Darwin Salties Women snap losing run with victory over Mackay
Missing their two best players, up against their old captain and playing top of the table Mackay, the Salties Men played out an absolute thriller, while their counterparts secured a much needed win.
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The top of the table clash between the Darwin Salties men and the Mackay Meteors proved to be an action-packed blockbuster.
In front of a raucous Croc pot, the Salties put up a valiant fight, down troops and against former mate and inaugural team captain Jerron Jamerson.
Following a slow opening term that left the Salties down 23-35, the Darwin-based side switched into gear in the second, putting up 30, restricting Mackay to 23 to leave the score 53-58 at the half.
A more physical period, the third saw both teams used their smalls through the middle, with the game still in the balance at 77-84.
Deba George turned back the clock, putting together an absolute clinic on offence, running rings around Mackay’s defensive efforts, driving to the paint and setting up his bigs on the perimeter.
A run of seven points, courtesy of George, Territorian Jason Ramsamy, and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk meant it was 93-95 with just under four minutes remaining.
A deep three from Chier Maker and two of three from the line from George meant a single score was the difference, 101-104 with 36 seconds on the clock.
Mackay got the ball back and looked to play out the shot clock till George fouled Emmett Naar in Mackay’s own end. A missed jumper from Isaac White saw Chier Maker snag the rebound with 14 to go.
The Salties dribbled up the court, got set and handed the ball off to Maker with two seconds on the clock, who went for the game tying shot under pressure, only for the ball to fall centimetres short, bouncing off the rim into the hands of Mackay.
From there, Mackay drew a foul with no time left, making both free throws to seal the game 101-106.
“Without our two main guys, (Kouat Noi, Sean Macdonald) we did better than I thought we might have to be honest,” George said after the match.
“We started a bit slow which meant we were chasing the whole time, but other than that I thought we played rather well.”
Not concerned about the side’s offensive capabilities going forward, George did acknowledge that defence against sides such as Mackay is undoubtedly an area for growth.
“Offensively we’re fine,” he said.
“We have heaps of weapons that can score from anywhere.
“But on defence we switched off a number of times and allowed them (Mackay) to run straight through the middle for easy lay-ups.
“We need to sort out those lapses if we want to be in control of the momentum and seal the win.”
The Salties Women have kept their finals ambitions alive with a comfortable victory in a contest coach Rod Tremlett labelled a ‘dogfight’ last week.
After their defeat last weekend to the Seahawks, the women were in urgent need of a victory and they did just that.
Up against the 10th-placed Meteorettes and former captain Chelsea Brooks, Darwin got on the front foot early in the piece, putting up 25 points to Mackay’s 17 in the first.
A bit slower in the second, kept to 16 and allowing 19 against, the third was a similar sluggish quarter, both sides playing great shutdown defence, leaving the score tight at 54-51.
The women found their groove again in the final term, Cat MacGregor leading the charge, sinking three from deep and Ashley Arlen getting in on the fun with a three of her own.
In the end, the Darwin women outscored Mackay 21-10 to claim a much needed victory, 75-61.
After the whistle, Courtney Woods – back after missing last game through injury – was named player of the match, recording a game high 23 points, and 13 rebounds for a double-double, as well as five assists.
Abigail Curtain was a wall in defence, also making 13 rebounds to go with her eight points, and Zoe Campbell impressed once again off the bench, with 10 rebounds, a steal and a block for another great defensive stint in her 16 minute cameo.
Pivotal battles ahead for Salties Men and Women
It’s a battle of the top two sides in the NBL1 competition when the Darwin Salties host the Mackay Meteors at the Croc Pot.
The Salties men have had a great run of late, but know this will not be an easy challenge against a side they’ve been one of the few sides to get the better of.
Coach Matt Flinn recognised the enormity of the task and said his side needed to win this to stay in their healthy position.
“They’ve really been the benchmark of the competition all year, they’re stacked and really well coached,” Flinn said.
“We have a big task ahead of us because we’re down on a few key players, while they’re rolling in trying to keep their top spot.
“We want to win every game we can and our goal right from the start of the year is to bring a home final to Darwin, and winning this will be another step in the right direction.”
