The Bankstown Bruins broke a six-game losing streak, defeating the Newcastle Falcons 85-78 in a tight thriller at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on Saturday night.
The Falcons got off to a solid start with Falcons player Elias Cato winning the jump ball, giving the visitors a strong start with Mandrell Worthy shooting a two-point pull-up jump shot. Bismark Nisiah put the Bruins on the scoreboard by levelling the score thanks to free throws he was awarded.
The first quarter saw a tight tussle but also came with costly turnovers from both teams, leading to shots being sunk. Bruins’ key players Jesse Edwards and Anthony Mundine both showcased solid first-quarter performances.
In the second quarter, the Bruins’ defence kicked in, blocking and challenging the Falcons offensively, gaining momentum and hitting their shots. This forced the Falcons to fumble and turn it over, giving the Bruins more chances to score.
However, the Falcons also caused the Bruins to turn over. Tederick Wolfe sank three-pointers on multiple occasions, helping the Bruins extend their lead. Poor accuracy saw the Falcons miss multiple chances to slot the ball in. The Bruins, at halftime, took a comfortable 50-36 lead.
The third quarter saw Tederick Wolfe slam dunk, impressing the home crowd, but shortly after, Falcons player Trace Evans sank a two-point layup. However, the Falcons struggled offensively and defensively, with aggression displayed at times by both teams. Despite having a quiet game and committing turnovers, Zeke Evans stepped up late in the third quarter, sinking a three-point jump shot.
The final quarter showcased the Falcons playing with more drive, forcing the Bruins to fumble and lose possession multiple times. However, they had multiple chances to tighten the Bruins’ lead but missed shots, with the Bruins’ defence connecting much better than in previous weeks. Wolfe slammed a second dunk, helping extend the Bruins’ lead and making a comeback difficult with one minute remaining.
Post-game, Bruins CEO Christian Gobolos was happy with the team’s performance and eventually breaking their losing streak.
“I think in a lot of ways it was a good morale boost. I think Bismarck coming on board was a really big addition. We struggled in terms of getting size in the middle, so having him here has made a really big difference. I think it adds a little bit more confidence to the guys as well, but overall I think they played as a team and that’s how they got the result tonight.” Gobolos highlighted.
The Bruins must win every game from now on if they want to secure a spot in the finals and have a lot of improvement to do for next week’s game.
“There is a lot of stuff we’ve got to improve on. I can’t just pinpoint one thing, but there are a lot of things we got to improve on, so as long as we just keep going back to the drawing board and just keep working, we will be fine,” Wolfe said.
In the end, the Bruins were much more connected defensively and offensively, giving the Falcons a big challenge on the Bruins’ home deck. The Bruins must now overcome the Illawarra Hawks on the road at Snakepit Stadium in another must-win game on June 21.
