CANBERRA, Australia (Interstat) — The Canberra Nationals visit the Centre of Excellence on Thursday, June 4, 2026, in an Australia NBL women’s basketball matchup that pits a struggling squad against a title contender.

The Centre of Excellence enters the game with a 9-4 record across all competitions, while the Nationals sit at 4-7. The home team has won four of its past five games, including an 80-60 victory over the Sydney Comets on May 31. The Nationals are coming off a 109-81 win at Hornsby on the same date, snapping a two-game losing streak.

For the Nationals, guard Caitlyn Jones has been the driving force. In the win over Hornsby, Jones logged 39 minutes with 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. That followed a 28-point, nine-rebound, six-assist performance in a 100-41 victory at Central Coast on May 30. Over her past three games, Jones is averaging 26.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Guard Callie Bourne added 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Hornsby win, and forward Allison Day contributed 17 points and nine rebounds.

The Centre of Excellence counters with forward Zara Russell, who has been a consistent scorer all season. Russell posted 26 points, two rebounds and six assists in the May 31 win over Sydney. She scored 19 points against Newcastle on May 30 and has reached double figures in six of her past seven games, averaging 16.3 points over that span. Guard Jade Sherrington added eight points and five assists in the Comets win, while forward Lily Mapp contributed seven points and six rebounds.

Thursday’s game is the first of a two-game home-and-home series. The teams meet again Friday, June 5, in Canberra. The Nationals have struggled on the road this season, with a 2-4 record away from home. The Centre of Excellence is 5-1 at home.

The Nationals have shown signs of life offensively, scoring 100 or more points in two of their past three games after averaging just 62.3 points over their previous six contests. The Centre of Excellence’s defense has allowed an average of 68.5 points over its past four games. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.