NewsBite

Darwin Salties wheelchair team finish top of the table after 16th consecutive victory

The Darwin Salties have done it again. The team played out another undefeated weekend to finish top of the ladder. Recap the team’s remarkable regular season campaign.

Darwin Salties NWBL team will play their final games of the 2024 season this weekend. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin.
Darwin Salties NWBL team will play their final games of the 2024 season this weekend. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin.

The Salties have capped off a superb regular season in style.

In front of a home crowd the team put together another 3-0 stretch, taking their unbeaten run to 16 wins on-the-trot and a first place finish for good measure.

Their final three games of the regular season and their final appearances on home court for 2024, the Salties were a class above Victoria’s Red Dust Heelers across the board.

From a 54 point victory on the Friday to 30 and 35 point victories on the Saturday, the Salties were their ever dominant selves, leading every quarter in each match.

And for the final time this season, the Salties put it all on the line once more to ensure their top of the ladder finish.

“This season has been incredible,” Paralympian and Salties player Tom O’Neill-Thorne said after Game 3.

“We’ve been building for the past few seasons with the same core and to see it come together like it has, has been very rewarding.

“Last round and this one just gone have felt like the most connected we’ve been as a playing unit to date.

“Considering where we started the season, with those two back-to-back losses, to have a stretch of 16 wins in a row is crazy.”

The Darwin outfit won’t have much time to rest on their laurels, flying down to NSW for the finals series this Wednesday.

End of regular season award recipients Jontee Brown (left) Jannik Blair (centre) and Jaylen Brown, took home the DPOY, Coaches Award and Players MVP respectively. Picture: Bridge Toyota Darwin Salties NWBL Facebook.
End of regular season award recipients Jontee Brown (left) Jannik Blair (centre) and Jaylen Brown, took home the DPOY, Coaches Award and Players MVP respectively. Picture: Bridge Toyota Darwin Salties NWBL Facebook.

RESULTS / TOP PERFORMERS

Game 1

FT: Darwin 90 def. 36 Heelers

Jaylen Brown – 24pts, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, 5 steals

Tom O’Neill-Thorne – 22pts, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 6/7 from three

Jontee Brown – 21pts, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 2/2 from three

Game 2

FT: Darwin 78 def. 48 Heelers

Jontee Brown – 29pts, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Samuel White – 12pts, 7 rebounds

Tom O’Neill-Thorne – 9pts, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 3/5 from three

Game 3

FT: Darwin 77 def. 42 Heelers

Jaylen Brown – 22pts, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, 2/5 from three

Tom O’Neill-Thorne – 15pts, 11 rebounds, 14 assists, 5 steals, 3/6 from three

Jannik Blair – 9pts, 3 rebounds, 1 steal

SEASON 2024

Finish: 1st (50 points)

Played: 18 games

Won: 16

Lost: 2

Away record: 7-2

Home record: 9-0

Pts For: 1449

Pts Against: 897

Pts Difference: 552

END OF REGULAR SEASON AWARDS

Defensive Player of the Year: Jannik Blair

Coaches Award: Jontee Brown

Players MVP: Jaylen Brown

13 in a row: Darwin Salties too good for Manly in NWBL clash

The Darwin Salties Wheelchair team have made it 13 wins on the trot after another brilliant showing in Round 6.

On the courts of the Northern Beaches, the Darwin-based outfit proved too hot to handle for the Wheel Eagles, dishing up three convincing victories in compelling fashion.

Headed into the weekend second on the ladder, the Salties were firm favourites against the mid-table Eagles.

And it should come as no surprise the usual suspects balled out yet again for the Salties, namely Jaylen Brown, Jontee Brown and Reo Fujimoto, while the likes of Clarence McCarthy-Grogan, Tom O'Neill-Thorne, and Jannik Blair all had solid performances behind the scenes.

The three wins assured the Salties retained their second place on the ladder with a 13-2 record.

The defending national champions still have a chance to round out the regular season top of the table if they win their remaining three matches, which would see them overtake Perth and nullify Wollongong’s efforts.

The team will suit up for their final home games of the season this Friday and Saturday against the Red Dust Heelers.

Darwin Salties Wheelchair team celebrating a win. Picture: Daniel Bennett Photography.
Darwin Salties Wheelchair team celebrating a win. Picture: Daniel Bennett Photography.

RESULTS / TOP PERFORMERS

Game 1

FT: Salties 80 def. 51 Wheel Eagles

Jaylen Brown – 24pts, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 1 block

Jontee Brown – 19pts, 10 rebounds, 2 assists

Reo Fujimoto – 14pts, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Game 2

FT: Salties 83 def. 47 Wheel Eagles

Jaylen Brown – 23pts, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 steals

Jontee Brown – 20pts, 6 rebounds

Tom O'Neill-Thorne – 12pts, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals

Game 3

FT: Salties 82 def. 60 Wheel Eagles

Jaylen Brown – 25pts, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals

Jontee Brown – 18pts, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

Clarence McCarthy-Grogan – 6pts, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals

Darwin Salties extend winning streak in commanding fashion

It was another clean sweep for the Darwin Salties Wheelchair basketball team as they smashed the Adelaide Thunder on the road.