However, the men will be down some key personnel including Kouat Noi, who was picked in South Sudan’s Olympic side, and marquee signing Sean Macdonald.
It gives the second-placed side a chance to give some of their other talent an opportunity at gaining some minutes ahead of finals.
And it’s in this run home that the side believe they can secure themselves a home final for the first time in their three year history.
“We really want to protect our home, regardless of who puts the uniform on we represent our fans and the Territory, and we’ve done that pretty well this year,” Flinn said.
“To keep the momentum rolling is crucial, we’re second but Logan is in a healthy spot too in third, so if we drop a couple of home games we will fall back into the pack, and we don’t want that.”
Another matter for the Salties to consider against Mackay is the Darwin return of inaugural Salties captain Jerron Jamerson, who holds a special spot in the squad’s history.
“Jerron was an integral part of what we did in the first two years building this franchise, he’s extremely well-liked and a fan favourite,” Flinn said.
“It’s going to be a good challenge with him, he’s going to be motivated to come in and do really well and we’ll just have to deal with that the best we can.”
Kai Bloom is among the players who will called on to step up against Mackay, but the young gun is certain his side are ready to defend their home court.
The young gun had his biggest game of the season in the win against Gold Coast with about 17 minutes of court time, but his mind his now on the big contest.
“This is the biggest game of the year, it can really determine who finishes first or second and will come down to who’s going to be the best on the night,” Bloom said.
“When we went to Mackay we beat them by 20 points, and they’ll think they can come here and get one over us with our missing players, but we’re ready for the task.
“The community in Darwin is second to none, and we thank everyone who puts on our merchandise and sees us after the game, it’s just a great feeling especially as a young guy coming through.”
Salties women in real dogfight
The Salties women find themselves in a real dogfight to reach finals, but with their remaining matches at home, have an opportunity to right their course.
They were flying high early in the year, but a run of tricky away games and their first home loss with talisman Courtney Woods out injured has them down in sixth.
However, their remaining three matches are all at home and some positives from their recent one point loss have them confident finals are still more than a possibility.
It was a tricky encounter for Woods from the sideline for the first time in her career, however she was able to learn from the outside looking in.
“We’ve got some tired bodies but we’re pushing through and we know how important the next three weeks are for us,” she said.
“It was an upsetting loss, especially going down to the wire, but this league moves pretty quickly and we can’t dwell too much, we’re focused on this weekend more than anything.
“It was the first game I’ve missed of my career so it was a different experience, but it was also a positive to see it from a different point of view, and hopefully that will help when I’m back on court.
“Teams can go one way or another when down a player, and we were positive with it, we didn’t need one person to do anything crazy, we just needed a bit more from everyone.”
Coach Rod Tremlett was similarly proud with his side’s efforts, though would have wished the buzzer beater went the other way in the dying second.
Now his side find themselves in a situation where a loss could spell the end of their entire season.
“The reality is I was really proud of the effort, but really disappointed with the result,” he said.
“With Courtney not in the mix we asked our other players to step up and we’re super proud of our bench crew that stepped in and did a great job.
“We’re really disappointed we couldn’t defend home court, we were undefeated here until then, but any time you lose on the buzzer is disappointing.
“We’re now in a dogfight, we have to win our last three games at home to have a chance to make playoffs, but we put ourselves in this position with our road record.”
The women come up against their former captain Chelsea Brooks for the second time of the season, and it’s something they’ve been anticipating.
“Chelsea is so well loved and respected for us, she was our inaugural captain and holds a special place in our heart,” Tremlett said.
“That’s okay before and after the game, but during the game she’s just another player and we’ll have some plans for her.”
No Macdonald no problems for Salties men
The Croc pot is further proving itself as a happy hunting ground for the Salties men who claimed their eleventh victim of the season.
Off the back of their narrow loss to Brisbane last round, the men came out firing on all cylinders despite being down marquee signing Sean Macdonald.
Against the Seahawks, the Salties were relentless from tip-off, sinking 58 points in the first half, restricting their opponents to just 28.
The side maintained their dominance in the remaining two terms, to win 121-88.
Another very well rounded team performance, that saw each player take to the court and finish with a positive efficiency, threes were the flavour of the night.
