Game Details
Nunawading Spectres (15-7 5th) vs Launceston Tornadoes (14-8 8th)
NBL1 South Womens Semi final
6.30pm 27 August @ Nunawading Basketball Centre
Watch – available via Kayo
Listen – City Park FM Radio -103.7 and 96.5 in Launceston or online
Context
Its do or die for both teams, as they face off in the NBL1 South Semi Final, with the winner to face the Ringwood Hawks on Sunday 28 August in the Preliminary Final.
Team stat leaders
Nunawading
Cassidy Mihalko 14.5 points per game
Megan Mullings 7 rebounds per game
Rachel Antoniadou 5 assists per game
Megan Mullings 1.8 blocks per game
Launceston
Keely Froling 29.6 points per game
Keely Froling 14.2 rebounds per game
Marianna Tolo 5 assists per game
Marianna Tolo 2.3 rebounds per game
Roster Availability
Both sides have two big outs with the Specters missing leading scorer and rebounder Alice Kunek (22 ppg and 7 rpg). While the Tornadoes are missing starting guard Makala Bingly, who although hasn’t had huge stat numbers, has been a key player at both ends of the floor, averaging 30 minutes per game across the last 6 matches.
Last time they met
Round 9, 26 June 2022 – Nunawading 105 defeated Launceston 91 @ Nunwading Basketball Stadium
This two sides have only met once this season, with Nunawading prevailing in a high scoring affair
Nunawading shooting 60 per cent from the floor and going 10/23 from downtown while Launceston shot at 51 per cent including 11/24 from three-point land.
Nunawading’s Alice Kunek had 27 points for the game along with seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Cassidy Mihalko added 26 points for the Spectres, Megan Mullings 18 points, Emma Pearce 15 points and seven boards, and Rachel Antoniadou 11 points, 11 assists and five rebounds.
Keely Froling put up 30 points and nine rebounds in for Launceston with Micah Simpson draining 7/8 from three-point territory for 23 points. Kelsey Griffin contributed 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals while Maria Payne added 10 points.
Keys to the game
Last week was the first time Launceston was able to roll out a full squad and in doing so managed to hold off Geelong on the road. As much as Geelong tried to put the clamps on the superstar trio of Froling, Tolo and Griffin, it allowed Payne who stepped up. Frequently finding herself open from outside, as she knocked down 5 threes to be the top scorer for the Torns with 23. How Nunawading defend a team with so many scoring options will go a long way to deciding the winner.
For Nunawading they are missing their leading scorer and rebounder in Alice Kunek. They do have plenty of options on the offensive end, with 5 players averaging between 8 and 15 points a game. So to win tonight, they will all need to collectively step up fill the huge offensive hole left by Kunek.