Now on a nine-game winning streak, the Salties showed no mercy to the winless Thunder, piling on a combined 281 points while conceding only 71.

They hit the ground running in their first clash, and soon to be first time Olympian Jaylen Brown had a huge performance.

The 19-year-old was an unstoppable force, putting up 31 points in his 32 minutes.

He was also unbelievable in every other metric, missing out on the rare quadruple-double by two assists.

He followed up his tremendous game one with a very good game two that saw him record a double-double.

The Victorian talent wasn’t done there, as he balled out once again in the final game of the weekend.

Brown was close to another record stat line, finishing the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and 10 steals.

The three wins have put the Salties in prime position, as of now, sitting second place on 32 points with 10 wins and two losses from their 12 games.

The Salties will play their Round 6 matches against the Manly Wheel Eagles this weekend in Sydney.

Jaylen Brown of the Australian Rollers during the game between Australia and Team Japan at John Cain Arena on July 05, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty.
Jaylen Brown of the Australian Rollers during the game between Australia and Team Japan at John Cain Arena on July 05, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty.

RESULTS / TOP PERFORMERS

Game 1

FT: Salties 85 def. 32 Thunder

Jaylen Brown – 31pts, 8 rebounds, 13 assists, 13 steals, 2 threes

Jontee Brown – 20pts, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals

Clarence McCarthy-Grogan – 8pts, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals

Game 2

FT: Salties 92 def. 30 Thunder

Jaylen Brown – 27pts, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals

Jontee Brown – 18pts, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

Clarence McCarthy-Grogan – 8pts, 6 rebounds, 11 assists

Game 3

FT: Salties 104 def. 14 Thunder

Jaylen Brown – 35pts, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 10 steals, 16/19 from the field

Jontee Brown – 22pts, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals

Tom O’Neill-Thorne – 10pts, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals

Australian Paralympic President personally congratulates Darwin Salties

It was a special weekend for a number of Darwin Salties who capped off a dominant round with a special presentation from the Australian Paralympics President.

The Darwin outfit maintained their undefeated home court stand, toppling the Southern Districts Spartans in their NWBL Round 4 clash in dominant fashion.

After winning their first game to the tune of 51 points on Friday night, the side backed it up with a 35-point victory on Saturday morning, and then secured their third win of the round later in the evening.

Honorary President Alison Creagh and other members of the Paralympic committee made a special appearance ahead of the third match, formally congratulating the four Salties’ and one Spartan player who were named in the Australian Rollers Paralympic team last week.

Alison Creagh personally congratulated the four Darwin Salties on their Paralympic call-ups. Picture: Daniel Carson/Getty Images for AOC.
Alison Creagh personally congratulated the four Darwin Salties on their Paralympic call-ups. Picture: Daniel Carson/Getty Images for AOC.

“We have an opportunity to recognise the Australian Rollers who have been selected to represent the Australian Paralympic team,” Creagh said.

“You should all be immensely proud of your selection. We know the significant effort that goes into your journey as athletes

“We know that for the Salties, there’s a whole team behind the team that supports you, and I’d also like to applaud the Northern Territory for the work you are doing to drive the next generation of Paralympic athletes.”

Local legend and one of the four Salties selected in the Rollers team, Tom O’Neill-Thorne was proud to have the Salties and NT recognised by the nations head of sport.

“They’re (Paralympics Australia) seeing Darwin as a spot where Paralympic athletes can thrive,” he said.

“It’s a testament to all the work behind the scenes and support that has been given to us.

“Also, having the athletes that we do here makes a statement.

“They (Paralympics Australia) could tell us to move to a big city, but they see the value in us staying up here and the level of support we get from the community.”

Tom O’Neill-Thorne was selected for his third games alongside teammates, Sam White, Jannik Blair and debutant Jaylen Brown.

Darwin Salties player Jontee Brown had another big weekend, putting up 63 points across the three games. Picture: Daniel Bennett Photography.
Darwin Salties player Jontee Brown had another big weekend, putting up 63 points across the three games. Picture: Daniel Bennett Photography.

RESULTS / TOP PERFORMERS

Game 1

FT: Salties 90 def. 39 Spartans

Jaylen Brown – 24pts, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 2 threes

Clarence McCarthy-Grogan – 17pts, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 three

Jontee Brown – 14pts, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal

Game 2

FT: Salties 84 def. 49 Spartans

Jontee Brown – 28pts, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, 14/16 from the field

Jaylen Brown – 16pts, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 three

Reo Fujimoto – 13pts, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 1 three

Game 3

FT: Salties 69 def. 43 Spartans

Jontee Brown – 21pts, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 three

Reo Fujimoto – 17pts, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 three

Tom O’Neill-Thorne – 6pts, 3 rebounds, 13 assists, 5 steals, 1 block

Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/local-sport/salties-wheelchair-team-stay-undefeated-on-home-court/news-story/842753d765a399063454edfcba2065b2