On his way to a team high 29 points, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk netted 6/8 from three, while Deba George made 5/8 in his 23 point contribution off the bench and Makuach Maluach hit 5/11 on his way to 22 points.
The side’s eleventh victory of the season sees them remain second on the ladder behind Mackay, who have the one loss, courtesy of the Salties back in Round 8.
The two will face-off in Darwin next weekend, with tip-off at 8.30pm.
It was another disappointing loss for the Salties women who suffered their sixth defeat in seven games.
Without their ringleader Courtney Woods, it was always going to be difficult for the side who struggle for production without their star.
The team looked up for the challenge and in the fight for most of the night but couldn’t get over the line when it mattered.
Headed into the final quarter locked 62 a piece, the Salties kept touch with the Seahawks, levelling the score at 81 all with 1.09 left on the clock.
Captain Ruby Porter drew a foul with 10 seconds left on the clock.
With a chance to go up by two or run out a set play, Porter missed both free throws resulting in a Gold Coast player getting a defensive rebound, and their number 20 Kendell Heremaia sinking a layup to go up by two points with two seconds remaining, sealing the 83-81 victory.
Four of the Salties starters recorded double digits with Ashley Arlen impressing; 19 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.
Zoe Campbell also impressed off the bench with a double-double in her 23 minute effort, 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Languishing in eight on the ladder with just three games remaining, the women will be in desperate search of a victory this Saturday as they face the Mackay Meteorettes at home.
Salties Men dominate road stretch as Women continue free fall
The Darwin Salties men have completed a stellar eight away games stretch that has further legitimised their premiership aspirations.
Cruising past Southern District Spartans with a 106-92 victory, Makuach Maluach, Chier Maker and Kouat Noi dropped more than 25 points a piece, winning their seventh straight on the road and their fifth in three weeks.
The men were two scores away from a perfect stretch, falling to the Brisbane Capitals in a fiercely close 86-81 affair.
“If you look at the overall road campaign as a collective we are seven and one on the road,” head coach Matt Flinn said.
“That’s a franchise record.
“We backed up for our second game after a little over 12 hours following a tough win against the Spartans the night before.
“So full credit to our guys because it’s extremely hard to do.”
Not wanting to be overly negative, Flinn did lament the fact that, in his mind, the Salties had what it took to get over the line.
“We know in ourselves that our game against Brisbane is one we could have won,” he said.
“If they had dropped it would have been a different game.”
On the other end of the spectrum, it was another disappointing set of games for the women’s outfit who lost both of games
Defeated 97-75 against the Spartans, the women were unable to put it together, capitulating yet again in the final term, 33-12.
Brisbane compounded the pain on Sunday, downing the Salties 91-80 despite a heroic performance from marquee signing Courtney Woods who put up 39 points and 10 assists.
The back-to-back losses have taken the women from a dominant 6-1 record through Round 7 to 1-5, leaving them 7-6 on the season, treading water in eighth on the ladder.
“We battled hard but we let ourselves down on the defensive end,” coach Rod Tremlett said.
“We hurt ourselves missing critical shots; too many missed lay-ups and shots under the basket.
“They had a very tall team and our team worked very hard but the hard work was undone by the missed shots at critical times.
“We were getting the shots but not the rewards.”
Both the men and women will play their first home game at the Croc Pot in more than three weeks this Saturday June 22, as they face the North Gold Coast Seahawks at Marrara.
Darwin Salties men continue stellar away form with impressive victories
The Darwin Salties men have continued their stellar away stretch with two more back-to-back victories.
Now four wins on the trot, their 105-92 victory over Sunshine Coast and their 87-80 win against Northside Wizards has rocketed them into second place on the overall ladder.
Usual suspects turned up during the double-header, namely Chier Maker with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Verle Williams with a 20 piece off the bench versus the Phoenix.
The men struggled a bit against the Wizards but pulled through with a dominant final term, due to the efforts of starting trio of Makuach Maluach, Chier Maker and Kouat Noi all putting up big double-doubles, 18/10, 15/12 and 20/13 respectively.
A gallant come from behind victory, head coach Matt Flinn said the result reflected the squads pride representing the Territory at a national stage.
