Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au / Kelly Barnes All Star Photos
The conclusion to First Nations Round of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central was eventful in more ways than one - with results throwing the top five into multiple permutations with one round to go…
Here are the results from Sunday's games:
Sienna sun torches Rockets in Bearcat blitz
The top five North Adelaide Rockets have been dealt a huge blow with a third quarter blitz from the West Adelaide Bearcats upsetting them 89-75 at the Bearcat Cave. The Bearcats got the huge start 25-14 in the first quarter to continue their rich vein of form through Sienna Grieger who found plenty of space early with 11 points in the opening term. The Rockets hit back with a 17-32 second stanza with stars Jordyn Freer (10 points of her 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists coming in the term) and Brooke Basham (14 of her 16 points for the match) hitting their marks to steer the Rockets back into the lead 42-46 at the main break.
The Bearcats however blitzed them in the third to setup a commanding lead led by Grieger with 24 points at 69 percent with six triples again, Elin Gustavsson (21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals) and Ashlee Strawbridge with 14 points, 12 rebounds with three assists. They held it all the way through the fourth as they won their fifth of their last six matches and dented the Rockets chances of finishing in the top two.
The Bearcats have one more match marked on their target list for the season and it’s the Forestville Eagles. Find out if they can take out another top five scalp next Saturday July 12 at 6:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 89 (Grieger 24, Gustavsson 21, Strawbridge 14)
NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 75 (J Freer 22, Basham 16, Anderson 11)
Defran lights up Flames and Jungle for Panthers
The South Adelaide Panthers managed to find their range and their form with a lights out display from beyond the arc to light up the Norwood Flames 96-63 at the Jungle of Mitchell Park. It came from a known source that had not fired too often this season but Sam DeFrancesco from entering the game dropped seven triples to finish with 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and steals. She helped lead the Panthers to an unassailable lead 57-31 at the half and they were never headed from there.
Samantha Defrancesco drains 4?? triples in 4?? minutes ?
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Import Brittany Hodges was huge all afternoon with 20 points and 13 rebounds as was Hannah Stewart with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in one of her best matches for the season. The Flames only had one player in double digits with Bella Stratford with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists with import Hannah Henderson solid with nine points and five rebounds and a nice cameo from Alice Sabine with eight points. The Panthers smashed the Flames on the glass 69-48 with the Panthers making a season high 11 triples.
SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 96 (DeFrancesco 21, Hodges 20, Stewart 18)
NORWOOD FLAMES 63 (Stratford 10, Henderson, Hinton 9)
Den thriller as Lions and Eagles play for positions
The drama was all evident at the Den in a must win clash between the Lions and the Eagles and it went down to the wire as the Lions claimed the late win 85-82 in overtime.
The Kayo Freebies Game of the Week saw a prolonged stoppage due to a serious player injury with the Lions leading 16-12 at quarter time. The Eagles made their move in the second quarter led by Maddy Freer (20 points, 11 rebounds and three steals) off the back of her season high the previous night with 10 of her 20 points coming in the 0-10 run to lead the Eagles to a 32-37 at halftime. The Lions reversed the margin the third to close it to 57-54 led by Tayla Levy, Casey Samuels and Lily Ritz.
Both teams traded basket for basket in the final term with the margin not getting beyond a basket - it came down to the final minute of regulation. Ella Sawyer’s two point floater was preceded by the steal and dish from Jess Simons (19 points, seven assists and five rebounds) to Freer who drew the foul then nailed two free throws for 69-71. The Lions managed to get it into the hands of Samuels who drew the foul from Sawyer at the other end and iced two free throws to level things up again 71-71 with only second remaining. The Eagles timeout saw them look for a scoring option but they could not find a clean shot as they were forced to dribble out and the game was heading to the second overtime of the weekend.
Overtime began with both teams missing gettable opportunities but performing her role all season - Lions import Lily Ritz rose up in the extra time to nail six key points with a five point lead gathered by Levy with some key free throws. Cara Annetts (14 points and four steals) for the Lions drew a late foul from beyond the arc to have three free throws with the last one missing and rebounded by the Lions to secure victory.
Ritz was the game breaker with 28 points, 14 rebounds and five steals along with Samuels with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Levy also collected another bag of stats with 17 points, six assists and rebounds.
The Panthers and the Lions have a ladder deciding match ahead next week - find out where they will land for the first week of finals at the Den Saturday July 12 at 6:30pm Saturday local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 85 (Ritz 28, Samuels 24, Levy 17)
FORESTVILLE EAGLES 82 (M Freer 20, J Simons 19, Vidmar 13)
With one round to go - The Sturt Sabres and the Central Districts Lions will play off for top spot against the Eastern Mavericks and the South Adelaide Panthers respectively who based on previous head to head results still finish as high as second but will need a big win against the Lions. While the North Adelaide Rockets and the Forestville Eagles can still finish between third and fifth with big games against teams keen to finish their seasons on high notes.
