Lachlan Bofinger and Jack Giddens led Round 3 wins as Norths and Manly head into key Round 4 tests<\/p>\n
Lachlan Bofinger and Jack Giddens set the tone in Round 3 as Norths Bears and Manly Warringah stayed near the top of the 2026 NBL1 East men\u2019s ladder. <\/p>\n
Bofinger\u2019s scoring helped Norths break clear after halftime against Sutherland, while Giddens shot Manly into another one-sided win as the Sea Eagles completed a two-win weekend. Across the round, margins opened quickly, with Sydney Comets and Illawarra also putting up big numbers. <\/p>\n
Round 4 now shifts the focus to whether Norths can stay unbeaten, whether Canberra keeps pace, and whether Manly can keep building behind its current form.<\/p>\n
What the Round Told UsBofinger gave Norths a scorer when the game needed to shiftGiddens stretched the floor \u2014 Manly\u2019s offence opened with himThe top group is settling \u2014 Norths, Canberra and Manly are thereLower teams are struggling to score enough to stay in games<\/p>\n
Quarter Scores: 14\u201322, 18\u201319, 29\u201317, 22\u201315<\/p>\n
Lachlan Bofinger finished with 28 points and nine rebounds, and Norths needed his scoring once the game turned in the second half.<\/p>\n
Sutherland led 41\u201332 at halftime after holding Norths to 14 points in the first quarter and controlling enough of the glass through Jason Spurgin.<\/p>\n
The game changed in the third. Norths scored 29 points in the period, Bofinger got downhill and to his spots, and the Bears finally moved in front.<\/p>\n
Ignatius Mitchell added 20 points, Bailey Hanson had 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Norths closed the last two quarters 51\u201332 to stay unbeaten.<\/p>\n
Key PerformersLachlan Bofinger \u2013 28 points, 9 rebounds, 11\/21 FGIgnatius Mitchell \u2013 20 points, 6 reboundsBailey Hanson \u2013 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assistsWhy It Matters<\/p>\n
Norths got pushed, then answered.<\/p>\n
Won the second half 51\u201332Had 24 offensive reboundsImproved to 5\u20130<\/p>\n
They can win without leading from the start.<\/p>\n