“Backing up on the road in this league like we had to against Northside is really hard to do,” Flinn said
“We new it would be tough against a team that has some super talent.
“These guys genuinely love playing for each other, but most important of all for them is playing for the Territory.
“It was there in our 105-92 win over Sunshine Coast Phoenix on Friday night and again on Saturday night.”
The women bounced back with a winning performance over the Sunshine Coast, winning 90-68.
Courtney Woods was the side’s most productive with 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and making 3/4 from three.
Ashley Arlen dished up 20 points and nine rebounds, while captain Ruby Porter was the most productive on court, finishing the contest plus 15.
The women’s second game however saw them suffer their third loss in five games, a 122-91 drubbing.
Against former marquee signing Erin Bollmann schooled her former teammates, almost recording a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in her 33 minutes, while her partner in crime AJ Johnson racked up 32 points and 16 rebounds in her 28 minute run.
Former Wizard Woods did her best, posting 24 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, while Arlen again demonstrated her firepower with 19 points in a long 30-minute shift.
The loss means the women will remain in fifth place till their upcoming clash against sixth placed Spartans this weekend.
Darwin Salties women fail to emulate winning formula on the road
The Salties first away leg was truly a study of contrasts.
While the men flew back to Darwin sitting pretty after back-to-back wins, their counterparts would have been doing some self-reflection after consecutive losses.
Against Mackay and Salties’ inaugural captain Chelsea Brook, the women were unable to finish the job, despite being in the contest through the opening 30 minutes.
Eventually losing 98-85, the fourth quarter proved costly as Mackay restricted the Salties to just 11 points while adding 22 of their own.
The Darwin side didn’t fare much better against Rockhampton the following day either, losing 96-66 and putting up some of their worst numbers of the season.
Having beaten the Cyclones 101-73 a week earlier, the Salties were unable to replicate that winning formula, recording zero minutes in the lead.
Even though usual suspects Courtney Woods and Cat MacGregor both dished up 21 points a piece, the rest of the side recorded single digits.
And again, it was the final term that put the nail in the coffin for the Salties, restricted to five points in comparison to Rocky’s 15.
The side has now slipped to fifth on the ladder and will need to find some form quickly, having won two of their past five games.
On the polar opposite end of the spectrum, the Salties men came home with the win following two solid performances.
Not only did the men hand the Mackay Meteors their first loss of the season, they did it in style.
A statement 113-95 victory, the side put together a well-rounded team performance with contributors across the board.
Chier Maker was the star of the show with an impressive 26 points and 13 rebounds double-double, and Verle Williams put together a nice cameo off the bench with 11 points and three rebounds in his 16 minute stint.
However, it was the defensive efforts of the Darwin men that impressed the most, keeping Mackay to 23 points and under in the opening three terms.
The side followed their winning performance up the following day, downing Rockhampton 112-105.
Once again, the Salties’ ability to generate offence while limiting their opponents was on full display, outscoring the Rockets in periods one, two and three.
Kouat Noi was back to his MVP like self with a 28-point display in his big 37-minute stint, while Makuach Maluach put together a punchy 23-point, seven rebound effort in his 25 minutes on the court.
As a result of the back-to-back wins, the side are up in third place with a 7-2 record.
Darwin Salties head off on challenging away game run
The Darwin Salties have set off for their first of six away fixtures in a row, a set of matches that will be the true tester of where they end up come season’s end.
The Salties sides have had a successful start to their season with the men holding a 5-2 record, while the women are currently 6-1 from their opening seven matches.
But this set of away matches will be the make or break of their respective seasons, with tough matches against Mackay and then Rockhampton the first obstacles.
The Mackay men have gone unbeaten so far in 2024 and sit two places above Darwin, and is the home to former Salties’ captain Jerron Jamerson.
The women will have to come up against their former captain in Chelsea Brook too, but a recent 28-point defeat of benchmark side Rockhampton has coach Rod Tremlett confident.
“We’ve known this would be a great challenge for us since the start of the season, but we feel like we’re ready for the challenge,” he said.
“Against Rockhampton it was just so pleasing for about three or four of the players to have their best games of the season.
