Kouat Noi lands 30 points as the Salties lose 89-86 to USC Rip City

The Darwin Salties’ finals campaign has ended at the first hurdle after a game-levelling, long range Makuach Maluach shot on the buzzer failed to connect.

THE Darwin Salties’ finals campaign has ended at the first hurdle — the man who promised during the week to “whoop their ass”, USC Rip City star Kouat Noi.

The freshly-minted NBL1 North MVP, who has signed with the Sydney Kings for the looming NBL season, netted eight points inside the first four minutes to back up his midweek trash talk in a strong opening quarter, which included a tone-setting slam.

And his quarterfinal only got sweeter, finishing with 30 points and 15 rebounds, with the majority of his body blows thrown in the first and third quarters.

However, in a thrilling climax at USC Sports Stadium, Makuach Maluach had the chance to level the scores from long range with a buzzer beater, but his shot rimmed out and Rip City clung onto their three-point buffer to win 89-86 and proceed to the semis.

For the vanquished, who rarely led during the tightest of finals bouts, lost centre “Outback Shaq” Nate Jawai just before the final break.

It was a bitter way to finish an injured-plagued season for the 35-year-old, who had his chances to score but went one from eight from the field and received a technical foul after a collision which sent Verle Williams to the floor.

Coach Matt Flinn had told the NT News last month he would need Jawai playing an influential role for the Salties to threaten in the postseason.

Tad Dufelmeier had 21 points against USC Rip City. Picture: NBL1.

Maluach, who had 20 points to three quarter time, failed to score in the final term from eight opportunities, in his second-lowest points game since June 26.

Tad Dufelemeier, who was also tech fouled out of the Salties’ last encounter with Rip City in late July, made up for lost time with 15 points for the opening half, but added only six after that.

The in-form Josh Spiers provided some important last quarter buckets, finishing with 16 for the game while skipper Jerron Jamerson had 15 points and pulled down 13 boards, his lowest scoring output since June 17.

Earlier, the Salties defended their back half fiercely, conjuring several momentum-shifting steals, but their precision from the field was lacking: 34 per cent compared to the home side’s 46 for the first half.

In the second, Isaih Tueta took over from Noi in the third as Rip City’s go-to guy, netting 11 points, as the home team kept their noses in front.

However, the Salties refused to rollover when it appeared the home side might kick away late, building a game-high seven-point lead with just three-and-a-half minutes left to run.

But the Salties were unable to get on any kind of match-turning run to pinch victory, where the game was rarely split by more than a few buckets.

Darwin Salties to USC Rip City in the quarterfinals

THE Darwin Salties have pulled off the proudest win in their short history, whipping the reigning NBL1 North premiers on their home deck, 93-63, to ensure finals action in 2022.

Sixth on the table and in danger of slipping out of finals contention with another late season loss, the Salties responded with their most stirring victory since walloping the Gold Coast Rollers at home on July 16 at Marrara.

The Salties’ recent form on the road had also cooled before Saturday night’s blockbuster, failing to bank an interstate W since late June.

The final formation of the top eight will be known on Monday morning.

However, for the victors, Josh Spiers was devastating from outside the perimeter with a season-high 25 points, draining five big threes from nine attempts.

Spiers, who had missed three mid-season games due to a hip injury, had averaged 10 points a match coming into Saturday’s fixture since his return against the Rollers.

And the Salties did it with just three points from Tad Dufelmeier, who was ultimately strong under the rim with 13 rebounds.

Key Saltie Makuach Maluach, coming off a season-high 36 points against the Meteors last weekend, was also influential with 33 points, seven boards and four assists and steals.

It was a total team contribution, with Jerron Jamerson and Deng Riak also having their moments with 15 and 14 points respectively, and nine rebounds each.

Coach Matt Flinn must have been grinning all the way back to Darwin with his charges entering the match slightly off the boil, going 2-6 record over the past eight matches.

But the Salties came out swinging from the get-go, going on an 11-point run to build a massive buffer (26-4) early on at Mackay Basketball Stadium.

