Star power sets up 'electric' championship series

• How to watch the 2025 NBL1 National Championships in Canberra
• NBL1 National Finals to be played alongside the NBL1 Blitz pre-season tournament
• 2025-26 NBL Team Lists and Roster Tracker
• In-depth look at all six women's teams competing to be 2025 NBL1 National Champions in Canberra

The 2025 NBL1 National Championships will undoubtedly be defined by star power from explosive guards to bucket-getting forwards.

• ‍Tamuri Wigness — the 23-year-old Spartan who averaged 26 points, six assists, and nearly five rebounds a game. Wigness is putting the work to get back into the NBL: "One more opportunity that’s all I need," he told basketball.com.au in early August.‍
• Ben Ayre and Malith Machar — together, they account for more than half of Sandringham Sabres scoring with Ayre a scorching 27 points per game and Machar close behind with 21.
• Glenn Morison and Derek Emelifeonwu proved unstoppable in the East Grand Final, each scoring 28 points to lift Canberra to the championship.
• Breakout star Johny Narkle, who earned an Illawarra Hawks Development Player deal after averaging 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and elite defense for the Geraldton Buccaneers alongside veteran Akeem Springs and the versatile Joshua Keyes.
• Lat Mayen lit up Central’s Grand Final for West Adelaide, complementing league MVP Keanu Rasmussen, who averaged 23 points, seven boards, and nearly six assists.
• Todd Blanchfield, the reigning NBL1 East MVP — if he suits up for Illawarra, he brings 26 points and 12 rebounds of pure championship pedigree.

"The NBL1 National Finals are truly the pinnacle of semi-professional basketball in Australia, and we are incredibly excited to bring this event to Canberra for 2025," NBL1 CEO Dean Anglin added.

"Seeing teams from across the country battling it out over three days for the title of NBL1 National Champion will be electric, and we can’t wait to see the passionate support from fans for their respective teams."

An under-statement if there ever was one. The 2025 National Championship series is going to be elite.

In-depth analysis of every men's team at the NBL1 National Championships

🔴 North: Southern Districts Spartans (4th)

• Season Record: 14 games | 8 wins – 6 losses
• Points For (Average): 95.21
• Points Against (Average): 95.14
• Percentage: 100.1

Grand Final Starters: Tamuri Wigness (#0) I Max Kerle (#1) I Blake Jones (#9) I Ben Hastings (#11) I Matthew Hodgson (#32)

Analysis: As guard Tamuri Wigness goes so do the Spartans. But Max Kerle and Blake Jones, who both played 40 minutes in the North Grand Final are key pieces to the Spartans national champion run. Wigness, 23, shot 49% from the field and 42% from three in 2025, averaging 26 points per game, 6.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals. The Spartans offensive and defensive averages were almost identical but they peaked late, stringing together four straight wins heading into finals. South Districts swept Brisbane 2-0 in the best of three Grand Final series to earn with Nationals invitation.

Play: Illawarra Hawks at 4pm on Friday, August 29, 2025 – Southern Cross Stadium C1

🔵 South: Sandringham Sabres (5th)

• Season Record: 22 games | 14 wins – 8 losses
• Points For (Average): 94.05
• Points Against (Average): 89.86
• Percentage: 104.7

Grand Final Starters: CJ Asuncion-Byrd (#3) I Malith Machar (#9) I Ben Ayre (#10) I Dane Pineau (#22) I Tom Koppens (C) (#30)

Analysis: Sandringham came from 5th in the regular season to win the NBL1 South Men's championship, breaking Andrew Gaze and his Melbourne Tigers' hearts 99-80 in the Grand Final. The Sabres battled out a +4 points differential in their 22 regular season games and their three-headed monster of captain Tom Koppens, and Malith Machar and Ben Ayre will be a hand full. Koppens, a forward, averaged a near double with 11.7 points and eight rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while Ayre and Machar formed an elite backcourt. Machar put up 20.8 points per game, five rebounds, and an assist while Ayre, 29, was an absolute beast: 27.2 points per game; 6.4 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Between Ayre and Machar they scored more than 50% of the Sabres.

Play: Canberra Gunners at 2pm on Friday, August 29, 2025 – Southern Cross Stadium C1

🔵 East: Canberra Gunners (3rd)

• Season Record: 20 games | 15 wins – 5 losses
• Points For (Average): 91.15
• Points Against (Average): 78.50
• Percentage: 116.1

Grand Final Starters: James Toohey (#2) I Cameron Pender (#5) I William Mayfield (#8) I Derek Emelifeonwu (#9) I Glenn Morison (C) (#12)

Analysis: Canberra boasts the best defense of all teams at just 78.5 ppg allowed. Offensively (91.1 ppg), they are a little behind Geraldton and Illawarra, but their defense-first identity makes them a nightmare matchup. Their efficiency (+12.6 differential) is elite. The Gunners finished 3rd in the East, but powered through finals with strong defensive play, upsetting Illawarra in the Grand Final. Captain Glenn Morison scored 28 points in 29 minutes in the decider while Derek Emelifeonwu also had 28 in 33 minutes. Morison averaged 16.8 points per game, eight rebounds and 3.3 assists while Emelifeonwu contributed 11.2 points per game, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Leading scorer William Mayfield, who averaged 20.3 points per game and 4.2 assists during the regular season was kept quiet in the Grand Final he and Morison are key to the Gunners national championship hopes.

