Grand Final: Fire your 'Guns', Buccaneers

• How to watch the 2025 NBL1 National Finals
• The NBL is back, baby! How to watch the NBL Blitz pre-season tournament
• Star power sets up 'electric' NBL1 Men's championship series

Canberra Gunners storybook ending to the 2025 NBL1 men's season is just one win away after securing a spot in the NBL1 National Championships Grand Final against Geraldton Buccaneers.

But it could be an all-WA year to remember with the Cockburn Cougars putting their unbeaten record on the line against Knox Raiders in the women's decider.

Men Grand Final: Geraldton Buccaneers vs Canberra Gunners — 1.30pm on Sunday, August 31, 2025

Preliminary Final 1: Geraldton Buccaneers 92 def. Sandringham Sabres 84

Geraldton Buccaneers defeated Sandringham Sabres 92-84 to earn their spot in the 2025 NBL1 National Championships Grand Final at Southern Cross Stadium.

NBL1 West champions Geraldton Akeem Springs' 30-point effort led the Buccaneers to the eight-point win against the NBL1 South champions.

By the Numbers

• Akeem Springs (Geraldton) starred with 30 points, five rebounds, two steals in 36 minutes.
• Malith Machar (Sandringham) scored 29 points, had four rebounds, one assist and one block in 37 minutes.

What Happened

The first quarter saw Sandringham take control early, establishing a 29-24 lead behind strong interior play, scoring 22 points in the paint. Geraldton fought back in the second quarter, holding the Sabres to just 13 points on 20% shooting from two-point range. The Buccaneers took a 41-42 deficit into halftime.

The third quarter remained tightly contested with both teams trading baskets. Geraldton scored 22 points to Sandringham's 23, keeping the deficit at two points heading into the final period. Sandringham found success from beyond the arc, connecting on five of eight three-point attempts in the quarter.

Geraldton dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring Sandringham 29-19 to secure the eight-point victory. The Buccaneers shot an efficient 66.7% from two-point range in the final period, with Springs leading the charge. A crucial eight-point run in the fourth quarter shifted momentum firmly in Geraldton's favour.

Akeem Springs delivered a stellar performance with 30 points on 11-from-22 shooting, including four three-pointers. Joshua Keyes added an impressive double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds on 10-from-18 shooting. Johny Narkle nearly recorded a triple-double with 10 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.

For Sandringham, Malith Machar led the way with 29 points, including five three-pointers, but it wasn't enough to overcome Geraldton's balanced attack. Tom Koppens contributed a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, though his 6-from-21 shooting efficiency limited his impact.

The rebounding battle was nearly even, with Sandringham securing 49 boards to Geraldton's 46. However, Geraldton's superior shooting efficiency proved decisive. The Buccaneers shot 43.8% from the field compared to Sandringham's 36.7%. Geraldton also played cleaner basketball with just 13 turnovers to Sandringham's 16.

Geraldton's defense stepped up when it mattered most, recording four blocks to Sandringham's one. Mathew Wundenberg was instrumental on the glass for the Buccaneers, pulling down 12 rebounds despite scoring just two points.

Preliminary Final 2: Canberra Gunners 113 Southern Districts Spartans 83

Glenn Morison's 25-point performance — on 86% FROM THE FIELD 🔥 — helped secure Canberra's dominant 30-point win in the NBL1 Preliminary Final, gunning down NBL1 North champions Southern Districts 113-83 on Saturday, August 30, 2025.

By the Numbers

• Glenn Morison (Canberra) starred with 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 31 minutes.
• Tamuri Wigness (Southern Districts) scored 33 points, and had nine rebounds and nine assists in 35 minutes.

What Happened

Southern Districts started strong, taking the first quarter 27-23 behind Wigness's aggressive play. However, Canberra seized control in the second period, outscoring their opponents 30-15 with superior shooting efficiency to take a 53-42 halftime lead.

The third quarter saw Canberra extend their dominance with a 31-23 scoring advantage. Their inside-outside game proved too much for Southern Districts as they connected on 76.9% of their two-point attempts while also finding success from beyond the arc at 37.5%. By the end of the period, Canberra had built a comfortable 84-65 lead.

Canberra maintained their momentum in the final quarter, outscoring Southern Districts 29-18 to secure the convincing 30-point victory. Their balanced attack featured five players scoring in double figures, led by captain Glenn Morison's stellar 25-point performance on an exceptional 12-from-14 shooting (85.7%).

William Mayfield delivered an all-round performance for Canberra with 17 points, four rebounds, nine assists, and four steals. Derek Emelifeonwu added 15 points, while Brooklyn Bruton provided a spark off the bench with 16 points, including two three-pointers.

For Southern Districts, Wigness was outstanding despite the loss, finishing with 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, nearly recording a triple-double. Max Kerle contributed 12 points and Blake Jones added 10 points with five rebounds, but the team struggled from the field, shooting just 42.5% compared to Canberra's exceptional 59.5%.

Canberra's superior ball movement was evident with 31 assists to Southern Districts' 16. They also dominated the glass (43-38 rebounding edge) and forced 16 turnovers while committing just 11 themselves. The efficiency difference was striking, with Canberra shooting 78.6% on two-point attempts (33-from-42) while Southern Districts managed just 51% (27-from-53).

The victory advances Canberra in the NBL1 Finals tournament, showcasing their championship credentials with one of their most complete performances of the season.