Deng Riak had 14 points and nine rebounds against the Mackay Meteors in the 30-point win. Picture: Darwin Salties.

The Salties choked the life out of the Meteors defensively as their offensive game hummed; a Deng dunk helped take the visitors to a 15-point lead at the first break (32-17).

However, the second quarter saw a number of momentum shifts.

The Meteors struck back through the likes of Kyrin Galloway (13 points for the half) and some big Brad Rasmussen steals (five for the game), as that monstrous lead started to dissolve at rapid pace.

However, in the most decisive passage of play, back-back threes to Spiers eased the Salties’ collective nerve as he netted 16 points for the half, while some Dufelmeier steals were also big moments which halted any thought of a Meteors comeback.

The reigning premiers simply lacked their forward half precision of last weekend’s Croc Pot victory, shooting 42 per cent from the field, as the visitors maintained a 15-point lead at the main break, 52-37.

Sydney Kings guard Biwali Bayles, who landed 18 points in the final term last Saturday against the Salties, couldn’t find the target from outside the arc, finally landing one from his sixth attempt midway through the third.

But with another Makuach steal and layup, and Spiers’ fifth successful long range shot, the Salties would not relinquish control — complemented by some electric offensive passes connecting with players under the basket.

A 20-point three quarter time buffer blew out to 30 by game’s end as the Meteors, with little to play for, failed to provide a riposte of substance.

Darwin Salties’ top four hopes fade after loss to Mackay Meteors

DARWIN Salties’ dream of a home final has taken a major hit, fading late at the Croc Pot as Mackay Meteor Biwali Bayles shot 18 points in a stunning final term on Saturday night, winning 98-87.

Facing the Meteors and Rockhampton Rockets next weekend to close off the NBL1 North home and away season, the Salties, who have now fallen to sixth on the ladder, need a few extra wins to assure themselves of a top four finish.

And there was just one point in it at the final break, 64-65 Mackay’s way, in front of the biggest home and away crowd in NBL1 history.

However, the Salties were outscored 23-33 in a decisive fourth quarter as Sydney Kings guard Bayles ripped the game away and loosened the Salties’ grip on a top four finish, hitting 11 from 12 attempts from the charity stripe.

Darwin have now gone 2-5 over the past seven games and are suddenly looking vulnerable.

The visitors were a touch too precise from the field, shooting at 48 per cent compared to Darwin’s 40, as the brothers Galloway, Jaylin and Kyrin, were also lethal from outside the arc with 27 and 19 points respectively.

Collectively, they hit almost half of the 15 attempts they made from beyond the perimeter.

However, it was a quiet night for former Ansett star Freddy Webb who was kept to seven scoreless minutes.

Makuach Maluach yet again produced big numbers with a season-high 36 points and 13 rebounds.

His season’s show reel continues to lengthen, with a team-lifting steal and layup, followed by an insane drive to the basket where the ball was knocked from his hands mid-flight, only to regather the ball in time to land the basket.

“I’m a little bit disappointed,” Makuach said post-match.

“We have to go on the road, we know it’s going to be a challenge, but we’ll come in on Monday and get to work..

“We’ll embrace the challenge.”

Tad Dufelmeier, who was double teamed at times, was kept to a relatively quiet 13-point game.

He still had his moments though with six assists — none better than a rifle shot to Benjamin Wright under the basket for two.

He also orchestrated a third term alley-oop for Deng Riak, while a blast from the back half to the same man for a layup, underlined his elite passing skills.

Captain Jerron Jamerson was also in the thick of things with 18 points and 13 boards.

Earlier, the Salties were a touch sloppy with two turnovers gifting the Meteors opportunities to score.

Darwin couldn’t land a three in the first half, too, finding the net just once from eight attempts as the Galloways showed the home team how it was done from downtown.

However, Darwin’s long range game would dramatically improve early in the third as Daniel Babb and Maluach, twice, landed maximums in the space of four minutes.

Darwin were again outscored in the second and third quarters but were still poised to inflict the Meteors’ fifth loss for the season.

