A SPECIAL Wednesday night double-header clash between Hills Hornets and Sydney Comets takes place tonight at Comets Stadium in what promises to be a great spectacle for fans. The NBL1 East matches take place at 6pm (women’s) and 8pm (men’s) AEST, with plenty on the line for both sides.

Sydney Comets vs. Hills Hornets
Wednesday, June 26 @ 6pm
Comets Stadium

In the women’s match, the home side will go in as marginal favourites, sitting at 7-8 bouncing back from a slow start to the season. They are just one win clear of the Hornets though who have won six of 14 and will be keen to rebound from defeat last round.

The Hornets bounced back from a shocking 55-point loss to Albury-Wodonga Bandits last Saturday evening to turn around and score a five-point victory over Bankstown Bruins the next morning. It is fair to say their form has been up and down since springing three consecutive wins together across Rounds 5-6.

Emma Kary is a shooting threat, averaging 16.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and is averaging 2.58 made three-pointers, indicating her danger from beyond the arc. Her ability to crash boards is a bonus. She is well supported by Meg Jefferson (12.9 points, 5.4 rebounds) and Rachel McLimore (11.3 points) as the other players to be averaging double-digit points.

The Sydney Comets are coming off a forgettable loss last round too, going down to Norths Bears by 38 points on the road. It was a disappointing loss considering the week before, the Comets score a double over Illawarra Hawks (39 points) and Central Coast Crusaders (five). Going further back, the Comets had gone on a winning streak of seven from eight leading into last round’s defeat, so will be hungry to recapture that form tonight.

It is no secret that the inclusion of Shyla Heal was huge for the Comets, putting up 20-plus points in each of her four games thus far. However given her regular unavailability due to overseas commitments, the Sydney side will need to look to others.

The number on ball magnet is Davida Dale who has put up a double-double average of 17.6 points and 10.1 rebounds across the course of the season, but she is also capable of sharing the rock (5.3 assists) as well as pickpocketing (5.7 steals).

Leading in all three categories other than Heal’s 27.3-point average, she is one the Hornets must be aware of and is coming off a 17-point, 12-rebound, four-steal game against the Bears. Janine Camp (9.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks) is her partner-in-crime, proving a force off the boards and another player to keep an eye on.

Sydney Comets vs. Hills Hornets
Wednesday, June 26 @ 8pm
Comets Stadium

The men’s match is set to be just as tight, with the Hills Hornets boasting a game in-hand against the Comets, though both sides have notched up eight wins, with Hills (8-6) and Sydney (8-7).

Sydney is coming off a thrilling nine-point win over Norths Bears in Round 11, a nice test after huge victories over Central Coast Crusaders (31 points) and Illawarra Hawks (39), where the Comets piled on 120-plus points in those matches.

Biwali Bayles is in red-hot form, putting up 30.1 points per game this season, but is in unbelievable knick at the moment, with 44 and 42 points from his last two appearances. Despite sinking so many shots, Bayles is also a fantastic distributor, averaging 5.3 assists per game, and pulling down 7.9 rebounds. Couple that with his knack for winning the ball back with 2.4 steals per game and draining more than two triples a match, and he is the man the Hornets must stop.

Obiri Kyei (18.9 points, 11.7 rebounds) is the big man off the boards who can do a lot of damage, while Matthew Wacher (10.1 points, 4.2 assists) is the player most likely to find Bayles on the perimeter. Throw in consistent rebounders Christian Aukuso and Johnny Crnogorac and the Comets have four players averaging six-plus rebounds this season.

The Hornets were fresh off a three-game winning streak prior to last round after wins over Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Spiders (eight points), Penrith Panthers (three) and Sutherland Sharks (24). Unfortunately that form came crashing back to earth in Round 11 after losses to fellow mid-table sides, Albury-Wodonga Bandits (25 points) and Bankstown Bruins (12).

Christopher Bryant is the Hornets’ main main, averaging 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and between one and two steals, blocks and assists per game. Unfortunately the Hornets have had to rely a lot on him and Ishmael Sanders (19.3 points, 3.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals) for the bulk of the scoring, with the pair the only two players averaging more than nine points per game. Liam Moss (8.6 points, 3.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds) is a handy third prong to the dominant duo.

PREDICTION

Sydney Comets would be favoured to do the double across both matches, though the matches are anticipated to be close. Given the stars on the Comets side, as well as some serious depth on their day, they will likely stretch the Hornets. The men’s Hornets side is not without a chance, but would need to quell the red-hot Bayles, while Bryant gets off the chain.