THE NUNAWADING Spectres have kept their season alive in the 2025 VJBL U18 Girls VC Championship, defeating the Keilor Thunder by two points in an elimination final to advance to the second week of the postseason.

The two sides qualified for finals on the back of some stronger form in the first half of the season, although neither made the top four and earned a double-chance. The Spectres finished in fifth while the Thunder snuck in to eighth spot, ahead of the McKinnon Cougars, setting up a do-or-die matchup at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Friday night.

Although Keilor got off to a blistering start in the first frame, the Spectres were able to wrestle back momentum over the course of the match, and hold off a late charge in the dying minutes of the match from the Thunder to claim a two-point win.

Nunawading Spectres (68) def. Keilor Thunder (66)

It took a while for the two teams to find their groove offensively, with free throws proving the only way to score in the first few minutes of the match. The Thunder had some success scoring close to the basket if they were not fouled and sent to the charity stripe, and it gave them a hefty advantage on the scoreboard. A late triple to Caprice Hiko saw Keilor push its lead out to 13 points in a statement performance in the first change.

Both teams got in foul trouble to start the second frame, in what proved to be a scrappy period of the match, which allowed the Spectres to slow down Keilor’s inside dominance, even through their own offence was still struggling. However, Nunawading could not make up any ground prior to the main break, with the margin sitting at 17 points at half time, leaving the Spectres with plenty of work to do in the final 20 minutes.

It was an emphatic response in the third frame from the Spectres, who were able to dominate after half time and drag themselves back into the match. Nunawading outscored the Thunder 28-14 by flipping the script and finding its own success driving and finishing in the paint. The Spectres also tightened up defensively, not allowing Keilor the same luxuries scoring inside from the first half, and at the final change, the margin stood at just three points.

Both sides traded three-pointers to open the fourth quarter, before inside scoring became the trend once again. Isabelle Godfrey took over for the Spectres, putting her team on her back with 11 points in the final frame, finding baskets from everywhere to put Nunawading up by six in the final minutes. Although the Thunder managed to cut that back down to one point in the dying stages, the Spectres managed to secure multiple defensive stops and held on to complete the comeback.

Godfrey was immense for the Spectres in one of the best individual performances of the season, posting 29 points in the elimination final. She was the match-winner in the final frame and single-handedly dragged her side to a semi-final berth.

The Thunder produced a strong team performance despite the result, with four players posting double-digits in the scoring column. Elle Price led the way with 14 points, while Maya Barnes (12 points), Chiara Cuzzilla (10 points) and Lucy George (10 points) were all solid performers.

Across the courts

The Dandenong Rangers recorded a solid upset win over the Eltham Wildcats in the first qualifying final at State Basketball Centre on Friday night, claiming a gutsy six-point win to advance straight through to the prelim in a fortnight.

The Sandringham Sabres moved one step closer to a deserved 2025 title after defeating the Kilsyth Cobras by 13 points at State Basketball Centre on Friday night, remaining unbeaten for the year and putting one hand on the trophy.

Finally, the Melbourne Tigers also claimed an impressive win in the second elimination final on Friday night, handing Geelong United a five-point loss at Eagle Stadium and keeping their season alive in the process.