IN the weekend’s National Basketball League (NBL)1 South Men’s action, the Sandringham Sabres managed to keep their winning streak rolling with a 13-point triumph over the Mt. Gambier Pioneers at Southern Basketball Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Sabres came into the game on a bit of a roll, winning their last three games and looking to produce an upset against a favoured Pioneers side. Mt. Gambier have been one of the better sides in season 2022, but found themselves bested by a hungrier Sandringham side in this clash. It was a result that was set up by a dominant first half from the Sabres, who outscored the opposition 50-34 by the time half-time rolled around. The Pioneers managed to match the opposition’s output in the second half, but the damage done in the first two terms was too much, as the Sabres grabbed a 92-79 victory in front of their home crowd.

While it was a balanced scoring effort from the Sabres, the standout ended up being star point guard Shea Ili. Competing in the competition during the NBL offseason, Ili delivered one of the best individual efforts of the round, scoring the ball with ease and producing buckets from all across the court. The Pioneers defenders tried to keep the ball out of his hands, but it was a failed mission, with the Melbourne United gun able to create his own shot and display why he belongs at the top level of the Australian Basketball system.

Shea Ili vs. Pioneers – 30 points, three rebounds, two assists

It was not surprising to see Ili among the best offensive players in Sandringham’s win, given how talented the 29-year-old has proven himself to be. The Sabres were constantly looking to get the ball in his hands, and rightfully so, given he is probably the biggest name on the roster. He justified the game plan by producing a game-high points total and managing to overcome some intense defensive pressure to be the man of the match.

As mentioned above, his 30 points were the most of any player on either side, driving Sandringham’s score above 90 points, which is usually considered to be a winning total. Half of his attempts from the field found the bottom of the net, which is impressive given the number of shots he was able to put up.

In terms of field goal attempts, Ili spread his shots out quite evenly between inside and outside the arc, ensuring the defence could not consistently predict where his shots would come from. Showing no hesitancy with ball in hand, Ili was able to score off the dribble from mid-range and often fake the defence out and drive to the hoop.

From downtown, he was fearless in putting up shots, going 5/10 from this range. It was a major source of scoring and ended up hurting the Pioneers on the scoreboard. The fact that only one of his points came from the free throw line showed how much the guard was able to impact the game scoring from the field.

Ili will be crucial to Sandringham’s title hopes, and if he can continue to surpass 20 points per game, it will go a long way to getting the Sabres over the line on a weekly basis.