But the cream ultimately rose to the top for the visitors who boasted three NBL players (Bayles and the Galloway brothers) that had a large influence on the final score.

Post-match, local Saltie Matty Hunt said there was still life in the season if it could steal two wins on the road next weekend.

“They’re a very good team,” Hunt said of Mackay.

“They’ve got a bit of everything. To be honest, they just grinded us down tonight.

“And they executed a bit better, that was the difference.

“We’ve got a bit of work to do.

“If we go 0-2, we’re a chance to drop out.”

Salties fade in third term to lose 103-96 to Sunshine Coast Phoenix

THIRD term fade-outs have come back to spoil the Darwin Salties’ run for top spot on the NBL1 North ladder on the precipice of finals, in a seven-point loss to Sunshine Coast Phoenix, 103-96.

Darwin, who have slipped to fifth, took a two-point lead at half time at Maroochydore Stadium, off the back of Makuach Maluach’s show stopping 24-point bonanza.

But the visitors were ultimately made to pay for another dose of third term fumbles, outscored 30-20, as southpaw Jamaal Robateau caught alight with nine Saltie-slowing points.

Darwin would eventually cut the margin to six with 30 seconds to run – as Tad Dufelmeier worked his way into the contest with 11 points for the quarter – but left their run too late to seriously threaten.

Some fans may wonder if too much was left to too few, with Maluach kept to 10 points after half time and skipper Jerron Jamerson restricted to nine over the last three quarters after exploding out of the gate.

For the Phoenix, lethal leftie Robateau was precise beyond the arc with five three-pointers from nine attempts (33 points and eight boards), Mason Bragg was instrumental to the Coasters’ eighth win with seven sweet assists to go with his 16 points and Jonathon Janssen a big 21 and 10 boards.

Once again without injured centre Nate Jawai, who hasn’t been sighted in a Salties singlet in three weeks, big man Oscar Cluff was also a physical presence with 11 boards and 15 points.

Earlier, Jamerson once again led his team’s early assault with 10 first term points, shooting 75 per cent from the field and a constant threat around and under the rim.

The visitors were fast and strong from end to end, fast hands setting up dunks for Maluach and Deng Riak, who would post 17 rebounds for the game.

For the home team, Robateau found the basket almost at will (11 points) with a brace of threes for the quarter.

Dufelmeier was low on points by his standards – scoring nine by the main break - but still produced a pair of his trademark brilliant look away passes to put the ball in better positions to score.

A three-point play after a steal and layup from Maluach on the buzzer gave the Salties a two-point lead, 26-24, while bumping the South Sudanese star’s first term tally out to 10.

Each Salties game routinely sees a jaw dropping offensive pass from Dufelmeier and it came in the fifth minute of the second, a one handed shovel out to Maluach who nailed the attempt from long range.

While the Salties ruled the boards (30-20) through Jamerson (six) and Riak (seven), they couldn’t convert it into scoreboard separation, with the game essentially wrapped up at half time, 49-47.

Tempers boiled over in the third quarter with several players appearing to go in the book.

However, it was Robateau and Cluff who drove the inspired the Phoenix’s rise as the Salties received their second loss in three games and a dose of reality: they will need everything working in their favour to take the title.

Salties snap seven-game losing streak against Phoenix

DARWIN Salties women’s team have snapped a seven-game losing streak, keeping Sunshine Coast Phoenix at bay after a first quarter blitz on Saturday night, winning 77-69.

The Salties, who have not won since June 4, started brilliantly at Maroochydore Stadium, keeping the second bottom Phoenix scoreless, as they went on a 25-point, opening term run.

However, the Salties would be outscored across the second and third terms, 47-32, as the home team, through Nicola Handreck (24 points, nine boards) and Madeleine White (22 points, nine rebounds), would not retreat without a scrap.

Earlier, Chelsea Brook continued her hot form with seven points and four rebounds for the term, while the Salties’ defensive might forced the Phoenix to cough up 10 turnovers.

An underarm, off-the-glass layup from Serena Waters was Exhibit A of the Salties’ humming offence with slick transition to set up a 20-point lead at quarter time, 27-7.

