Central Recap | Finals Week 1 Friday

Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au /  Tia De Santis | @tia.desa

The first night of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central saw the Men’s elimination final go down to the wire - after one night already one of our two grand finalists from 2024's season came to an abrupt end at the hand of the inform West Adelaide Bearcats.   

Bearcats tower powers out Panthers finals chances               

The first elimination final was the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week between the South Adelaide Panthers and the West Adelaide Bearcats and if the first night was anything to go by - we are in for one of the epic finals series in the history of the NBL1 Central. 

The Bearcats opened the finals with a 9-2 start led by Lat Mayen fresh off missing the past weekend’s fixture. The Panthers struck back through their skipper Tom Kubank with some timely makes while Lloyd McVeigh carried on his rich vein of form with eight first quarter points.

The margin slashed back by the homeside to take it to a 18-17 but a late run of 7-0 led by Mayen and the Bearcats had them out 25-17 at the first change.

Tom Kubank glides throughhh ?

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Christian Brandon lit up the homeside early in the second term with a putback reverse finish as he started the second term well.

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Cameron Huefner continued to increase his value on the floor with another set of baskets while Keanu Rasmussen was beginning to emerge as a threat and were out by 39-26. Jacob Tryon was having an impact beyond the land of plenty frequently having the Panthers scratch their heads looking for answers. Timely triples of unlikely resort came from Codey Ellison (Nine points, eight rebounds with four blocks) as he made one then a second to beat the buzzer on halftime to leave it 46-38 at the main change. 

Triples were the flavour of the third with a few the way of Mayen (21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists), Sean Stock, Huefner (22 points with five rebounds) and Rasmussen as the Bearcats came bouncing out of the half-time changerooms 60-46. McVeigh (19 points with six rebounds) threw everything at the red and black coming up green from outside and inside the paint but the Panthers were struggling to put points on the board. 

Rallying behind their skipper Kubank (15 points with three assists and steals) and Kaleb Warner waking up and hitting a few - the Panthers began their push. Brandon finishing multiple times in transition to bring it to game on once again 66-61 at the end of three intriguing terms.

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Jacob Tryon was enjoying the block party for the evening spiking another way and Rasmussen was working overtime on the boards to gain the extra makes. Brandon (13 points and 17 rebounds) made things even more interesting on the scoreboard as the Panthers, their home crowd and the force of the finalists of 2024 came at the Bearcats 72-71. 

Tryon was the tower of power blocking everything coming his way but Warner’s corner triple brought scores level 74-74 with 2:50 to play. Rasmussen missed at the other end doubled by a couple of Panthers as Ellison got the ball towards Curtis Scott making the fadeaway two point jumper to put the home side in front 76-74 with 1:22 left. 

The next play down Rasmussen drew Panthers to him like moths to the flame as he fired it out to Mayen for another big time triple in the corner 77-76. The Panthers came out empty down the other end courtesy of an offensive foul as Huefner’s strength under the basket made it even tougher 79-76 with the Panthers taking the AAMI timeout and needing something special. 

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It came from Warner (18 points with four triples, four assists and three rebounds) putting Stock on skates burying the long make to tie it away 79-79 a piece with 15 seconds remaining - timeout to the Bearcats. 

Ellison stole the next ball off the Bearcats, flicking it to Brandon in the front court who was fouled and sent to the charity stripe. Making just one of two 80-79 the Bearcats took one last AAMI timeout and drew it up to good effect.

Drawing the foul from the Panthers on the three point line was Tryon - the one thing the Panthers could ill-afford occurred with three shots heading the way of the 6’11 big man. 

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He struck the first two then bricked the third which came back to him and it was done - The Bearcats winning their first at Mitchell Park since 2023 and eliminating last year’s grand finalists on the opening night. 

It was a joint effort from the Bearcats led by Keanu Rasmussen with 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in another all-round performance while Jacob Tryon’s double double of 12 points and 11 rebounds with five blocks was pivotal in the finish. 

The numbers ended reasonably even but the Bearcats making 14/23 from the free throw line compared to the 5/11 for the Panthers proved to be the difference in the conclusion to the contest.

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 80 (L McVeigh 19, Warner 18, Kubank 15)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 81 (Huefner 22, Mayen 21, Rasmussen 16)

The West Adelaide Bearcats move on to play the loser of Saturday's qualifying final next weekend to either the Central Districts Lions or the Woodville Warriors. 

The NBL1 Central Men's Finals Week 1 continues tonight via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App from 8:30pm ACDT

Watch the NBL1 Live & Free on NBL1.com.au, NBL1 App and Kayo Sports Freebies.