Mundine magic lifts Sydney Comets on the road

• Illawarra's Todd Blanchfield posts massive double-double with 31 points and 16 rebounds
• Sydney escapes with narrow 71-67 win against Newcastle behind Anthony Mundine's 23 points
• Central Coast's Klairus Amir shoots 50% from three-point range in 84-71 victory

Illawarra @ Maitland

Illawarra secured a thrilling 96-88 win against Maitland at The Snakepit Stadium, powered by Todd Blanchfield's exceptional double-double performance. The veteran forward dominated with 31 points and 16 rebounds while adding five blocks. Kobe McDowell-White contributed 20 points and seven assists as Illawarra converted 24-from-34 from the charity stripe.

Despite shooting just 27.8% from beyond the arc, Illawarra's ball movement was superior with 20 assists to Maitland's 17. Christian Little led Maitland with 20 points and six assists, while Jay Cole added 17 points and nine rebounds on efficient 53.8% shooting. Luka Vea grabbed 12 rebounds for Maitland in the loss, which featured an astonishing 42 lead changes as the teams traded blows throughout.

Sutherland @ Penrith

Sutherland edged out Penrith 81-78 at Sutherland Basketball Stadium in a tightly contested battle. Lochlan Hutchison guided Sutherland with 17 points, six assists, and four steals, while Bailey Macarthur added 16 points on efficient shooting, including eight-from-eight from the free-throw line. Jason Spurgin contributed a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Penrith's Benjamin Kearins scored a team-high 15 points but struggled from the field, shooting just 30% on 20 attempts. Lachlan Charlton added 13 points including three triples, while Makur Jongkuch chipped in 12 points. Sutherland's defense proved decisive, forcing 15 Penrith turnovers while committing only 10 of their own. The game featured 42 lead changes, with neither team able to pull away until the final moments.

Sydney @ Newcastle

Sydney secured a hard-fought 71-67 win against Newcastle at Newcastle Basketball Stadium, with Anthony Mundine III with a stellar 23-point performance. The veteran guard shot an impressive five-from-12 from downtown while adding six rebounds and four assists. Obiri Kyei contributed a double-double with 20 points and eight rebounds on efficient 47.1% shooting from the field.

Newcastle received balanced scoring with Kobe Shannon leading the way with 16 points and four steals. The frontcourt duo of Myles Cherry and Ryan Beisty each recorded 14 points and double-digit rebounds in the losing effort. Sydney's three-point shooting proved to be the difference, connecting on 38.7% of their attempts compared to Newcastle's 26.7%, overcoming a rebounding deficit of 48-38.

Central Coast @ Hornsby KuRingGai

Central Coast dominated Hornsby KuRingGai 84-71 at The Brickpit behind Klairus Amir's outstanding 26-point performance. Amir shot a blistering 50% from three-point range (four-from-eight) and 64.3% overall from the field. Lino Manhom added 16 points on efficient 61.5% shooting along with eight rebounds, while Garric Young filled the stat sheet with 15 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, and four steals.

Daniel Titus led Hornsby KuRingGai with 22 points, shooting 50% from the field and 90% from the free-throw line. Steven Hall contributed 10 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 30.8%. Central Coast's defensive presence was the key factor, as they recorded eight blocks and held Hornsby to just 29.2% shooting from the field. The Crusaders maintained control throughout, leading for nearly 32 minutes of game time.