Basketball NSW was thrilled to host the 2026 Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 East Grand Finals at Guzman y Gomez Stadium on the Central Coast on Sunday, 16 August.
It was a huge day of elite basketball, with the best Men’s and Women’s teams in the East Conference battling it out for the title of 2026 NBL1 East Champions.
Both Grand Finals delivered plenty of drama, with Bankstown Bruins holding off the defending champion Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the Women’s decider before the Norths Bears overcame the Sutherland Sharks in the Men’s Grand Final.
The Bruins produced a blistering start to claim a five-point victory, while the Bears completed their comeback with a dominant fourth quarter to secure their first NBL1 East Men’s championship.
Congratulations to the Bankstown Bruins and Norths Bears, who were crowned the 2026 Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 East Champions!
Both teams will now turn their attention to the 2026 NBL1 National Finals, joining last year’s NBL1 National Men’s Champions, the Canberra Gunners, in Adelaide from 21–23 August, where they will compete against the other conference champions for the ultimate prize of becoming National Champions.
Commiserations also go to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Sutherland Sharks, who both produced outstanding seasons and fought until the final siren in two entertaining Grand Finals.
Women’s Grand Final Referee Panel
- Crew Chief: Scott Beker
- Umpire 1: Marko Nikolic
- Umpire 2: Zara Baldwin
- Reserve: Caitlin Grove
Men’s Grand Final Referee Panel
- Crew Chief: Marcus Hayden
- Umpire 1: Jack Taylor
- Umpire 2: Nathan Paff
- Reserve: Oliver Toon
BNSW would also like to recognise and congratulate the Technical Officials, including the Statisticians and Scoretable Officials, whose contribution ensured both games were run to the highest standard.
The Kayo coverage brought the action to fans everywhere, with commentary teams adding insight and energy throughout both games.
To cap off an incredible day, Basketball NSW was proud to recognise the standout performers from the 2026 Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 East Grand Finals. Congratulations to the Grand Final MVPs, Shyla Heal of the Bankstown Bruins and Fabijan Krslovic of the Norths Bears, who both produced outstanding performances to help their teams claim championship glory.
BANKSTOWN BRUINS VS MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (90–85)
The Bankstown Bruins are NBL1 East Women’s champions for the first time, overcoming the defending champion Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 90–85 in a thrilling Grand Final at Guzman y Gomez Stadium.
After a season-long battle between Bankstown, Manly and the Norths Bears for a place in the Grand Final, the Bruins earned their spot by defeating the Sea Eagles in the Qualifying Final before overcoming the Centre of Excellence in the Preliminary Final.
Manly, meanwhile, arrived at the decider with the chance to become the first team in NBL1 East history to claim back-to-back championships.
But Bankstown wasted no time in making their intentions clear.
The Bruins exploded out of the blocks, putting 33 points on the board in the opening quarter to take a 12-point lead into the first break. Shyla Heal led the charge early, while co-captain Kiahna Davis-White provided an immediate spark as Bankstown shot the ball with confidence.
The advantage continued to grow in the second quarter, with the Bruins extending their lead to as many as 19 points before Manly fought their way back into the contest. The Sea Eagles made the most of their opportunities at the free-throw line, but Bankstown still held a 55–43 advantage at half-time.
Heal had already produced 19 points by the main break, while Davis-White had 14 of her own, giving the Bruins a strong platform heading into the second half.
Manly refused to go quietly.
The Sea Eagles opened the third quarter with renewed defensive pressure and Bankstown struggled to find the same offensive rhythm. Manly went on a run late in the term, with Bree Delaney hitting consecutive triples to ignite the comeback and reduce the margin to single digits entering the final quarter.
Bankstown responded to start the fourth, but Manly continued to chip away.
With just over three minutes remaining, Jayda Jansen knocked down a huge three-pointer to make it a three-point game and send the Manly faithful into full voice. Heal answered for the Bruins before Shalome Dunlop delivered a massive triple to restore some breathing room.
The Sea Eagles continued to apply pressure, with Zoey Miller hitting two late threes to once again make it a three-point game, but Bankstown held their nerve. Tupaea stepped to the free-throw line and calmly converted to seal the Bruins’ first NBL1 East Women’s championship.
