It’s finals time in the NBL1 East, with both Centre of Excellence (CoE) programs preparing to launch their postseason campaigns after an extended break from the domestic competition.
The CoE squads have not featured in the NBL1 East for several weeks, with many CoE players representing Australia’s Crocs and Sapphires at the FIBA U17 World Cups throughout June and July.
Far from losing momentum, the CoE return with confidence after both Australian teams secured bronze medals on the world stage in Türkiye and Czechia, with several players recognised among the tournament’s elite.
Olivia Olechnowicz was named to the All-Second Team and received the tournament’s Best Defensive Player award, whilst fellow CoE guard Isabel Smith (11.9 PTS, 1.4 STL) also had a standout tournament for the Sapphires.
On the men’s side the CoE will be represented by several players that made a significant impact for the Crocs in Türkiye, including William Hamilton (10 PTS, 8 +), Antonio Browne (9.7 PTS, 4.6 AST, 1.4 STL) and Yahya Basaran (9.6 PTS, 7.9 REB, 2.3 BLK).
In the NBL1 East standings, the CoE women managed to hold on to fourth place and will begin their finals campaign against the Norths Bears on Saturday, with tip-off scheduled for 5:00pm AEST.
Meanwhile, the CoE men secured fifth position and will host the Central Coast Crusaders in an elimination final at the Australian Institute of Sport from 4:00pm AEST on Saturday.
Both sides will be looking to reverse the results from their previous meetings. The CoE women fell 92-66 to the Norths Bears earlier in the season, while the men were defeated 98-83 by the Central Coast Crusaders in their round 10 matchup.
Now bolstered by players returning from successful international campaigns, the CoE enters the NBL1 East Finals with renewed confidence to chase championship ambitions.
| Centre of Excellence v Central Coast Crusaders (M) | ||
| 25 July | Australia Institute of Sport | 4:00 pm AEST |
| Norths Bears v Centre of Excellence (W) | ||
| 25 July | North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre | 5:00 pm AEST |
View the NBL1 East ladder here.
View the finals fixtures of the NBL1 East here.
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