Casey's Preston Bungei unstoppable in Mt Gambier

• Preston Bungei a rebound shy of 28-point double double on the road
• Cavs teammate Tyler Robertson has 19 points and five boards
• Kilsyth secure first win of their 2025 NBL1 South campaign

Casey Cavaliers escaped with a narrow 81–80 road win against Mt Gambier in a thrilling clash that went down to the final possession at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre on Friday, April 4, 2025.

Preston Bungei led the way for Casey with a dominant 28-point, nine-rebound performance, shooting 12-from-18 from the field and finishing strong inside.

He got key support from Tyler Robertson, who added 19 points and five boards, and Nate Roberts, who posted a 10-point, 15-rebound double-double to anchor the glass. Despite struggling from beyond the arc (6-from-28), Casey’s inside presence and rebounding advantage (54–39) proved decisive.

Mt Gambier gave the visitors everything they could handle. Akech Aliir was outstanding with 21 points on 62% shooting, while Kaden Archie added 15 points and six boards off the bench in a high-energy performance. Alex Mudronja and Titus Robinson each added 11 points, and Joe Palmer controlled the boards with eight rebounds. The Pioneers shot 43.5% from the field and outscored Casey 22–18 in the fourth, nearly completing a comeback after trailing by 11 at halftime. However, missed free throws (14-of-22) and costly late turnovers proved costly.

In a game defined by physicality and hustle, Casey’s composure at the line — 19-of-25 from the stripe — and second-chance scoring from their +15 rebounding margin gave them just enough to hold on.

Kilsyth Cobras @ Melbourne Tigers

Kilsyth secured their first win of their NBL1 South Men’s campaign with an impressive 85–77 road win against Melbourne, leaning on a strong offensive performance and a big night from Dillon Stith.

Stith led all scorers with 26 points on 69% shooting, including five threes, and added three rebounds and three assists. His aggressive attacking and perimeter accuracy helped Kilsyth take control in the second quarter and maintain the edge late despite a fourth-quarter push from the home side.

Captain Adrian Tomada was instrumental, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 71.4% from the floor. He also knocked down 7 free throws to steady Kilsyth in key moments. Khadim Sy added 16 points and nine boards, providing an interior presence on both ends, and Ben Ursich chipped in with nine points at an efficient clip. As a team, Kilsyth shot 51.7% from the field and 50% from three (10-from-20), a key difference in a game that was tight statistically across the board.

For Melbourne, Thomas Wilson kept them in the contest with 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, while Mason Gaze added 20 points and four triples. Captain Jack Purchase contributed 19 points and was efficient inside and out, but the team’s 13 turnovers and 28.6% three-point shooting (10-from-35) limited their comeback hopes. Despite a late surge in the fourth, Melbourne couldn’t close the gap as Kilsyth's shot-making and discipline down the stretch proved the difference.

Geelong @ Ballarat

Geelong dominated Ballarat 94-61 at The Geelong Arena in an impressive display of all-round basketball.

Hannah Hank delivered an outstanding performance with a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaz Shelley also secured a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists.

The Supercats controlled the glass with a 50-31 rebounding advantage and recorded 22 assists to Ballarat's eight. Despite shooting just 26.5% from three-point range, Geelong's interior dominance led to 48 points in the paint.

Abigail Wehrung fought valiantly for Ballarat with 21 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 33.3% from the field against Geelong's suffocating defence.

Dandenong @ Eltham

Dandenong secured a convincing 79-61 win against Eltham at Dandenong Basketball Stadium. Manuela Puoch was exceptional with a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds, while adding six assists to lead the Rangers.

Imogen Rock also recorded a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds.

The Rangers controlled the game from early on, building an 18-point lead through efficient shooting (43.1% from the field) and stellar rebounding (47-39 advantage).

Eltham's Lil Dart recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists, but the Wildcats couldn't overcome their poor shooting (33.8% from the field).

Dandenong's balanced attack featured three players scoring 18+ points as they maintained their lead throughout the second half.

Hobart @ Sandringham

Sandringham edged out Hobart 80-75 in a thrilling contest at Southern Basketball Stadium.

Lucy Cochrane delivered a comprehensive performance with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks to lead the Sabres. Klara Wischer added a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The closely contested game featured 44 lead changes and 16 ties, with neither team leading by more than six points.

Chelsea D'Angelo led Hobart with 22 points on efficient shooting (75% from three), while Taylor Roberts added 20 points and nine rebounds. Despite shooting better from the field (34.7% to 39.5%), Hobart was outmanned on the glass as Sandringham secured a decisive 51-46 rebounding advantage to claim the narrow victory.

Bendigo @ Keilor

Keilor defeated Bendigo 84-77 at Red Energy Arena Bendigo behind Maddison Rocci's stellar 33-point performance.

Isabelle Bourne was equally impressive with 29 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks for Keilor as they fought back from an early deficit.

Despite Bendigo's solid three-point shooting (27.3%), Keilor controlled the game by forcing 20 turnovers and converting them into 10 points.

Cassidy McLean led Bendigo with 18 points and six assists, while Ashlee Hannan contributed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Thunder's second-half surge proved too much for the Braves, who failed to contain Rocci's explosive scoring and Bourne's consistent presence inside.

Diamond Valley @ Knox

Knox overpowered Diamond Valley 95-73 at Diamond Valley Sports & Fitness Centre behind balanced scoring and efficient shooting.

Kiera Rowe and Alicia Froling each scored 23 points, with Rowe shooting a perfect 4-from-4 from three-point range and grabbing eight rebounds.

The Raiders shot an impressive 40% from beyond the arc and dominated in the paint, outrebounding Diamond Valley 37-52 despite their opponents' efforts on the offensive glass.

Abbey Ellis led the Eagles with 26 points, while Lara McSpadden recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Knox's bench contributed 31 points as they pulled away in the second half, building a lead that reached 27 points.

Launceston @ Waverley

Waverley secured a comfortable 76-55 win against Launceston at Waverley Basketball Centre. Katelyn Shumate was outstanding with 27 points and 10 rebounds on efficient 62.5% shooting from the field, while Carley Ernst added 14 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.

The Falcons dominated the boards with a staggering 67-35 rebounding advantage, including 26 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second-chance points.

Despite shooting just 35% from the field, their control of the glass proved decisive. Launceston struggled mightily from three-point range, hitting just 1-from-20 attempts (5%), with Sarah O'Neill and Bailey Flavell each scoring 14 points in a losing effort.