The 2025 NBL1 season was the sixth season of the NBL1. The season consisted of five conferences: South, North, Central, West and East.
The fourth annual National Finals was held in Canberra, with the East's Canberra Gunners men and South's Knox Raiders women crowned the NBL1 National champions.
Conference seasons The season began on 29 March for the Central, East and South Conferences, 4 April for the West Conference, and 1 May for the North Conference. All conference finals were concluded by 23 August.
South The women's minor premiers were Geelong United with a 22–0 record while the men's minor premiers were the Knox Raiders with a 17–5 record. Due to a power outage in the opening game of the season at Harcourts Stadium in Ulverstone, the North-West Tasmania Thunder and Hobart Chargers men's teams finished the season with 21 games played instead of the 22 scheduled games. Jaz Shelley of Geelong United was named women's MVP while Tom Wilson of the Melbourne Tigers was named men's MVP.
The top-eight finals took place over four rounds across four weekends. The women's grand final saw the Knox Raiders defeat Geelong United 84–64 while the men's grand final saw the Sandringham Sabres defeat the Melbourne Tigers 99–80. Paige Bradley of the Knox Raiders was named women's grand final MVP while Tom Koppens of the Sandringham Sabres was named men's grand final MVP.
North The women's minor premiers were the Southern Districts Spartans with a 13–1 record while the men's minor premiers were the Gold Coast Rollers with a 9–5 record. Unique Thompson of the Mackay Meteorettes was named women's MVP while Lamar Patterson of the Ipswich Force was named men's MVP.
The top-six finals took place over three rounds across three weekends. The women's grand final series saw the Logan Thunder defeat the Southern Districts Spartans 2–1, with the Spartans winning 87–69 in game one and the Thunder winning 89–60 in game two and 78–76 in game three, while the men's grand final series saw the Southern Districts Spartans defeat the Brisbane Capitals 2–0, with 90–78 in game one and 93–88 in game two. Leah Scott of the Logan Thunder was named women's grand final MVP while Tamuri Wigness of the Southern Districts Spartans was named men's grand final MVP.
Central The women's minor premiers were the Forestville Eagles with a 15–3 record while the men's minor premiers were also the Forestville Eagles with a 16–2 record. Olivia Levicki of the West Adelaide Bearcats was named women's MVP while Keanu Rasmussen also of the West Adelaide Bearcats was named men's MVP.
The top-five finals took place over four rounds across four weekends. The women's grand final saw the Woodville Warriors defeat the Sturt Sabres 73–65 while the men's grand final saw the West Adelaide Bearcats defeat the Central Districts Lions 83–73. Laura Erikstrup of the Woodville Warriors was named women's grand final MVP while Cameron Huefner of the West Adelaide Bearcats was named men's grand final MVP.
West
The women's minor premiers were the Cockburn Cougars with a 20–0 record while the men's minor premiers were the Rockingham Flames with a 19–3 record. Teige Morrell of the Lakeside Lightning was named women's MVP while Isaac White of the Rockingham Flames was named men's MVP.
The top-eight finals took place over four rounds across three weekends. The women's grand final saw the Cockburn Cougars defeat the Warwick Senators 91–71 while the men's grand final saw the Geraldton Buccaneers defeat the Warwick Senators 81–78. Ruby Porter of the Cockburn Cougars was named women's grand final MVP while Johny Narkle of the Geraldton Buccaneers was named men's grand final MVP.
East The women's minor premiers were the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles with an 18–2 record while the men's minor premiers were the Illawarra Hawks with an 15–5 record. Nicole Munger of the Newcastle Falcons was named women's MVP while Todd Blanchfield of the Illawarra Hawks was named men's MVP.
The top-eight finals took place over four rounds across four weekends. The women's grand final saw the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles defeat the BA Centre of Excellence 89–61 while the men's grand final saw the Canberra Gunners defeat the Illawarra Hawks 99–91. Taylor Wurtz of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles was named women's grand final MVP while Derek Emelifeonwu of the Canberra Gunners was named men's grand final MVP.
