The NBL1 Central regular season concluded with last second wins, big time milestones and some cameo performances that elevated their teams to the final five.
Here are the results from Saturday’s games:
Spencer big splash sees Panthers to finals spot
Ash Spencer knows how to deliver the cash when it counts and she was on the money with 29 points, seven rebounds and four steals as her Panthers pushed their way into an elimination final next weekend with a dogged 88-77 win over the Woodville Warriors at the Jungle.
Spencer was backed up by Jordan Hunter who collected 17 points, 10 assists and fours rebounds to push away the plucky Warriors – they were led by a cold reception from Emily Winter with 18 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and two steals and Georgia Winter with 15 points including four triples, four rebounds and two assists.
Rockets Freer fires North to the finals.
It took a special cameo from Jordyn Freer who had been threatening to branch out and that she did with a 22 point, four triples, 14 rebound and four assists double double in her side’s final sealing win over the Norwood Flames 106-83 at the Lights. Brooke Basham (27 points with five triples, seven assists and six rebounds) and a near triple double to Lauren Mansfield (20 points with four triples, nine assists and eight rebounds) led the Rockets to a season saving 83-51 turnaround at quarter time.
The Flames Ally Wilson finished her regular season with 24 points and four rebounds along with sharp shooting Sharna Thompson dropping 17 points with five triples and six rebounds.
Mavs and Bradley nearly ruin Sabres spotless season
It was a close one but a mammoth double double from Eastern Mavericks Olvia Bradley nearly spoilt the perfect regular season record for the Sturt Sabres as they achieved the 18-0 record with a heartstopping 89-91 win over the Mavs at St Francis. Bradley in the absence of Jannon Otto who departed the season early lifted for 26 points, 14 rebounds and three assists and gave the Mavs a chance putting it to a single basket with seconds left only for Taylah Levy (33 points, four assists and three rebounds) to have her tip in attempt waved away which would've sent it to overtime.
Although only thirty minutes on the floor, Halls medal favourite Mikayla Williams accumulated 27 points, 11 rebounds and three assists to get her side across the line for the last game of the regular season.
McBride marches Flames to potential finals position in thriller
Although they did not know what would play out elsewhere – Trey McBride was going to give them a chance regardless as he balled out across four quarters to produce 30 points, six rebounds, four assists and steals as his Norwood Flames took out a thriller against the North Adelaide Rockets 88-90 at the Lights. Isaac Miller-Jose was strong again with 16 points and six rebounds and Jack Stanwix threw this one down in his 15 points and eight steals.
View this post on Instagram
The Rockets did everything to try and stop the Flames in their tracks with skipper Riley Harrap trying to shoot his way through them with 20 points, four triples, six assists and rebounds. Akech Aliir (10 points and 19 rebounds) and Koop McCalop (15 points and 10 rebounds) who had a shot to win it at the siren – dominated the glass for a majority of the contest.
Warriors alive as Stepney, Janssen and Meldrum come beating in
The Flames finals fire was put out quickly as the Woodville Warriors stirred their way to a veracious victory 76-79 at the Jungle over the South Adelaide Panthers. It took till midway through the third quarter but something stirred in Jawan Stepney that saw him finish with almost a triple double with 15 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists – but it was actually Riley Meldrum and Ben Janssen that got the Warriors going with a big start.
Meldrum tuned up for the finals with 20 points with four triples, four rebounds and three assists with Janssen ably assisting vitally with 15 points including three triples. Daniel Johnson quietly climbed his way to 23 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while after initial foul trouble Alex Starling stretched his way to 21 points and 15 rebounds.
Amazingly last year’s grand finalists will play each other again next week but only one will go forward from the elimination final.
Hammer triple double time as Hamish and Olbrich overcome tenacious Tigers
It wasn’t all straight forward but there were some big milestones and performances in the West Adelaide Bearcats 81-105 win over the winless Southern Tigers at the Cage. In his 200th game in the league, Hamish Staude produced a triple double with 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds while three tyros of the league showed off their future ambitions for higher honours.
First Lachlan Olbrich notched a game high 30 points, 11 rebounds and three assists cashing in on six triples showing his long range. Then the high school kid out of Knox and signed Adelaide 36ers DP Fraser Roxburgh collected 20 points and six rebounds with the Tigers 15-year-old prodigy Alex Dickeson usurping his previous best with a whopping 28 points with five triples, eight rebounds and five assists – a definite watch for a future DP of the NBL…
