Colimerio 19, Cunningham 18)

KILSYTH COBRAS 76 (Glover 16, McKinney 14, Payton Jr 7, Jeffs 7, Tomada 7)