Deng Thunders home double double ahead of NBL1 Finals

New JackJumpers recruit Majok Deng lit up the final round of the NBL1 with an impressive double double as his Logan Thunder charge towards the post-season.

Despite the Thunder conceding top spot on the NBL1 North ladder to the Gold Coast Rollers the day before, Deng responded to lead the Thunder to victory over Fabijan Krslovic’s Southern District Spartans on Saturday. Deng’s impressive stat sheet read 38 points, 19 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the 87-78 win.

Logan finished 2^nd on the ladder and will take on new teammate Sean Macdonald and the Darwin Salties in a Qualifying Final this Saturday.

The win knocked Krslovic and the Spartans out of finals contention, heartbreakingly slipping from 4^th to 9^th with following the loss.

Development Player Josh Tomasi headlined the highlight reel for Nunawading top-scoring for Nunawading with 22 points including a poster dunk in the third quarter against Ringwood.

He also added eight rebounds and 3 assists in the 86-82 victory to round out the final game of the regular season.

Tomasi and the Spectres will fight to keep their season alive in an Elimination Final this Saturday against Diamond Valley Eagles.

Junior Madut continues to build as he returns from a knee concern, finishing with 19 points in North Bears big win over Penrith in the NBL1 East. The East conference still has a round to play in the regular season and the Bears have secures a finals berth, but they will be looking to lock in a second chance with Madut’s side currently in 4^th on the ladder.

The Hobart Chargers which includes JackJumper Jarred Bairstow fell just short of finals qualification despite an impressive final hit out in the Tasmanian derby, defeating intrastate rival North West Tasmania Thunder 76-68. Bairstow contributed 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals in the win.

Across the ditch, Walter Brown continues to go from strength to strength adding 6 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the Cantebury Rams win over the Franklin Bulls as they head into the Final 6 play offs series. The Rams will take on the Hawkes Bay Hawks this Thursday.

NBL 1 South

Hobart Chargers 76 def NW Thunder 68

Jarred Bairstow: 11pts, 7reb, 4ast, 5stl, 36.36fg%

Nunawading Spectres 86 def Ringwood Hawks 82

Josh Tomasi: 22pts, 8reb, 3ast, 1stl, 1blk, 42.86fg%

NBL 1 East

Norths Bears 108 def Penrith Panthers 80

Junior Madut: 19pts, 3reb, 2ast, 3stl, 54.55fg%

NBL 1 Central

West Adelaide vs Southern Tigers

Anthony Drmic: DNP

NBL 1 North

Logan Thunder 88 def Gold Coast City Rollers 90

Majok Deng: 12pts, 9reb, 3ast, 1stl, 1blk, 23.53fg%

Logan Thunder 87 vs Southern Spartans 78

Majok Deng: 38pts, 19reb, 1ast, 2stl, 2blk, 54.17fg%

Fabijan Krslovic: 7pts, 9reb, 5ast, 1blk, 25fg%

NZ NBL

Canterbury Rams 103 vs Franklin Bulls 89

Walter Brown: 6pts, 5reb, 5ast, 3stl, 40fg%

Awards tracker

Majok Deng has been rewarded for an impressive season in the NBL1 North, nominated for the League’s Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year.

Walter Brown has been nominated for the Most Improved Player and Youth Player of the Year in the Sal’s NZ NBL. The winners will be announced this Wednesday.

Meanwhile Kayla Steindl (wife of JackJumpers Captain Clint Steindl) took home the Hobart Chargers Women’s MVP following the conclusion of their 2023 season, after an outstanding season averaging 21.3 points, 10.6 rebounds per game in the NBL1 South, while former JackJumper Sam McDaniel won the Hobart Chargers Men’s club MVP.