While the top five is set in stone now - the final positions from top to bottom will be decided next weekend…
Mavs make recent history with win at Southern
The rollercoaster ride continued for the Eastern Mavericks as they created a small piece of history winning their sixth match of a season for the first time since the early 2010s with a fast paced performance of 67-84 over the out of gas Southern Tigers at the Cage.
The Mavs gained the early start through duo Jordan Rawls and Micale Mee who had strong opening terms - the Tigers closing it to 14-18 at quarter time. Both teams in the second swung hard at each other back and forward but a 0-7 run led by Owen Raneburg off the bench including beating the buzzer at halftime with the another tre gave them a handy 36-49 lead.
The Tigers made a small comeback through Harvey White (17 points) and Michael Diggins (15 points and 11 rebounds) but were met by more magic from Mee and co as they maintained the lead 53-68 with one to play. Mee and Raneburg finished it off in the final term with some help from Freddy Webb (10 points and seven assists) as they shut down star shooter Riley Miller and outran the Tigers.
Mee was superb all match with 22 points with three triples, 10 rebounds, two assists and steals with Raneburg putting in back-to-back strong performances with 20 points with three triples, four steals and three rebounds.
The Mavs can really make it a season to remember looking to upset the Sturt Sabres at home next Saturday July 12 8:15pm Saturday local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
SOUTHERN TIGERS 67 (White 17, Diggins 15, Miller 11)
EASTERN MAVERICKS 84 (Mee 22, Raneburg 20, Rawls 12)
Smith and Starling see off Flames at Jungle
The dynamic duo of Jeremy Smith and Alex Starling saw off the Norwood Flames 83-77 at the Jungle despite a small margin. The Panthers did their work early in the first quarter through Starling with 11 points and co as they assumed a 31-23 start. The Flames fought back through Isaac Miller-Jose (10 points and rebounds) and Cooper Osborne (17 points and five assists) to bring it back to 49-44 at the half.
The Flames kept in touch but the Panthers always seemed to have them just at arms length through the hand of Jeremy Smith who found tough basket after basket as the “mid-range marvel” grabbed 24 points to finally put them away in the final term.
Starling was the star all afternoon with 19 points, 13 rebounds and three steals while also making life very tough for centre Jack Hemphill as did Codey Ellison with a tune up for the finals with a double double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Tom Kubank for the Panthers also produced points with 17 of his own and Jarryd Hoppo made the most of his court time with some timely triples for 10 points.
The Panthers path is still open but they’ll need to knock off the next on the list in the Central Districts Lions next Saturday July 12 8:15pm Saturday local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 83 (Smith 24, Starling 19, Kubank 17)
NORWOOD FLAMES 77 (Osborne 17, Hemphill 11, Miller-Jose 10)
Forestville fly away in second half again to grab top temporarily
With one round to go the Forestville Eagles have currently top of the ladder after their flying second half over the Central Districts Lions to win 96-117 in another high scoring contest between the two teams
The Kayo Freebies Game of the Week had a delayed start due to the previous game but the teams came out roaring going head to head on the scoreboard just like they did in their ANZAC day clash earlier in the season. The third quarter is where it began to fall in the powerful Eagles outfit as 13 of 25 points came for electric guard Uche Diabiamaka paired with six rebounds and three assists as Daniel Johnson also amassed 26 points and 11 rebounds saw the Eagles out by 69-83 after three periods of play.
The bank's open on a Sunday afternoon for Daniel Johnson ?
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The Lions tried to chip back into it but the Eagles raised the bat for another century as they carried onto the victory through Adam Doyle (17 points, six assists and five rebounds), Greg Mays (14 points, six rebounds and two assists) and Brad Rathjen (12 points, eight assists, four steals and rebounds) with all five starters slotting double figures for a total of six.
The Lions Mangok Manyang capped a big weekend for the college returnee with 23 points and seven rebounds with Kalani Sapwell (16 points) and imports Branden Jenkins and Magnus Richards nullified but still contributors with 15 points a piece.
The Eagles have an opportunity to test the table with a home game to finish the season with a rematch of the 2023 Grand Final against the West Adelaide Bearcats Saturday July 12 8:00pm Saturday local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.
CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 96 (Manyang 23, Ka Sapwell 16, Jenkins, Richards 15)
FORESTVILLE EAGLES 117 (Johnson 26, Dibiamaka 25, Doyle 17)
With one round to go - The Eagles, Sturt Sabres and South Adelaide Panthers can all finish top but if they all win it all will come down to head-to-head between the three teams. Meanwhile the battle for a home elimination final will be up for grabs with the West Adelaide Bearcats and the Lions results determining who will hold home-court advantage.
While the top five is set in stone now - like the womens the final positions from top to bottom will be decided next weekend…
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