South Spotlight | Weeks spectacular as Wildcats go top

Featured image: MJB Photography

TJ Weeks had 19 first half points and a monster dunk to help set the Eltham Wildcats on the path the to the 97-87 road win over the Hobart Chargers to go to the top of the NBL1 South despite 36 points from Jacob Richards for the home team.

The Chargers were back home at Hutchins School and having lost four straight were slipping from playoff contention ahead of hosting the second placed Wildcats who had the chance to go to the top of the NBL1 South if they started their Tasmanian road double weekend with the win.

It was a blistering opening from both teams combining for 57 points in the first quarter including 16 of those to Weeks and 18 from Richards, but as the game wore on, Eltham were able to take more and more control.

There were plenty of highlights too including a monster one-handed dunk from Weeks where he posterised an unsuspecting Noah Clarke just before half-time.

In the end, the Wildcats opened up a 12-point lead in the second half and won by 10 to improve to a 13-4 record to go just ahead of the Melbourne Tigers in top spot for now while the Chargers have lost five straight to be 7-11.

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It was an impressive offensive display all evening for Eltham with them ending up going 52 per cent from the field with 14/29 from downtown and 19/23 at the foul line to overcome having 15 turnovers, just eight offensive rebounds and getting up 12 fewer shots than Hobart.

TJ Weeks had a stunning first half with 19 points including that monster one-handed dunk and ended up with 25 points and six rebounds with 4/10 three-point shooting and going 9/10 at the foul line.

Harrison Horney also had 24 points, seven rebounds and two blocks with 5/9 three-point shooting with Zak Cunningham contributing 14 points and 12 rebounds, Leonardo Colimerio 12 points, five boards and two assists, Sam Short nine points, six rebounds and five assists, and Mitch McCarron seven points, six assists and five boards.

Hobart did take 12 more shots than Eltham with the 10 offensive rebounds and just the five turnovers, but outside of Jacob Richards they had a tough shooting night ending up going 39 per cent as a team and 10/37 from long-range.

Richards had 28 points in the first half and finished the game for the Chargers with 36 to go with five rebounds and two assists on 12/20 shooting from the floor and 9/10 at the charity stripe.

Luke Rosendale was the only other Hobart player to score in double figures with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals with Anthony Drmic adding nine points, four boards and two assists, Joe Chilcott eight points and two rebounds, and Noah Clarke eight points and six boards.

Eltham arrived with the chance to finish the night moving to top spot in the NBL1 South while it was an important game at home for Hobart to try and keep themselves in the top 10 race.

It was an exciting first quarter from both teams as they combined for 57 points with Eltham ending up with 29 of them while shooting 57 per cent from the field including 5/9 from deep while TJ Weeks was on fire with 16 of those on the back of 3/4 from downtown and 7/7 at the foul line.

Hobart kept pace, though, with 28 points themselves on 48 per cent shooting with Jacob Richards putting up 18 himself.

Eltham managed another 26 points to 22 in the second term to go into half-time leading 55-50 with Weeks up to 19 points while Harrison Horney had 10 but with Hobart getting up seven extra shots by forcing the Wildcats into eight turnovers, they stayed in touch.

Richards had 28 of their 50 points in the first half while going 9/10 from the field, 3/4 from three-point range and 7/7 at the foul line.

Eltham managed to pus out to a 12-point lead in the third quarter and then were still up seven by three quarter-time, and were able to get the job done in the finish for the 10-point victory to at least temporarily this weekend move into top spot.

Hobart now don't play again until hosting the Melbourne Tigers next Saturday night while Eltham back up on Saturday night in Tasmania to take on the Northern Force.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | ROUND 12

HOBART CHARGERS 87 (Richards 36, Rosendale 12, Drmic 9)

ELTHAM WILDCATS 97 (Weeks 25, Hornery 24, Cunningham 12)