“Courtney Woods did Courtney Woods things, it was great to have Cat MacGregor step up the way she did and Ruby Porter had a real captain’s game.
“It’s going to be really weird playing against Chelsea, we have so much respect for her as our inaugural captain so it’s going to be strange coaching against her.”
MacGregor was one of the stars against Rockhampton last time out with her defensive game impressing in particularly, and now she’s hoping her side kick on through the away rounds.
“These are going to be a very challenging three weeks, we’ve had the best start we could have, but these will dictate our season,” she said.
“The Salties fans will be missed, they help a lot and get around us and get across the line in close games, and their support is unmatched compared to any other association.
“We have to band together as a group heading away, it really is us against everyone else.
“We really clicked as a group from the jump, and all the off the court work leads into our on court performance, so we’re playing for each other and that’s great.”
The men will be eager to jump back on the winner’s list themselves after a narrow two-point loss at the Croc Pot, and know this away series will be crucial for their shot at a home final.
The likes of Makauch Malauch, Sean Macdonald and Kouat Noi will be needed on their best form, particularly against a Mackay side with some insider information.
“We’re excited, it’s obviously going to be a challenge with long flights and tough travel days, but we’re looking forward to setting up our season,” Macdonald said.
“We’ve focused on what we need to learn from after the tough loss, particularly defence, which we knows travels and is where we will need to bring it.
“The team has been great, we’ve got a few guys who have helped the continuity of the group while the new guys have fitted in seamlessly.
“We’re expecting a lot of talk against Mackay, we loved having Jerron the past two seasons and I’m sure he will come out with a lot of energy and plenty to prove, but we’re excited and confident.”
Salties women smother Rocky while men suffer narrow defeat
It was a mixed night for the Salties who played their last home games ahead of a four-week road trip.
Up against two very strong Rockhampton outfits, it was the women who starred on the night, recording their sixth win of the season in dominating fashion.
In the lead for all but 20 seconds of the game, the Salties were firing on all cylinders.
From shutdown defending to big numbers from key players, the women cruised to a 101-73 victory, extending their undefeated run at home.
Level at 22 a piece after the first, it was the Salties’ second quarter efforts that buried the Cyclones, outscoring them 33-16.
Another close period in the third saw the Cyclones claw back some points but it was too much to ask as the ladies in blue stood tall putting up 23 points to 11.
Usual suspect Courtney Woods was phenomenal yet again, scoring 30 points, nine rebounds, six assists and sinking 3/3 from deep.
Promoted to the starting five, Ellas Titan Catherine MacGregor repaid her coaches faith, making 20 points, two rebounds, five assists, four steals, a block and three 3’s, and was rightfully awarded player of the match by coach Rod Tremlett.
The side are now 6-1 on the season and sit fourth on the ladder.
As for the men, they suffered a tough loss, going down to Rockhampton narrowly in a 113-111 scoreline, bringing an end to their five-game winning streak.
The men looked the good early and in command, taking a 39-28 point lead into the break. They followed suit in the second with another solid offensive showing, leading the contest 76-60 at the half.
It was the third that would be their undoing, allowing the Cyclones to net 28 while limiting the home side to just 13.
While the did fight back in the fourth, they’ll be left rueing their missed chances in an agonising two point defeat, in a game they desperately wanted to win.
On the court for 38 minutes, Kouat Noi put up an impressive double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Makuach Maluach had another big night with 26 points, sinking 4/6 from three.
NBL reigning-champion Sean Macdonald had a bounce-back performance, doing a bit of everything in his 36 minute stint, making 19 points, six rebounds, eight assists and a steal.
Despite the loss, the side are still sitting pretty in third place on the ladder with a 5-2 record.
Chemistry key in Salties battle against Rockhampton
The Darwin Salties are in a strong position heading into their next home meeting, but will need to have their wits about them to better a tough visiting Rockhampton side.
Swingman Chier Maker is one man who knows a thing or two about the Rockets, the side he played for in the 2023 season.
He became a major coup for the Salties in 2024 with plenty of minutes to his name and an average of 13.67 points per outing so far this season.