Heal was named Grand Final MVP after finishing with 26 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Tupaea delivered a remarkable 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, going a perfect 19-from-19 from the free-throw line.
Davis-White added 14 points and four rebounds, while Dunlop finished with 13 points and four boards.
For Manly, Miller led the way with 19 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals. Jansen added 15 points, while Bree Delaney, Alex Delaney and Kim Dickinson all made important contributions throughout the contest.
This championship capped off an incredible turnaround for the Bruins, who finished 15th in 2024 before making their first NBL1 East Finals appearance in 2025 following a 1–7 start to the season. Just one year later, Bankstown have completed the journey and are NBL1 East champions for the first time.
NORTHS BEARS VS SUTHERLAND SHARKS (76–64)
In the Men’s Grand Final, the Norths Bears produced a stunning second-half performance to defeat the Sutherland Sharks 76–64 and claim their first NBL1 East Men’s championship.
The Grand Final was the latest chapter in what had been a fascinating rivalry between the two teams throughout the 2026 season.
Norths had defeated Sutherland earlier in the season before the Sharks edged the Bears in a one-point thriller late in the regular season. Just one week later, Norths responded in the Qualifying Final to earn their place in the Grand Final.
The Bears then overcame the Central Coast Crusaders in the Preliminary Final, while Sutherland secured its spot after defeating the regular-season champion Illawarra Hawks in overtime.
The Sharks made the better start on Grand Final day.
Sutherland opened up a seven-point lead by quarter-time, with Tyler Robertson leading the way as Norths struggled to find their rhythm from the field.
The Sharks extended their advantage to 14 points early in the second quarter, but the Bears slowly worked their way back into the contest.
A 27-point second term changed the momentum completely, with Norths finding their range and turning a deficit into a one-point lead at half-time, 38–37. Iggy Mitchell and Hunter Goodrick provided valuable contributions, while Jake Weinstein brought plenty of energy off the bench, knocking down two huge three-pointers to help swing the momentum Norths’ way.
Robertson continued to keep Sutherland in the contest, but Norths carried their momentum into the third quarter.
The Bears stretched their lead to six points before the Sharks responded once again, with Robertson continuing to produce offensively despite being hampered as the game progressed.
Norths entered the final change with a narrow 53–51 advantage, setting up a dramatic final quarter.
That was when the Bears’ championship experience came to the fore.
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk took over.
The four-time NBL champion delivered a sensational final quarter, scoring 12 of Norths’ 21 points in the term, including two huge three-pointers and three other baskets to help the Bears pull away from the Sharks.
Sutherland continued to fight, but Norths had answers every time the Sharks threatened to close the gap.
Fabijan Krslovic produced one of the defining moments of the Grand Final in the final minute, rejecting Jason Spurgin at the rim with a monster block to effectively put the result beyond doubt.
The Bears closed out the 76–64 victory, completing their first NBL1 East Men’s championship.
Krslovic was named Grand Final MVP after finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, while Goodrick delivered 16 points and nine rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting. Swaka Lo Buluk finished with 18 points and was instrumental in Norths’ fourth-quarter surge.
Mitchell added 13 points and nine rebounds, Bofinger finished with 10 points and eight boards, while Jake Weinstein knocked down all three of his attempts from beyond the arc for nine points.
For Sutherland, Robertson was outstanding despite the defeat, finishing with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Spurgin added 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Lochlan Hutchison contributed 10 points, nine assists and six steals.
After a season filled with close contests between the two sides, it was Norths who produced when it mattered most, closing out the Grand Final with a 25–13 final quarter to secure the NBL1 East crown.
Basketball NSW would like to thank Central Coast Basketball Association and its staff for helping deliver an outstanding Grand Final day, as well as the volunteers, players, coaches, officials and, most importantly, the fans who came out to support the 2026 Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 East Grand Finals.
Congratulations once again to the Bankstown Bruins and Norths Bears, the 2026 Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 East Champions.
The journey now continues in Adelaide, with both champions set to represent the East Conference at the 2026 NBL1 National Finals from 21–23 August.
Until next year!