Weekend Preview: May 19-21

Each week across the NBL1 there are countless games to watch. But here are three key games from the weekend to keep your eye on ahead of another massive slate of NBL1 action. 

See the full NBL1 fixture here. 

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Friday: (Men’s NBL1 West) Cockburn Cougars vs Perth Redbacks

The Perth Redbacks are the talk of NBL1 West after beating the reigning NBL1 National Champions, the Rockingham Flames, at home in Round 7. 

The Redbacks will travel to Cockburn to take on the Cougars. They are coming off their best game against the Slammers, where Courtney Alexander II starred with 30 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. 

The Cougars have had a disappointing start, only winning two out of eight games so far, but they are on the right track heading into this must-watch game against the red-hot Redbacks. 

Watch the game live from 8:30pm AWST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App here. 

Courtney Alexander caught a ???? ?

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Saturday: (Women’s NBL1 South) Dandenong Rangers vs Launceston Tornadoes 

The NBL1 South has some of the best head-to-head match-ups of stars across the country and this Saturday is no different. 

Rising star and silver medallist at the 2021 U19 FIBA Asia Cup Nyadiew Puoch will take on Opal and WNBL captain Keely Froling in a major Saturday night clash of Australian bigs. 

The 18-year-old is averaging 23 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Rangers, while the 2022 NBL1 South All-Star Five member is averaging 27.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the Tornadoes. 

The battle of the bigs takes place on Saturday at 6:00pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App here. 

Sunday: (Women’s NBL1 East) Sutherland Sharks vs Sydney Comets 

Vanessa Panousis will make her return to the Sutherland Sharks this weekend for the first time as an opposition player. 

Making the Grand Final and being selected to the NBL1 East All-Star Five last season with the Sharks, Panousis made the move to the Comets in the offseason – where she is arguably the MVP front-runner. 

They last played in Round 5, where Jada Crawshaw went off for 26 points and 15 rebounds while Shyla Heal and Panousis both had 17 points or more. 

But now the Sharks are at full strength with Lauren Nicholson coming off a Foot Locker Player of the Week award. 

The sixth of the ladder Sharks will take on the stacked Comets in the Shark Den from 1:00pm AEST via NBL1.com.au or NBL1 App here.