South Spotlight | Sabres keep roaring despite Reid scare

Featured image: Rachel Louise - Rachel Louise Photography @rachellouisephotographyau

Even with losing Steph Reid early in the second half the Sandringham Sabres produced another dominant performance to make it eight wins in-a-row in the NBL1 South beating the Nunawading Spectres 85-56.

Reid did leave the game early in the second half and didn’t return for the Sabres at Nunawading Basketball Centre on Saturday night but not before having a big say in setting up Sandringham in a match-winning position.

The league-leaders had 28 points to 16 in the first quarter before leading the Spectres by 14 points at half-time, 23 at three quarter-time and going on to score the 29-point victory.

It's eight wins in-a-row now for Sandringham to remain clear in top spot at 10-1 with the Spectres slipping to 5-7 having now lost seven of the last eight.

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Steph Reid was having a significant impact with 18 points, eight assists and four rebounds on 3/4 three-point shooting before going off early in the second half and not returning.

Madison Ryan continued on, though, and finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists with 12/22 field goal shooting while Maddie Angus added 13 points and five boards.

Isis Lopes also had eight points and two steals, and Lucy Cochrane seven points, 10 rebound, four blocks and two assists.

Things really dried up for Nunawading with just the 18 points in the second half and they ended up going at just 29 per cent from the field for the game with 6/32 from three-point territory coupled with the 17 turnovers.

Kylee Blacksten top scored with 16 points and eight rebounds while pulling down five of those boards at the offensive end.

Tsz Kwan Li added 13 points, two rebounds and two assists for Nunawading, Riley Lupfer eight points, four boards and three assists, and Teagan Potter five points, three assists, three steals and two rebounds.

Sandringham arrived sitting clear in top spot of the NBL1 South but it was Nunawading with the better of the start for an early six-point advantage before the Sabres took control.

Sandringham went on a 9-0 scoring run and by quarter-time they were leading 28-16 on the back of a combined 17 points from Steph Reid and Madison Ryan while they shot 52 per cent from the field without out a turnover while the Spectres went at just 32 per cent with five turnovers.

That lead for the Sabres got out to 15 points in the second quarter and by half-time they retained control with the 52-38 lead with Reid up to 18 points and Ryan 17 with that pair shooting a combined 14/21 from the floor.

As a team Sandringham were still going at 52 per cent with just three turnovers while Nunawading were only shooting 38 per cent and had eight turnovers despite 13 points from Tsz Kwan Li.

Things really dried up for Nunawading as has happened on a few occasions throughout the season since they won those first four games and even on their own home floor, they managed just six points in the third quarter.

Sandringham didn’t really light it up either, but still produced another 15 points to be leading 67-44 by three quarter-time before another 18 to 12 in the fourth on the way to the 29-point win to retain top spot with the eighth straight victory despite losing Reid in the second half.

The Spectres now don't play again until next Saturday night at home to the Dandenong Rangers with the Sabres backing up on Sunday at home to the Kilsyth Cobras with a nervous wait to see if Reid will be available.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 8

NUNAWADING SPECTRES 56 (Blacksten 16, Kwan Li 13, Lupfer 8)

SANDRINGHAM SABRES 85 (Ryan 27, Reid 18, Angus 13)