South Spotlight | Rocci inspires Keilor to 18-point comeback win

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Another jam packed Melbourne Tigers crowd thought they were going home happy, but they left frustrated in a dramatic finish with Maddy Rocci lifting Keilor Thunder to come back from 18 points down to prevail 82-80.

Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre was packed and provided another fantastic atmosphere which has been the case ever since the Tigers welcomed Chinese pair Mingling Chen and Shuyu Yang.

The Tigers then dominated the first half and led by as much as 18 points, but with Rocci leading the way and with Issie Bourne along for the ride, Keilor stormed back.

They got all the way back in front when Rocci made two critical free throws but the drama wasn’t done yet.

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Yang drove hard to the basket for the Tigers trying to beat the clock, but she couldn’t and the contact she received came after the buzzer for Keilor to hold on for the two-point win.

The result improves Keilor to an 8-5 record while the Tigers slip to 6-6 with their three-game losing run coming to an end.

Maddy Rocci as usual was the star of the performance for Keilor and she ended up delivering 34 points, five rebounds and two assists on 10/20 shooting from the floor, 4/9 from three-point range and 10/11 at the foul line.

Issie Bourne also provided 24 points and nine rebounds with 10/19 shooting while Macey Boyle had nine points and three assists, Tess Heal seven points, six rebounds and two assists, and Tess Barnes six points, four assists and three boards.

Isa Brancatisano ended up top scoring for the Tigers with 22 points and three steals while knocking down 6/7 from three-point territory.

Shuyu Yang also delivered another 18 points, five assists and two steals, Mingling Chen 14 points, six assists and three rebounds, Hannah Giddey 10 points, 10 boards and five assists, and Tylah Hooper nine points on 3/3 three-point shooting.

It was another packed house to welcome the Tigers back home and with them on a three-game winning run it was Melbourne who managed to build a 24-20 advantage by the end of the first quarter.

Shuyu Yang was up to nine points already and Isa Brancatisano had eight with the Tigers shooting 50 per cent from the field to 35 from Keilor with Maddy Rocci having eight points and Macey Boyle six.

Melbourne dominated further in the second quarter with 26 points to 18 with another 11/18 shooting from the floor and they took the 50-38 advantage into the half-time break.

Yang was up to 14 points and Brancatisano 11 for the Tigers with them shooting 56 per cent for the half to just 37 from Keilor but the Thunder had pulled down 10 offensive rebounds and Rocci had scored 20 of their 38 points.

The lead for the Tigers got out to 18 points early in the third quarter too but then Keilor worked right back into the contest going on a 9-0 scoring run to cut the Melbourne lead back to just four by three quarter-time.

It was then a dramatic finish with Rocci hitting two clutch free throws late to give Keilor the two-point lead before Yang put on the after burners to attack the basket for the Tigers trying to get up a shot before time expired.

Her rushed shot wasn’t close, but the drama was around whether or not she was fouled before the buzzer went and the review showed that the time had run out for Keilor to pulled off the huge comeback road win to the horror of the rowdy fans in attendance.

The Tigers have the chance to quickly bounce back on Sunday back home to the Nunawading Spectres while the Thunder don't play again until Friday night at home to the Ballarat Miners.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | HERITAGE ROUND

MELBOURNE TIGERS 80 (I Brancatisano 22, Yang 18, Chen 14)

KEILOR THUNDER 82 (Rocci 34, Bourne 24, Boyle 9)