ALTHOUGH it was a week later than many other competitions, the NBL1 East Women’s wrapped its 2023 regular season fixture on the weekend, with Jolene Anderson finishing on a high for the Norths Bears.

The Bears faced off against the Sydney Comets at the North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre on Sunday morning, in a preview of a potential matchup in the coming weeks. The two sides have both qualified for finals, which kick off this weekend, and came into Sunday’s game eager to kick off some sort of momentum for the postseason. Although the Bears were favourites, the Comets had shown the capability to knock off any side over the course of the season, so it was looming as an exciting matchup.

Norths took an early lead on the back of some electric offence that proved too much for Sydney’s defence to handle. The Comets were almost immediately on the back foot, and found themselves trailing by seven points at the first change. It was an improved effort from the visitors in the second term, staying in the hunt with some solid production of their own. However, the Bears completely owned the third quarter, proving a class above the opposition and storming home to a 21-point victory on their home court.

Anderson was an immense presence for the winning side with an outstanding individual performance, delivering in crucial stages of the game to head into the finals in ripping form.

Norths Bears (101) def. Sydney Comets (80)

Jolene Anderson – 31 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, six steals

Anderson set the game alight with her ability to impact the game on both ends of the court, proving one of the biggest catalysts for Norths’ win.

Anderson was the game’s leading presence on the offensive end, pouring in a game-high 31 points on an efficient level of shooting from the field. She found the bottom of the net 13 times from 18 attempts, spreading out her shots expertly and showcasing how strong of a three-level scorer she can be.

Anderson drained five of her eight attempts from three-point land, truly demonstrating just how well she is at impacting a game on the scoreboard. Remarkably, she attempted zero free throw attempts for the match, doing all of her damage from the field.

Anderson also set a game-high total in the rebounding column, pulling down 15 for the match. The Bears dominated the offensive glass, and she and Emily Simons played a big role in this, recording eight each, and generating second chance scoring opportunities.

She was also extremely influential on the defensive end too, racking up six steals and tormenting the opposition when they were trying to set up their offensive sets, constantly disrupting Sydney’s plays as a result.

Anderson was an undeniable figure in the Bears’ big win heading into finals, and will play a role just as important throughout the coming weeks.