ABA 2025-26: Barking Owls on a roll in women’s A-grade competition, Sonics Blue unbeaten in men’s top grade

Barking Owls’ commanding start to the new Albany Basketball Association women’s A-grade season continued on Tuesday night, thumping Railways Tigers in a grand final rematch. The Owls’ title defence has been faultless through the opening three weeks of the 2025-26 season, their 31-point win over the Tigers helping maintain their status as the league’s only unbeaten team. Rising star Keely Berry top scored with 21 points in the 58-27 rout but she was not alone, as teammates Dakota Bremner and Rebecca Benson also got into double figures. The first six points of the game went the Owls’ way and it got ugly from there for the Tigers, who trailed 20-5 midway through the opening half. Berry hit the final basket of the opening half to hand the Owls a 17-point buffer. The Tigers needed to find something quick but consecutive triples from Benson to start the second half put any thoughts of that to bed. Brodie Dixon tried valiantly for the Tigers and she followed Benson’s hot hand with the next seven points of the game but her side couldn’t stem the flow at the other end. An 8-0 run that followed, courtesy of Berry and Bremner, undid all of that work and from there the Owls coasted to a third-straight win. Berry was prolific with 10 field goals in her game-high haul while Bremner hit two from long range to finish with 15. The ever reliable Benson (11 points) also had key moments for the Owls. Dixon was a shining light for the Tigers, who were overawed by the Owls in last season’s grand final and came unstuck again in their next encounter. Three baskets from deep helped Dixon to 18 points for the match but no other Tiger scored more than three points and their side was without a substitute for the entire game. Denmark Magpies shook off a spirited Sonics in the other women’s A-grade contest. The Magpies ran out 13-point winners in the end, with Ashlee Kerr and Danielle Carne doing the majority of the damage. That combo poured in 28 of the Magpies’ 36 points as they handed Sonics their second loss of the season. The outside shooting of Sonics’ Aleesha Narkle was a threat all night but the Magpies held firm to win 36-23. Kerr finished with 10 points despite ending up in foul trouble while Carne top scored with 18. Meanwhile in the men’s A-grade competition Sonics Blue moved to a 3-0 win loss record, easily taking care of Denmark Magpies. A terrific scoring spread was the catalyst for the 51-27 result, with all seven Sonics Blue players finding a basket. Mark Elentorio (11), Ethan Richards (10), David Arthur (nine) and Mason Tion (nine) were strong performers for the ladder leaders. Railways Tigers were able to withstand a late push from Sonics Grey to win their second game of the campaign. The Tigers didn’t have a player in double figures but emerged with a seven-point win. Malcolm van Burgel (13) and Corey Plug (nine) led the way for the losing side. Barking Owls are inside the top four after claiming a 22-point win over the Raiders under-18 development squad. Sam O’Toole-Gardner was ultra impressive with five field goals on his way to 14 points for the Raiders but it was the Owls who came out on top in the end with seven successful three pointers.