South Spotlight | Pioneers blow Force away in second OT

Featured image: Andrew Scherer / DLNQNT PHOTOGRAPHY

Grace Champion helped shoot the Mount Gambier Pioneers to overtime before Tilly Boler shot out of a slump to get them to a second extra period and they then dominated the last five minutes to snap the Northern Force NBL1 South winning streak with 109-90 win.

The Force arrived at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre as the NBL1 South season resumed on Friday night on a six-game winning streak while the Pioneers were on their home floor also trying to make it consecutive victories.

Amazingly, Mount Gambier then took part in their second double overtime thriller at home already this season and the Pioneers had to dig deep to overcome an 11-point deficit to the Force in the third quarter.

Champion caught fire early in the fourth term to help Mount Gambier back into the game and then the Force still looked on track for a seventh straight win until Boler hit her first three of the game on an eighth attempt at the end of the first overtime.

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Then in the second extra period, it was all the Pioneers with 23 points to four over the last five minutes on the way to the 19-point victory to improve to an 8-6 record as a result.

Mount Gambier ended up pulling down a monstrous 73 rebounds for the game to 45 along with 25 to nine on the offensive glass which helped them to take an extra 14 shot attempts than the Force to set up the eventual win.

Grace Champion ended up hitting 6/11 from downtown on her way to 25 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Pioneers with Carla Pitman adding 20 points, seven boards, six steals and five assists on 8/12 field goal shooting.

Lara Edmanson also finished with 19 points, 21 rebounds and two blocks including eight of those boards coming at the offensive end with Abby Prohaska contributing 18 points, 13 boards, four assists and two steals, and Kelsey Rees 15 points and five rebounds.

The Force's six-game winning streak is now over as they slip to a 7-8 record with Parker Hill producing 26 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Rebekka Kalaydjiev also had 22 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and five steals, Sarah O'Neill 22 points, three boards, two assists and two steals on 4/8 three-point shooting, and Keely Froling 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Both teams were playing their first of two games this weekend and it was the Pioneers who made the fast start for an early nine-point lead before the Force hit back to be within two by quarter-time.

The Pioneers were leading despite only shooting 31 per cent but they did pull down nine offensive rebounds and got up an extra six shot attempts than the Force.

It remained a tight battle through the second quarter and by half-time it was the Force clinging to the 38-36 advantage with Rebekka Kalaydjiev having 13 points and Parker Hill 10 with the visitors shooting 42 per cent from the field to the 31 from the Pioneers.

Lara Edmanson already had eight points and 12 rebounds for Mount Gambier including pulling down five of the team's 16 offensive boards which helped them get up an extra 12 free-throw attempts.

The Force then got further on top in the third frame and they led by as much as 11 points and then it was still an eight-point advantage by three quarter-time.

But then the Pioneers made a stunning start to the fourth quarter going on a 10-0 run that included three-pointers to Grace Champion and Abby Prohaska as the home team hit the front.

That all led into a thrilling finish and Parker Hill scored with 30 seconds to go to bring the Force back level and that would prove the last score of regulation for the game to head to overtime.

Then by the end of the first overtime, the Force were up by three going into a last possession for the Pioneers coming out of a timeout and despite having had a tough shooting night up to that point, Tilly Boler knocked down a huge three that sent the game to a second extra period.

That was just her second made shot of the entire game and she had been 0/7 from three up to that point, but then in the second overtime, it was all Mount Gambier as they dominated with 23 points in the space of five minutes to end up winning by 19.

Mount Gambier remain at home to play host to Geelong United on Sunday while the Force also back up on Sunday remaining on the road to play the Ballarat Miners.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 10

MOUNT GAMBIER PIONEERS 109 (Champion 25, Pitman 20, Edmanson 19)

NORTHERN FORCE 90 (Hill 26, Kalaydjiev 22, O'Neill 22)