The winning streak continued for the Bankstown Bruins men’s team on Friday night, taking down the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 96-78 at Bankstown Basketball Stadium, cementing their solid form on the edge of the NBL One East finals.
The Sea Eagles began with a strong start, winning the jump ball thanks to Matthew Eldridge and nailing the first shot of the match with Preston Purifoy scoring a two-point turnaround jump shot. The Bruins began the game missing multiple shots while the Sea Eagles displayed their consistency, with Eldridge slotting shots for the Sea Eagles.
Charlie McBeath got the Bruins moving by scoring a two-point jump shot; however, the Sea Eagles extended their lead with a three-point jump shot by Stefan Valkovic. The momentum began to shift when Jason Cadee narrowed the Sea Eagles’ slim lead with a three-point jump shot.
But it was Jayin Galloway who brought his team a boost of confidence when he slammed a two-point dunk, sending the home crowd wild. A costly turnover on the edge of quarter time by Jamie Munro led to Hayden Blankley stealing the ball and Andre Wolford converting a two-point layup.
The second quarter began with Thomas Buvac turning the ball over for the Bruins and committing a personal foul, allowing Manly to shoot some shots from free throws. However, Hayden Blankley helped them get back on track, shooting a two-point layup.
Galloway turned the ball over again, allowing Purifoy the opportunity to steal the ball and allow Munro to shoot a three-pointer. Both teams missed multiple shots, with the Bruins’ defence lacking pressure at times.
Manly had their fair go at turning the ball over with Mason Bragg fumbling the ball for the Sea Eagles, causing Buvac to steal, but Manly were lucky with Cadee missing the shot on the other end. At halftime, the Sea Eagles took a narrow lead over the Bruins, who had showcased improvements throughout the second quarter.
Isaiah Lee turned the ball over early in the third quarter, allowing McBeath to score a three-point jump shot, but the Sea Eagles extended their lead off the back of free throws. The defence kicked into action for the Bruins in the third quarter blocking multiple shots attempted by the Sea Eagles.
McBeath gave the Bruins their lead back after he shot a three-point jump shot, giving his side a very slim lead. Manly’s clumsiness was on full show as Mason Bragg turned the ball over, but luck was on their side as it didn’t lead to a score from the Bruins.
In the last quarter, the Bruins extended their lead off the back of Wolford, slotting a three-point jump shot. For the Sea Eagles, they began the last quarter by missing a shot and also turning the ball over, leaving the Bruins to score another three-point jump shot by McBeath. The highlight of the last quarter was when both teams kept fumbling the ball and turning it over, giving attendees an entertaining game.
Galloway amazed fans again in the last quarter by dunking another two-point shot, with Dominique Keyes also dunking a two-point shot not long after, giving fans plenty to cheer for. At the end, the Bruins switched on after a poor start and maintained dominance for most of the game, outplaying the Sea Eagles.
The CEO of the Bruins, Christian Gobolos, was again pleased with the Bruins holding on to another strong performance against a top-quality side.
“I think it’s fantastic, really, really proud of the guys, they really had to dig deep in the second half to take the win. But to show that level of dominance towards the end of the game is a tribute to them. The hard work that they put in, the level of coaching that Coach Sadie’s put in is just been amazing,” Gobolos highlighted.
Gobolos believes team chemistry has led to the Bruins’ winning streak and said the team has come together and gained confidence and leadership from players like Jason Cadee, Jaylin Galloway and Andre Wolford. The Bruins overcame a strong start from Manly, who challenged them early in the game, but in the end, the Bruins found a way to dominate the Sea Eagles.
“I think you put it down to the defence, I think the fact is that they dug in, they emphasised the fact that the defence was what’s gonna win them the game. They shut Manly down and I think they reaped the benefits of that, which then float onto the offence, hence the reason why they were very dominant,” Gobolos pointed out.
The Bruins now face the Sutherland Sharks in a home elimination finals at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on July 26 after defeating the Central Coast Crusaders. It is set to be a high-stakes game with the winner advancing to the qualifying finals.