Champions summary Women ConferenceChampionResultRunner-upSouthKnox Raiders84 – 64Geelong UnitedNorthLogan Thunder2 – 1(69–87, 89–60, 78–76)Southern Districts SpartansCentralWoodville Warriors73 – 65Sturt SabresWestCockburn Cougars91 – 71Warwick SenatorsEastManly Warringah Sea Eagles89 – 61BA Centre of Excellence
Men ConferenceChampionResultRunner-upSouthSandringham Sabres99 – 80Melbourne TigersNorthSouthern Districts Spartans2 – 0(90–78, 93–88)Brisbane CapitalsCentralWest Adelaide Bearcats83 – 73Central Districts LionsWestGeraldton Buccaneers81 – 78Warwick SenatorsEastCanberra Gunners99 – 91Illawarra Hawks
National Finals
The 2025 NBL1 National Finals took place at Southern Cross Stadium in Canberra from Friday 29 August to Sunday 31 August. The National Finals coincided with the NBL Blitz preseason tournament, which also took place in Canberra at AIS Arena.
The 2024 defending champions, the Waverley Falcons women and the Knox Raiders men, earned automatic qualification into the 2025 NBL1 National Finals. Joining them in the tournament were the 2025 champions from each of the five conferences. Due to being unable to field a team for the National Finals, the Knox Raiders men were replaced by the minor premiers of the hosting conference, the NBL1 East's Illawarra Hawks.
Following the conclusion of the 10 Conference Grand Finals, the six women's and men's teams were seeded and the day one match-ups were set. The day one fixtures were announced on 25 August. The day two fixture announcement saw two semi finals for both men and women, plus one consolation game in each.
In the Championship Games, the East's Canberra Gunners men and South's Knox Raiders women were crowned the NBL1 National champions.
Day One – Friday Women Seed #3 vs Seed #4
Seed #2 vs Seed #5
Seed #1 vs Seed #6
Men Seed #3 vs Seed #4
Seed #1 vs Seed #6
Seed #2 vs Seed #5
Day Two – Saturday Women Consolation Game
Semi Final 2
Semi Final 1
Men Semi Final 1
Consolation Game
Semi Final 2
Day Three – Sunday Championship Games Women Rosters
+Knox Raiders#PlayerStarters2Paige Burrows3Rachel Bell5Kiera Glover ()9Alicia Froling22Paige BradleyReserves0Kristy Wallace1Agnes Emma-Nnopu6Rachael Quirk7Emily Fisher11Leah Santomaggio21Emma Pearce31Katelyn YoungCoachCraig SimpsonBradley FarrellKaleb Foster
+Cockburn Cougars#PlayerStarters1Stephanie Gorman8Jewel Williams ()10Ruby Porter13Jessie Edwards33Sarah MortensenReserves2Lily Gammidge3Jessica Hickey7Jaya Scafidi9Maia Clayden11Regan Turnour-McCarty12Reece AnticevicCoachRussell Hann
Game summary
Men Rosters
+Geraldton Buccaneers#PlayerStarters1Akeem Springs6Johny Narkle ()14Joshua Keyes23Mathew Wundenberg38Verle WilliamsReserves0Nikolas DeSantis10Aaron Ralph ()22Jake Baker33Liam Hunt34Ryan Blanchett44William GalvinCoachDayle JosephAaron DucasCarter Cook
+Canberra Gunners#PlayerStarters2James Toohey ()8William Mayfield9Derek Emelifeonwu11Angus Byatt12Glenn Morison ()Reserves3Brooklyn Bruton5Cameron Pender7Lachlan Smith10William Rice13Zac McDermott14Edward Bigg-Wither81Theus Evan WardlowCoachPeter HerakAndrew MartinMark McKenzie
Game summary
All-Star Five Women Jessie Edwards (Cockburn Cougars) Alicia Froling (Knox Raiders) Sarah Mortensen (Cockburn Cougars) Leah Scott (Logan Thunder) Kristy Wallace (Knox Raiders)
Men Tom Koppens (Sandringham Sabres) William Mayfield (Canberra Gunners) Glenn Morison (Canberra Gunners) Johny Narkle (Geraldton Buccaneers) Tamuri Wigness (Southern Districts Spartans)
References
External links 2025 NBL1 season ladders 2025 NBL1 season fixtures 2025 NBL1 National Finals program "How to watch the 2025 NBL1 National Finals" at basketball.com.au "NBL1 National Finals - NBL1 South Day One Preview" at nbl1.com.au "Cougars, Buccs enter National Finals as top seeds" at nbl1.com.au "NBL1 National Finals - NBL1 South Day Two Preview" at nbl1.com.au "West Recap National Finals Day 1" at nbl1.com.au "NBL1 South Women National Final Preview" at nbl1.com.au "West Recap National Finals Day 2" at nbl1.com.au