Ruby Porter’s momentary forced departure from injury caused the Salties to lose momentum as the Phoenix found offensive form — White punching out a match-high 14 points for the half to cut the lead to eight.

A great steal and layup from Lauren Heard gave the visitors the fillip it needed before the main break, 46-32.

With 10 points in the third, and a brace of threes early in the fourth, Handreck exploded.

However, the cool, calm heads of Heard and Porter steadied matters for the visitors, with 15 and 18 points respectively.

Darwin claims biggest win of its NBL1 North season so far

DARWIN Salties men’s team has claimed its biggest scalp yet of the NBL1 North season, sprinting away from the top-of-the-table Gold Coast Rollers after quarter time to win 116-96, as South Sudanese jet Makuach Maluach reigned down three dunks in a pivotal third term.

The now 10-4 Salties, who have traditionally struggled in third terms, blasted the Rollers off the court, 36-19, to set up its most telling victory of the year.

Maluach was supported by the electric Tad Dufelmeier with 16 points in the third, including a brilliant brace of three-pointers as it quickly turned from gripping contest to party time at a heaving Croc Pot.

As the highlights came thick and fast, including a sublime Maluach slam after he spotted a gaping hole in the Rollers’ defence, it was hard to believe the home team had been under siege early, down 19-8 as sharp shooter Tanner Krebs found the middle of the ring routinely.

However, it was the Salties’ Big Three in skipper Jerron Jamerson (18 points), Maluach (15 points) and Dufelmeier (eight points and eight rebounds) who combined to have the Salties in front at halftime (52-44).

Maluach’s shooting was once again elite – after netting 26 points at almost 100 per cent proficiency in the opening half last Saturday against Ipswich Force – while Jamerson’s deftness under the rim inspired a Salties revival.

In fact, the talented trio would eventually account for more than three quarters of the Salties’ total points for the night with Jamerson, Maluach and Dufelmeier landing 25, 32 and 34 points respectively

Undeniably one of the league’s most exciting and attacking teams, the Salties also put the defensive clamps on the visitors to halt their momentum after exploding out of the blocks.

A Dufelmeier block denied Krebs’ drive to the basket just before the first quarter buzzer, then converted his own defensive half steal into a successful layup.

Josh Spiers also announced his return to the side after a hip injury with a big three while the reliable Ben Wright also scored a rare long ranger.

The Salties had their passing game in good order, too, with Dufelemeier’s look away assist to Maluach for a jam came from a higher level of basketball (4.20), while Jamerson’s deft left hander set up Deng Riak for two.

The home side simply had too many weapons to control and with their defensive game tight, it was too big an ask, even for the league leading Rollers.

Chelsea Brook puts in a pure captain’s performance in losing cause

The Darwin Salties women’s team’s losing streak has extended to seven matches following a momentum-shifting encounter against Gold Coast at the Croc Pot on Saturday night, going down 79-71.

Twice the home side clawed back relatively large leads but the Salties were unable to do it a third time as the Rollers outscored them 19-11 in the final term.

The Salties had rebounded from a turnover-riddled start to eventually steal the lead in the third, as captain Chelsea Brook caught fire, shooting 29 points in a match-defining display.

The home side was also provided silver service through some white-hot offensive passing from Ruby Porter, collecting seven assists to go with her trio of three-pointers.

Earlier, local star Kylie Duggan enjoyed perhaps her best period of play in a Salties singlet, nailing a three-pointer within 15 seconds of game time – quickly answered by Lauren Mansfield – before following up her good work with a further two, minutes later.

However, both teams struggled to find the basket from then on.

A brilliant Jade Peacock hook shot seemed to inspire the visitors’ scoring accuracy while the Salties turned the ball over 10 times for the term.

It was a game of two halves in the second, though.

Mansfield caught alight for the visitors, draining successive threes as the visitors skipped out to a 12-point lead (30-18).

However, the Salties suddenly discovered their offensive rhythm with Brook, Porter and local player Claire Maree O’Bryan in her Croc Pot debut, having an impact as their forward structure suddenly began to hum.

