South Finals | Froling sets up Rangers for EF win

Featured image: Rachel Louise - Rachel Louise Photography @rachellouisephotographyau

Harry Froling was spectacular with 30 points in the first half and 39 for the night to lift the Dandenong Rangers to the 99-92 NBL1 South elimination final win at home over the Kilsyth Cobras.

Both teams arrived at Dandenong Basketball Stadium with rosters capable of going along way this finals series, but one of them would see their season's over by the end of the night after the Rangers finished seventh and the Cobras 10th with both on 12-10 records.

It was a tight battle through the opening quarter with 20 points apiece before Froling took control in the second term leading the Rangers to outscoring the Cobras 28 to 19 on the way to leading 48-39 by half-time.

Of those 48 points, Froling had 30 of them for the home team on the back of making a phenomenal 7/8 from the outside the rest of his team going 2/10.

Kilsyth were going 6/21 themselves while shooting just 33 per cent overall to the 50 per cent from Dandenong for the home team to be leading by nine going into the locker room.

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Froling only added another four points in the third quarter but Dandenong still outscored Kilsyth 24 to 22 to be leading 72-61 by three quarter-time.

With their season on the line, Kilsyth did put up 31 points in the final period with shooting 11/19 from the field with 3/9 from downtown and 6/7 from the line, but Dandenong did enough with 27 points themselves to secure the seven-point victory.

The win keeps the Rangers' season alive to now advance to a qualifying final on the road next Saturday night against the Eltham Wildcats.

Dandenong ended up shooting 53 per cent for the game with 13/29 from downtown with Froling the star even with just the nine points in the second half.

He still finished with 39 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals with 7/9 shooting from the outside with just one attempt in the second half. He shot overall 14/18 from the floor and 4/5 from the foul line.

Joe Palmer continues his standout form this season both before and after getting married since joining the Rangers with another 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists with 3/5 shooting from the outside.

Sam Davidson added 14 points, six rebounds and two assists, Ryan Rapp 13 points and four assists, and Josh Kunen eight points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The season is now over for the Cobras having lost four of their last five matches and it was a game where they did take an extra shot than the Rangers and 12 more free throws, but ended up shooting just 43 per cent from the field and 11/35 from the outside.

Hamish MacDonald finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks while Angus Glover contributed 22 points, six assists and five boards, Chris Payton Jr 13 points and four rebounds, and Jamie Ahale 13 points and five boards.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ELIMINATION FINAL

DANDENONG RANGERS 99 (Froling 39, Palmer 21, Davidson 14)

KILSYTH COBRAS 92 (MacDonald 24, Glover 22, Ahale 13, Payton Jr 13)