South Spotlight | Spectres shoot further clear on top

Featured image: Rachel Louise - Rachel Louise Photography @rachellouisephotographyau

Top spot in the NBL1 South after six rounds was on the line and the Nunawading Spectres flexed their muscles with the 94-77 home victory on Sunday against the Eltham Wildcats.

Both teams came into the clash at Nunawading Basketball Centre on 7-2 records with the Spectres looking for a fifth straight and making their lone appearance of the weekend with Eltham coming off beating Waverley on Saturday night.

The longer the game went and that freshness of the Spectres came to the fore. They took further control as it went on to end up scoring the 17-point victory for five straight wins to sit at 8-2 to be now clear in top spot with Knox and Eltham both losing this weekend.

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It was another impressive performance from Nunawading as they made it five straight to be a game clear in top spot with Christian D'Angelo showing why he now has an NBL contract with Melbourne United.

He finished with 22 points, five assists and four rebounds with 4/10 three-point shooting.

Owen Lobsinger added 19 points, nine rebounds and two assists, Ben Griscti 14 points, seven boards and four assists, Dylan Penn 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds, and Kingsley Box 11 points, three boards and two steals.

The Wildcats end up splitting their challenging double weekend with TJ Weeks having 16 points to half-time and finishing with 21 including going 6/6 at the free-throw line.

Mitch McCarron added 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Sam Short 12 points, five boards and two assists, Leonardo Colimerio 12 points and four rebounds, and Zak Cunningham nine points, 11 boards, six assists and two blocked shots.

Nunawading were playing their first game of the weekend while Eltham were looking to back up their Saturday night win over the Waverley Falcons, and in an entertaining first quarter, it was the Spectres narrowly leading 25-22 by the end of it.

TJ Weeks already had 10 points for the Wildcats despite his team trailing with Owen Lobsinger having eight for the Spectres with them shooting 48 per cent opposed to 39.

Nunawading did manage to open up a 10-point advantage in the second period but Eltham responded heading into half-time and cut that lead for the Spectres to 43-38 by the major break.

The Wildcats did well to stay in touch despite shooting 1/12 from behind the arc but 16 points from Weeks and their eight offensive rebounds helped their cause.

Once more the Spectres opened up a double figure lead in the third term and this time they were still up by 10 at three quarter-time on the back of another seven points from Lobsinger.

Nunawading then were the fresher team in the last quarter playing their only game of the weekend and it showed with the 22 points to 15 with the Wildcats looking out on their feet with the Spectres going on win by 17 and move clear in top spot.

The Spectres will now look to make it six straight at home to the Casey Cavaliers on Saturday night while Eltham will play host to the Mount Gambier Pioneers next Sunday.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 6

NUNAWADING SPECTRES 94 (D'Angelo 22, Lobsinger 19, Griscti 14)

ELTHAM WILDCATS 77 (Weeks 21, McCarron 14, Colimerio 12, Short 12)