Play: Sandringham Sabres at 2pm on Friday, August 29, 2025 – Southern Cross Stadium C1

🔴 West: Geraldton Buccaneers (2nd)

• Season Record: 22 games | 18 wins – 4 losses
• Points For (Average)): 106
• Points Against (Average): 85.41
• Percentage: 124.1

Grand Final Starters: Nikolas DeSantis (#0) I Akeem Springs (#1) I Johny Narkle (#6) I Joshua Keyes (#14) I Liam Hunt (#33)

Analysis: Statistically, Geraldton are the most dominant of all the champions. The Buccs scored 106 points per game in the regular while holding opponents to just 85 ppg — giving them a staggering +20 margin on average. That combination of elite scoring and elite defense makes them a definite contender, especially after knocking out Warwick Senators 81-78 in the Grand Final. To say head coach Dayle Joseph runs a short bench is an understatement. Three of his Grand Final starters Spring (39:48), Narkle (37:03); Keys (37:05) all played big minutes and big roles. Verle Williams had 15 points off the bench in 28:11 minutes. Narkle, 24, had a breakout season in 2025 that earned him a Development Player roster spot on the defending champion Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 22.8 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks. His backcourt teammate Springs is equally tough to stop. The 31-year-old averaged 17 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Play: West Adelaide Bearcats at 3.30pm on Friday, August 29, 2025 – Southern Cross Stadium C2

🔴 Central: West Adelaide Bearcats (5th)

• Season Record: 18 games | 10 wins – 8 losses
• Points For (Average): 86.61
• Points Against (Average): 85.56
• Percentage: 101.2

Grand Final Starters: Sean Stock (#6) I Lat Mayen (#11) I Keanu Rasmussen (#22) I Cameron Huefner (#25) I Jacob Tryon (#33)

Analysis: West Adelaide has one of the weakest statistical profiles among champions. They barely scored more than they conceded (average differential less than +1). Their offense (86.6 ppg) was the lowest of the group, but they found ways to win close games. The Bearcats finished 5th in Central, the lowest ladder finish of all champions. But as they old saying goes: "You can only play who's in front of you. NBL1 Central Men's MVP is the key to the Bearcats chances. The 22-year-old averaged 23.2 points per game, seven rebounds, 5.8 assists and two steals per game and his chemistry with Grand Final hero Lat Mayen help the pair combine for 50% of the Bearcats scoring output. Mayen averaged 20 points per game, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He also knocked down more than 2.5 threes per game.

Play: Geraldton Buccaneers at 3.30pm on Friday, August 29, 2025 – Southern Cross Stadium C2

🟢 Replaced Defending Champions: Illawarra Hawks (East, 1st)

• Season Record: 20 games | 15 wins – 5 losses
• Points For (Average): 95.35
• Points Against (Average): 87.45
• Percentage: 109

Grand Final Starters: Matthew Mims (#4) I Kobe McDowell-White (#5) I Lachlan Dent (#9) I Toby Campbell (#17) I Todd Blanchfield (C) (#21)

Analysis: Wildcard entrants Illawarra Hawks have taken defending champion Knox Raiders, who couldn't fill a team. It's a big time chance for the Hawks to avenge their Grand Final loss to the Canberra Gunners. But there is a but: will NBL1 East MVP Todd Blanchfield play given the NBL champion Illawarra Hawks are competing in the NBL Blitz pre-season tournament in Canberra at the same time. Regardless, the Hawks combined a solid scoring (95 ppg) with one of the better defenses (87.5 ppg allowed). Their defensive structure kept opponents in check. How the Hawks will fill the hole left by Blanchfield – if it comes to that – remains to be seen. It's a big hole though, Blanchfield averaged 26.2 points per game, 12 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.

Play: South Districts Spartans at 4pm on Friday, August 29, 2025 – Southern Cross Stadium C1

🏆 Tale of the Tape 🏆

• Best Offense: Geraldton Buccaneers (106 ppg)
• Best Defense: Canberra Gunners (78.5 ppg allowed)
• Best Differential: Geraldton Buccaneers (+20.6 per game)
• Most Resilient: Southern Districts Spartans (won title from 4th place, lots of close games)
• Biggest Surprise: West Adelaide (won from 5th place with average stats)