IN Round 6 of the NBL1 South Men’s competition for season 2023, it was the frontcourt guns that had a big say on their respective contests. That was certainly the case in Frankston’s win over the Casey Cavaliers, with Blues forward Daniel Trist producing a huge statline in his side’s victory.

The two teams clashed at Casey Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the final match of the round, with the sides in the midst of different seasons to date. The Blues had the opportunity to climb to the top of the table coming into this match, while the Cavaliers would have been eager to get things going for the season with just a pair of wins next to their name.

Although fans at Casey Stadium would have been eager to see an upset, the visitors controlled the match for the first three quarters, taking a 20-point lead into the final change. Although the Cavaliers delivered their best performance in the fourth term, the Blues were able to keep the opposition at arms’ length en route to a 90-78 win.

In terms of individual performances, there was none bigger than that of Trist, who stuffed the stat sheet and stamped his authority on the match in a massive way.

Casey Cavaliers (78) def. by Frankston Blues (90)

Daniel Trist – 25 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, one steal

Trist was a man on a mission in Frankston’s eighth win of the season, helping launch his side into first spot in the standings once again.

He was the match’s leading scorer, registering over a quarter of his side’s points and showcasing his ability to find the bottom of the net in close. A former NBL talent, Trist was a strong force inside the paint, and helped get Frankston to a winning score during his 32 minutes of court time.

From the field, he shot 40 per cent, making six shots on 15 attempts as he overcame some crowding of the paint from the opposition bigs. Trist was also able to knock down a pair of three-pointers on four attempts in a terrific display of his range.

Most of the forward’s offence came from the free throw line, with his ability to put pressure on the rim and force defenders onto the back foot was a telling factor in keeping Frankston’s offence rolling. He went a perfect 11 of 11 from the charity stripe in a strong showing of composure.

Trist’s work on the glass was also a big factor in the match, pulling down a whopping nine offensive rebounds on his way to a total of 18 boards for the match. With Casey’s bigs threatening to take over the rebounding battle at times, Trist’s performance on the glass was vital in keeping the opposition at bay.

It was a telling performance from one of Frankston’s most experienced players, who played to his strengths and led his side to a vital win against a valiant Cavaliers side.