If not a three-point play from Angela Lou Beadle, seconds before the halftime buzzer, scores would have been locked up at the main break.

The Salties once again scrapped their way back into the contest after the visitors took a seven-point lead early in the third.

Brook was simply enormous with 14 points for the term, while April Rummery-Lamb was the beneficiary of some skilful passes to score six points.

And when Brook landed her second long range bomb for the quarter, the Salties had pinched the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the match.

Locked at 60 apiece at the final break, the Salties had their moments, and drew within four points with just over two minutes to play, as Porter continued to have an offensive influence.

But a clutch, crowd-silencing three from Lilly Rotunno effectively killed the contest.

Makuach Maluach scores 18 points in opening quarter against Ipswich Force

A STUNNING 18-point opening term from Darwin Salties superstar Makuach Maluach was not enough to inspire victory as the Ipswich Force took the chocolates 95-90 in arguably one of the most even contests witnessed at the Croc Pot this year.

With less than 30 seconds on the clock, the flamboyant Majok Deng, who had been involved in a number of mini flare ups during the night, blew kisses to a feisty Darwin crowd after nailing two clutch foul shots to put his team up by three and into safer waters after a Daniel Babb foul.

For the winners, Henry Pwono rivalled Maluach’s brilliance with 28 points and eight rebounds in a heated encounter with little between both sides for most of the night.

Several players from both sides clashed momentarily after the final buzzer before Salties head coach Matt Flinn wisely called his charges to the middle of the court to cool off and debrief.

Deng also appeared to receive some verbals from a fan in the crowd as he exited the court triumphant with 20 points, 10 rebounds and one of the Force’s proudest wins for the NBL1 North season thus far.

Earlier, Darwin got off to the most electrifying start possible with Maluach firing on every available cylinder, shooting at 100 per cent for almost all of the first half as he landed 26 points, including four long rangers from as many attempts.

However, his most thrilling piece of play came via the golden hand of the spring heeled Tad Dufelmeier for an inch-perfect alley-oop which had another healthy Darwin crowd roaring with delight.

Maluach would repay the favour later in the quarter with a bullet pass orchestrating a Dufelmeier layup.

The Adelaide 36er was at his creative best again on Saturday night, producing nine assists for the half — none were better than a left-arm rifle shot which picked out Ben Wright under the rim.

However, the 10th placed Ipswich were far from stunned into submission; producing some magic of their own, with Deng delivering a thunderous dunk, followed by a rebuke from the referee moments later.

With Maluach kept relatively quiet in the third term – he would only add a further five points to his half time haul – Dufelmeier filled the void with a brilliant drive to the basket.

But back-to-back three pointers from Jason Ralph began to put some separation on the scoreboard in favour of the visitors.

Big moments were littered across a thrilling second half – slams to Dufelmeir and Cameron Goldfinch, a fourth Ralph three, a pair of neat jumpers from Riak – as neither side could shake the other off.

However, with the game in the balance, Pwono stepped up for his team in grand style, stripping Riak of the ball mid-court before sprinting away for the resultant layup.

He then set up Isaac under the basket with a sublime behind-the-back pass.

The Salties kept coming as Riak levelled the scores with a clutch three, but it was quickly answered 15 seconds later by Deng with a bomb of his own.

And with Darwin trailing by a solitary point, Babb drew the foul which took Deng to the line for those knockout blows.

For the vanquished, Dufelmeier was again amongst the match’s elite with 19 points and 15 assists while Riak contributed 19 points and eight boards.

Darwin Salties women’s team drops sixth game in a row

Darwin Salties women’s team’s were made to pay after their game cooled in the second quarter against Ipswich Force at the Croc Pot, going down 81-64 in their sixth successive loss.

The 14th placed Salties, who have not tasted victory since early June, recovered from a nine-point deficit early in the first before going to sleep for the first six minutes of the second, failing to land a single bucket.