This match comes as his first against his former side, and he knows they will have to pay special attention to Rocket’s Xavier Ford who won last round’s Player of the Week.
“They’ve been playing doing pretty well and are on a three-game winning streak, which means we need to stop their momentum,” Maker said.
“Ford is one of their main guys and is just coming off winning the Player of the Week after putting up some big numbers, so facing him should be fun.”
Maker said the Darwin crowd would be another big aspect, and was certainly one he noticed last season as a travelling Rockhampton player to the Croc Pot.
“Everything is going well so far in this Salties side, we’ve had a good start to the season, so I can’t complain there,” Maker said.
“Darwin is awesome, the first time I came up was on the other side and to see the crowd support and the weather was amazing.”
As a shooter he said he was learning plenty being around strong NBL tested players such as Makauch Malauch or Sean Macdonald, who made his life easier.
And it was the team chemistry across the Salties squad that had led them to a successful start to the season and put them in good stead in their hunt for a home final.
“We’ve got like four NBL players who have won championships and those guys are just making everything easier for everyone else on court,” he said.
“For me with them there I don’t have to work as hard to get the ball, those guys go and draw attention most of the time and it allows me to focus on my shooting.
“And then in return I can be there for them when they need me, so it’s been really fun playing with them this season.
“The team chemistry is the biggest part, we all get on well and that’s translated really well on to the court and in the way we play.”
The Rockhampton women, the Cyclones, are a similarly tough prospect having lost just their first match of the season last time out, and will be eager to let the Salties know what they can do.
The Salties women sit on the same 5-1 record from six matches and are a known force to be reckoned with on their home court down to the likes of Courtney Woods.
Winners are grinners: Salties do the double over Ipswich Force
A dominant third period spell helped secure a much needed win for the Salties women over the Ipswich Force on Saturday night.
Fresh off their Round 5 loss to Townsville and the bye, the Salties rebounded with a solid performance and their fifth win of the season in a 92-78 scoreline.
After the opening two terms saw the sides split 45-43, their dominance in the third rocketed them out to a 76-59 lead come the last 10 minutes.
And with 16 points in the fourth – their lowest of the game – their third period dominance was more than enough to get them over the line.
Courtney Woods was in MVP form once again, putting together another monster performance.
The WNBL star recorded a game high 28 points along with four rebounds, 11 assists and three steals.
Big's Ashley Arlen and Ashley Curtin were the other top performers on the night, dominating the paint and possession when on the court, and both notable absences when on the bench.
Arlen put up 20 points, 11 rebounds and a steal while Curtin recorded 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Captain Ruby Porter said the performance was a welcome one following their loss to the Flames a fortnight ago.
“A (winning) performance like that from everyone was really good for us,” she said.
“Our transition defence was something that’s been a big focus for us the past few weeks and we did a great job in that aspect.
Porter also showed her support and backed her teammates despite the lack of production from role players.
“Anyone can come out and perform on any given night,” she said.
“Tonight wasn’t our best offensively, but we found ways to score.”
Extending their winning streak to five on the trot, the Salties men are on a roll.
In a convincing showing against Ipswich, the men retained their second place on the ladder with a well-earned victory, despite marquee man Sean Macdonald having a quiet night by his standards.
A quick fire first start to the opening term got the Salties in a good position, but the Force’s Brisbane Bullet DJ Mitchell made sure the home side didn’t get out of sight.
Just one point the difference at the break, it was the same after the half with the two split 64-65.
Like the women, a third quarter blitz sealed the deal for the Salties as they piled on the points, outscoring the Force 35-17, and despite lifting the foot off the throttle in the final minutes of the fourth their efforts would not be in vain, claiming a 121-110 win in a tidy, low error affair.
Captain Makuach Maluach was once again an immense force all night long.
His dogged and physical play saw him bag a team high 26 points and 11 rebounds, along with four assists, four steals and four threes in his 35 minute outing.
Maluach’s partner in crime Kouat Noi was on fire once more too.
The King also racked up 26 points, along with five rebounds, four assists and went 11 from 18 from the field.
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk and Sean Macdonald put up 12 and 13 points respectively while bench players Chier Maker and Verle Williams also chipped in with 19 and 15 points a piece.
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