Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au / Dan Cowley @imagesby_dan
The Preliminary Finals of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central Finals saw the Eagles flying high into the decider sending out the Sturt Sabres in both penultimate finals matchups.
Here are the results from tonight’s Preliminary Finals
Freer by desire and King queen of the court as Eagles fly to first since 2019
An untouchable opening four minutes of the third quarter by Maddy Freer of the Forestville Eagles broke the back of the Sturt Sabres in a tight game of little error - the Eagles progressing to their first Grand Final since 2019 in a curtain-closing 54-68 win at Springbank.
It was an untraditional start for both teams known for their stout defence with both opening with a swathe of jumpers but the Mathews sisters clearly stung by the result of the previous week took to task by putting in a triple first through Nicola then a jumper from Kayla to make it 11-5 early.
The steadier came for the Eagles from Rachel King but the Sabres clearly showed intent looking for interior paint touches to create a 15-11 mini gap. Erasing that was Aimee Brett off the bench for the Eagles with some handy long twos with Jess Simons triple giving the outright lead to them 20-19.
Paige Padroth was thrown into the game by Sabres coach Tim Shortt to mix things up but her hook shot fell short to give the Eagles a 20-19 lead at quarter-time.
It was back to the usual grind early in the second with Gabby Vidmar’s triple breaking a scoring drought of 3:24 but was answered immediately by Mia Walker-Roberts as a window into the future of NBL1 Central next talents was seen.
Kayla Mathews dished the nice assist to Jasmine Simmons who was inserted into the game with import Sydney Brown then finding an open Meg Prosser for the triple. That was compounded by a Simmons fast break basket to give the Sabres a 10-2 run with timeout to Eagles head coach Georgia Crouch.
Immediately Freer grabbed her fifth point of the night with a triple but Padroth’s hard drive on her off hand had the Sabres out just at the half 32-28. Statistically at half-time there was nothing in it between the two teams with advantage slightly to the Sabres on the boards leading 21-15.
The opening to the third belonged to the Merv Harris medallist in Maddy Freer who with desire single handedly notched an 11-0 run laden with triples, a hook shot, free throws and the whole kit bag as she propelled the Eagles to a handy 39-32 lead.
It took Brown’s free throws to break the drought for the Sabres four minutes and 19 seconds into the third and a fightback ensued. A triple to Nicola Mathews then a Zoe Walker-Roberts turnaround of her own saw it 7-2 back the Sabres way.
Eagles Cara Annetts free throws prior to three quarter time saw the contest on the line 45-39 but the big move had been made through the Eagles mixing it up at both ends to win the quarter 17-7.
Simmons' reverse layup opened the fourth but an Aimee Brett long two took it to double figures for the first time in the match 51-41. A no-look shot from Prosser gave the Sabres some hope but King became queen of the court as she made a triple, finished and1 off a curl drive then finished an offensive rebound putback.
At 58-49 with 2:50 to go - Vidmar finally slayed the Sabres with a dagger to end their three in a row decider appearance hopes and ultimately put the Eagles into their first one since 2019.
Freer quiet to halftime exploded in the second half to finish with 20 points with three triples, five rebounds and three steals in one of the game breaking performances backed up by a strong second half from Rachel King with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Simmons off the bench for the Sabres impacted best with 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals while Prosser produced 11 points with three assists.
The Eagles ended up shooting the ball fractionally better than the Sabres with 39 per cent but also capatalised at the free throw line with 13/15 compared to the Sabres 9/16.
The Forestville Eagles will now meet the Central District Lions looking to win their first title since 2019 - it’ll be their first decider in four seasons. The Eagles are up against it having lost all their matches to the Lions in 2024 but their last two contests have gone to overtime in what looms as one of the closest finals we’ve seen in quite some time.
STURT SABRES 54 (Simmons 13, Prosser 11, N Mathews 9)
FORESTVILLE EAGLES 68 (M Freer 20, King 13, Vidmar 10)
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DJ and pine spin Sabres out of final to setup redemption
An elite opening term from veteran NBL star Daniel Johnson and some powerful points from the pine has flown the Eagles back into the decider for a shot at redemption - spinning the Sabres out of the finals 91-84 at the Nest.
From the very first tip - the 417 game NBL veteran was locked in aggressively on the glass at both ends of the floor, flying for deflections and making plays echoing the form for the 36ers in the almost successful 2017/18 season.
