South Spotlight | Stanwix, Combs deliver for Frankston

Featured image: @lachiechuggphotography

Jack Stanwix made the two biggest buckets of the game while Jeremy Combs starred on debut with the Frankston Blues as they scored the last four points to beat the defending NBL1 South champion Sandringham Sabres 99-95.

The two teams did battle on Friday night ahead of the King's Birthday long weekend at Jubilee Park Stadium and the Blues unveiled new signing Combs with the big man no stranger to the NBL1 having previously spent two season in the West at the Rockingham Flames.

He is fresh off a third season in Japan as well while also played in the NZ NBL in 2025 so is a significant addition for a Frankston team who had already won two straight ahead of taking on the Sabres.

Then in the end after Kyle Adnam tied scores up for Sandringham with 30 seconds to play, Stanwix scored the last four points of the game with Frankston winning by four to improve to a 9-5 record while Sandringham slip to 7-6.

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Frankston did end up taking an extra 14 shots than Sandringham having collected 14 offensive rebounds to seven, and forcing the Sabres into 10 turnovers in a game where they took 35 free throws and Sandringham 34.

While the Sabres did well making 28 of their attempts, Frankston only managed 19 of theirs to keep the door open for Sandringham.

It was a mighty impressive debut with Frankston from Jeremy Combs with 20 points and 11 rebounds with 8/19 shooting from the field and he left some points out there going 4/10 at the foul line.

Dibaji Walker also had 19 points, six rebounds and two steals while Austin Shelley contributed 16 points and three assists, Jack Stanwix 16 points and seven boards on 6/8 shooting, Daniel Trist 11 points and eight rebounds, and Kynan Phillippe nine points and three boards.

The Sabres now remain in ninth place at 7-6 with the loss with Kyle Adnam finishing with 22 points and four assists with 12/13 free-throw shooting.

Malith Machar added 17 points and three rebounds with 4/9 three-point shooting, Shea Ili 15 points and two assists, Kyle Bowen 10 points, 10 boards and four assists, and Dane Pineau 13 rebounds to go with six points and two blocked shots.

Both teams brought winning form into the Friday night match up before the long weekend and it was Sandringham with the better of the start for an early seven-point lead and then still narrowly being on top 20-19 by the end of one.

Frankston got going in the second term with 26 points to 17 while forcing the Sabres into five turnovers and holding them to 6/18 shooting from the field which meant the Blues went into the half-time break on top 45-37.

The Blues got out to a 13-point lead in the third quarter and were still on top 72-66 by three quarter-time with the frustrations of Sandringham spilling over including playing-coach Dave Barlow fouling out already with a minute to go in the third frame.

Sandringham did manage to keep fighting, though, and drew back level when Kyle Adnam knocked down two free throws with 30 seconds to go.

That's when Jack Stanwix made two strong finishes for Frankston in between a no-call where there looked to be plenty of contact on a drive from Adnam for the Blues to hold on for the four-point victory to make it three straight.

Frankston will now attempt to keep their momentum going at home to the Hobart Chargers next Saturday night while Sandringham will look to bounce back at home to Keilor Thunder that same night.

And in other Friday night NBL1 South action ahead of the King's Birthday long weekend, Keilor Thunder won big against the Ballarat Miners 116-98 while the Casey Cavaliers made it four straight beating the Melbourne Tigers 83-75.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | HERITAGE ROUND

FRANKSTON BLUES 99 (Combs 20, Walker 19, Shelley 16, Stanwix 16)

SANDRINGHAM SABRES 95 (Adnam 22, Machar 17, Ili 15)