AFTER winning the 2024 National Basketball League (NBL)1 East Men’s MVP award for the regular season, William Cranston-Lown stood up again to lead the Maitland Mustangs to a drought-breaking title with a win over the Canberra Gunners.

The two sides locked horns at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre in Saturday evening’s Grand Final, which was shaping up to be a battle of game styles. The Mustangs are a high-scoring outfit that can tick over 100 points in any given match, while the Gunners are defensively minded and can restrict the opposition to a low tally if locked in.

Although the Gunners managed to keep the first term as a low-scoring affair, Maitland still led by three points at quarter time and only improved from there. The Mustangs got off the chain in the second period to take a 12-point buffer into the main break. Maitland’s dominance continued in the third quarter, and although Canberra delivered its best period in the final term, it was too late as the Mustangs cruised home to a 19-point win.

Given his dominance throughout the regular season, there was plenty of expectation on the shoulders of Cranston-Lown, who delivered in a big way in the decider.

Canberra Gunners (67) def. by Maitland Mustangs (86)

William Cranston-Lown – 28 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block

After falling short in the last two NBL1 East Men’s Grand Finals, the Mustangs finally got over the hump to take home the championship, and it was Cranston-Lown that led from the front.

He was always going to be a central figure within the match, given his standing as the best performer of the 2024 regular season, and it was evident that the pressure did not faze him in the slightest.

He posted a game-high 28 points on 9/19 shooting from the field, and was critical to the Mustangs breaking away in the second and third quarters. His scoring power came largely from his ability to knock down shots from long range.

From behind the arc, Cranston-Lown made five triples on seven attempts to stretch the floor and really give his team some scoring punch. He made some big shots in the defining middle periods of the game, and each one proved crucial in Maitland snatching control of the game.

He was also a central figure on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds for the match, all of which came on the defensive end. With Canberra struggling to gain any momentum on the offensive end, his ability to pull down defensive boards and restrict any extra scoring opportunities for the opposition was crucial in keeping them to a lower score.

It was a telling performance from Cranston-Lown, who cemented his place as a star of the game and added another piece of silverware to his trophy cabinet.