South Spotlight | Rangers spoil Sabres' banner night

Featured image: Mitchell Barlow

It might have been in a different uniform, but Harry Froling got an early bit of revenge after seeing the Sandringham Sabres lift their NBL1 South banner helping the Dandenong Rangers to the 101-81 Thursday win.

The Sabres were playing their first home game of 2026 at Southern Basketball Stadium to celebrate the NBL1 South championship they won in 2025 before starting their title defence with a road win on Sunday against the Waverley Falcons.

Dandenong started their season back on Saturday night with the home win against the Casey Cavaliers and were able to back that up on Thursday night to produce a dominant performance on the way to the 20-point victory.

Harry Froling starred with the Melbourne Tigers last season ahead of earning an NBL return with the Illawarra Hawks, and now helped the Rangers to the win over the Sabres who he did lose to in last year's grand final.

Froling finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists with 9/11 free-throw shooting with Joe Palmer providing 21 points and seven rebounds with a perfect 3/3 three-point shooting.

Joe Lubarsky added 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists, Ryan Rapp 12 points, eight boards, seven assists and three steals, and Sam Davidson put up 18 points with 3/5 shooting from three-point territory.

Coming off an NBL season at the Cairns Taipans where he might not have got the minutes he'd hope, Kyle Adnam did all he could to keep Sandringham in the contest with 28 points and two assists on 11/21 field goal shooting.

Malith Machar is coming off a breakout finish to the NBL season at Melbourne United and produced 20 points and six rebounds with 4/9 three-point shooting with Dane Pineau battling hard as always with 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks with five of those boards offensive.

Kyle Bowen also had nine points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocks, and Elliott Brown seven points, three boards and three assists.

It was a high-tempo opening from both teams. They combined for 54 points in the first quarter but the Rangers went on a 10-0 run to work on top and were still leading 29-25 by quarter-time despite a trademark offensive rebound and put back from Dane Pineau on the buzzer.

The Rangers were feeling good shooting 59 per cent from the field with Joe Palmer and Ryan Rapp combining for 16 points.

Dandenong then pushed out to a 14-point advantage during the second quarter and were still on top 57-43 by half-time on the back of scoring 28 points to 18 for the term on the back of landing 5/9 from downtown.

By half-time, Palmer, Harry Froling and Rapp combined for 39 of those 57 points for the Rangers while Kyle Adnam had 14 for the Sabres.

The Rangers then took further control in the third quarter by going on a 15-0 scoring run to open up a 23-point lead and to be leading the reigning champs by 21 at three quarter-time.

Dandenong remained in control the rest of the way too on the way to the 20-point win to spoil the banner raising night at home for the Sabres heading into Easter.

The Sabres are back on the road against the Diamond Valley Eagles next Friday night while the Rangers will also be away from home against the Knox Raiders on Saturday.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 1

SANDRINGHAM SABRES 81 (Adnam 28, Machar 20, Pineau 11)

DANDENONG RANGERS 101 (Palmer 21, Froling 21, Davidson 18)