Game Details
Hobart Chargers (17-5 1st) vs Kilsyth Cobras (16-6 3rd)
NBL1 South Mens Preliminary final
2pm 28 August @ Southern Tasmania Netball Centre
Watch – available via Kayo
Context
Both teams are playing off for a spot in nest weekends NBL1 South Grand Final, where they take on the winner of Mt Gambier/Sandringham
The Chargers are there after a strong XX win last week over Sandringham in the Qualifying Final. Meanwhile for the Cobras, they took the long way here, after losing their Qualifying Final to Mt Gambier in week one, but turned it around on Friday night with an overtime win over Bendigo in the Semi Final Friday night.
Team stat leaders
Hobart
Harry Froling 20.6 points per game
Harry Froling 11.1 rebounds per game
AJ Harris 5 assists per game
Ole Angerstein 2 blocks per game
Kilsyth
Corey Jeffs 16.9 points per game
Deng Deng 9.3 rebounds per game
Adrian Tomada 4.6 assists per game
Deng Dent 1.3 blocks per game
Roster Availability
Both teams will be at full strength for the preliminary final.
Last time they met
The teams have met just once this season early in the season, with Kilsyth getting the road win in Hobart.
Round 3, 6 May June 2022 – Kilsyth 82 defeated Hobart Chargers 78 @ Kingborough Sports Centre
On their visit to Tasmania, Kilysth continued their undefeated start to the season by beating the Chargers 82-78. Corey Jeffs led the way in the win for Kilsyth with 25 points and 10 rebounds with AJ Harris and Harry Froling both scoring 15 points apiece for Hobart.
It was Froling’s first game with the Chargers after just finishing his NBL campaign with the Illawarra Hawks 5 days prior.
The teams both looked very different to the sides coming into the finals, both adding NBL talent as the season progressed. The Chargers adding Sam McDaniel, Jarred Bairstow and import Jamar Sandifer while the Cobras adding Deng Deng.
Keys to the game
What has changed in the Chargers form in the second half of the season is their ability to share the ball around. Currently they have six players who average double figures in scoring, which makes them a really tough team to defend.
Kilysth play a similar team based basketball to Hobart, with six players averaging over eight points a game. How they respond to their tough overtime win on Friday night and trip to Tasmania will be a big factor in the game. They held a double digit lead in the second half and seemed to be coasting before some late threes from Bendigo forced them into a tough close match. Coach Peter Godfrey will be hoping they can keep the momentum going from Friday.
A great matchup will be Brisbane Bullets future team mates Deng Deng and Harry Froling. Both can play inside and outside, and will both be keen to impress as they ramp up for the NBL season.