Keeping pace were a pack of Sabres led by finals experienced head Tobias Dowdell (Six points and three rebounds in the opening term) and Sam Daly (Six points, two assists and rebounds). The Eagles suffered another early finals blow with Brad Rathjen already coming off an ankle the previous week - another former NBL player in Adam Doyle suffered what appeared to be a leg issue which saw him subbed out 4:19 into the game.
Tobias Dowdell throws it DOWN ?
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He never returned, replaced by back up guard Jordan Wilson. Johnson however stepped up in his absence and a well contained Greg Mays to have the Eagles in front after the first 21-18 with seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
Coach Paul Rigoni of the Sabres threw Jamie Smith into the fray looking for a different result and he got it with and1 to Smith to cause the Eagles some problems early in the second. Wilson however primed and ready started to assume the capacities of Doyle with first a triple then feeding his teammates including Fiston Ipassou who came in for a tied down Uche Diabamaka and continued a rich vein of form.
The recently announced 36ers DP peeled off eight straight points with two triples to force timeout to the Sabres 35-27. Jordan Forbes responded with a deuce of his own but Owen Hulland grabbed a pair of hook shots in his early minutes off the bench with Wilson and Ipassou adding more points.
Johnson’s turnaround trademark jumper had it out to 47-30 with Wilson with one of the quarters of his career (nine points, three assists and rebounds in the first half) and Hulland pulling out a triple putting the Eagles into a strong position 54-34 at the half. The 33-16 term scarring on the Sabres with the Eagles already leading the assist count 15-8 and shooting the rock at 57 per cent from the field.
It needed an unbelievable quarter from the Sabres to get back in the contest and they magically produced it from the first buzzer after half-time. Dowdell set the tone with and-one floater which he converted, Forbes hit a huge triple then Ben Gristci quiet for the first half struck the stepback triple off the Dowdell steal to make it a 11-0 run and coach Andy Simons of the Eagles had seen enough.
It didn’t get better from there for the Eagles with the Sabres extending their run to 15-0 thanks to Jacob Rigoni’s reverse layup then Forbes offensive rebound and drive to the basket. It took Dibiamaka’s triple to break the drought six minutes and 15 seconds into the third.
Hulland re-entered the game for the Eagles to make a driving layup but Dowdell was feeling that finals spark with another and1 (nine for the term). Forbes then rained one in from deep to cut it to 63-60 at the final change - a 26-9 quarter keeping the Sabres finals hopes alive.
Both teams were beginning to deal with foul trouble drawing resources from each bench - Forbes flamethrower still cooking with another step back triple. The turning point came when Rigoni, highly restricted in the match after collecting a foul from a driving Ipassou extended his knee at him while he was falling to the floor which resulted in a second unsportsmanlike foul for the night and he was forced to hit the showers early.
Johnson hit his first triple of the evening at a timely moment with Daly returning the favour to level it at 72-70. Forbes, looking to draw the attention of the officials drew the wrong kind with a flopping technical foul - Johnson punishing them again with a hook shot inside.
Mays with the and1 reverse layup then the one on one to the rim made it 77-72 with the Eagles two-three zone causing issues for the Sabres. Gristci grabbed a triple with Daly floating on off the window for a 79-77 lead to the Eagles.
Ipassou then ignited with a triple then forced his way to the free throw line - looking to haul the homeside across the line. With some key free throws then a finish on the rim. Johnson’s final free throws sealed the road to redemption next week in the Grand Final.
Johnson was elite the whole night to finish breathing around a triple double with 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists while action packed Ipassou came off the bench for 22 points with four triples. Jordan Wilson stepped up for Doyle when he went down in the first with 11 points, three assists and rebounds.
The Sabres were led by Forbes with 31 points with four triples with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals and Dowdell with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Ultimately the Eagles had 42 bench points the most in any game in the season for the club (beating out the 39 against the Norwood Flames in Round 11).
The Eagles will now play the South Adelaide Panthers - with the teams now to have played the most finals against each other since 2021. After their four game meetings in 2022 and their three meetings this season - the decider in the Mens again will be a fitting conclusion to an action packed 2024 season.
FORESTVILLE EAGLES 91 (Johnson 25, Ipassou 22, Wilson 11)
STURT SABRES 84 (Forbes 31, Dowdell 17, Daly 16)
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