For the visitors, Amanda Cahill nailed a trio of successive threes in her 27 points (11 rebounds) while Brianna Rollerson was massive under the basket with 21 boards for the game, plus 16 points.

The Force were slick early with Tia Hay finding nothing but net with her first shot.

Despite a nice drive to the basket from new recruit Lauren Heard, the visitors kicked away to a 14-3 lead.

However, the Salties soon snapped back into the action through a tidy two-pointer off the glass from Heard and a three from Serena Waters before trapping a defensive rebound and rifling it the length of the court to Teyla Evans for the tip in.

And when Jess Boundy landed a bomb of her own, the Salties were suddenly in front.

But with scores locked at 20 all at quarter time, the home team lost all momentum and failed to land any points from a series of forward thrusts.

It took until the seventh minute for Darwin to get the scoreboard ticking over again through an Evans jump shot.

Down 31-40 at the long break but threatening to storm back into the contest, the Salties had the stuffing knocked out of them again as Cahill drained a trio of three pointers in succession, extending the lead to 18 points.

But the Salties refused to roll over.

With local star Tania Dhu landing two maximums, Darwin cut the lead to just five points early in the fourth.

However, following the theme of the night, the Salties couldn’t produce their best for long enough and eventually went down by 17 points.

Heard was solid for her new club with 13 points and five assists.

Salties reveal their Indigenous jerseys

THE Darwin Salties have unveiled their inaugural Indigenous round jerseys ahead of this weekend where they will show off their First Nations talent at the Darwin Basketball Stadium.

The jerseys, designed by Indigenous artists Ambrose Killian and Matt Robert, represent family, community and growth for the NAIDOC week round.

Darwin Salties women’s player Serena Waters is a Larrakia women, who incidentally had never lived in the region prior to joining the club.

She was thrilled to pull on the jersey for the match, seeing it as a chance to reconnect to her culture through the game she loves.

“The jerseys are absolutely beautiful. I love them. They’re great for me because I’m a Larrakia woman but this is my first time living in Darwin,” Waters said.

“So to be connected through a jersey to my culture is quite honestly unexplainable, it’s crazy.

“To come into this club and to Darwin has been absolutely amazing, everyone has been so welcoming.

“It’s been such an experience for me and to be able to reconnect with family and culture has always been a top priority for me.”

Serena Waters with men’s captain Jerron Jamerson wearing the Salties NAIDOC Week jersey. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

In its first year as a club, the Darwin Salties will host the Indigenous Round at the Darwin Basketball Stadium.

Waters called it a great chance for the side, which includes local stars such as Kylie Duggan, Tyla Cubillo and Tikesa Docherty-Cole, to showcase their Indigenous talent.

“The Indigenous round is really important for me because this is where we get to showcase our talent, this is where we showcase Indigenous talent,” Waters said.

“And I think that’s really important especially for women in sport. There isn’t always a lot for young Aboriginal girls to look up to so when they see myself, Kylie, Tyla or Tikesa on the court they feel inspired.

“It’s absolutely amazing to have this game here. The crowd is so invested in us and hopefully will be again, it’s just amazing to play in front of our families and for our people.

“Awareness is the important part of NAIDOC week for me, not only for non-Indigenous people, but for Indigenous people as well.

“Because we all have to stay educated on Aboriginal culture and issues and it’s important for everyone to be aware of those issues.”

The women’s Salties are currently sitting 14th with three wins from 12 games but Waters said there was a strong camaraderie among the first year side despite the results.

The Salties have struggled in recent weeks enduring a rough triple header with 56, 39 and 13 point losses to Northern Wizards, Southern Districts Spartans and Brisbane Capitals.

Next up for the Salties is a home encounter against the Ipswich Force and they will be relying on each other and the electric home crowd to get take home the win.

“We haven’t been fortunate enough at stages having not won some games,” Waters said.

“But win or loss we stick together side-by-side no matter what happens.

“Because whatever happens, whatever the score is at the end of the day we’re with our teammates, our friends and our family.

“So to be around that kind of positive environment is so amazing. We play our best basketball when we enjoy the game, that’s why we play.”