Central Recap | Round 6 Saturday

Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au / Mark Willoughby @aussie_photo_media

Round 6 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central was full of highlight moments, scrappy struggles and the cream of the crop rising to the top - with some new entries into the final five race now starting to emerge after several years down the table…

Here are the results of tonight’s Saturday games:

Fejo and Erikstrup the Warriors over the Lions           

The Woodville Warriors got the step up they needed from their key recruit plus another vintage performance from a dual championship winner Jasmin Fejo to close out an incredibly competitive Central District Lions outfit 76-84 at the Den at Starplex.      

With their fourth win in a row - Fejo playing the side she won the title for the previous season led the charge out of the blocks but Tiahna Sears kept the Lions hungry early with 10 first term points. The Warriors however through import Laura Erikstrup (Seven points) closed it to 17-16 at the first change. 

The Warriors reintroduced us to former Forestville Eagles Ambah Kowcun off the back of completing college at Wichita State - but the three stars of the opening term continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over with the Warriors taking the lead 38-42 at the half. 

Erin Phillips (10 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals) took her cue and moment to add her impact but Haley Saurette (14 points and 10 rebound double double) found some key baskets at different times to give the Lions a chance to take their first win of the season 61-60 with one to play. 

With nine points in the final term - Fejo closed out her old side with some key plays in the final minutes including picking the pocket of Sydney Wright (14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists) and finishing then doubling it up at the end to give the the five point lead. The timeout saw Wright again blocked by Fejo on the three point attempt drawing the foul off the corresponding play and sealing the result with some free throws in a complete final term performance. 

Laura Erikstrup was potent through the four quarters with a season high 28 points and five rebounds with Fejo picking up 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and steals with three blocks. Sears was outstanding for the Lions breathing down a triple double with 31 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals.     

 

The Warriors Women have not won five in a row in recent memory - can they make it six against the Southern Tigers? Find out this Saturday night at 6:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 76 (Sears 31, Saurette, Wright 14, Hunt 8)

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 84 (Erikstrup 28, Fejo 24, Phillips 10)

 

Eagles fly early to ground Rockets        

The Forestville Eagles made it three in a row grounding the North Adelaide Rockets 55-72 in convincing fashion at the Lights. 

Sam Simons took flight with 24 points with four beyond the arc, five assists and rebounds with the Rockets returning Brooke Basham to active duty - she got to work pretty quickly in the evening.

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The Eagles however led all but less than a minute for the evening Simons and a collective of gold and blue in Rachel King (13 points and seven rebounds), Jess Simons (12 points, eight rebounds and three steals) 

The Rockets were led by Mollie McKendrick with 20 points and four rebounds, Basham was quelled in her return with nine points and seven rebounds while the return of Ella Batish to the floor yielded four points, five assists and three rebounds.   

In the battle of the Freers - Maddy Freer collecting 12 points, five rebounds and three assists and Jordyn Freer with 15 points and seven rebounds split the honours. 

 

The Eagles have flown to three in a row - can they make it four against the South Adelaide Panthers? Find out this Saturday night at 6:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 55 (Mckendrick 20, J Freer 15, Basham 9)

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 72 (S Simons 24, King 13, M Freer, J Simons 12)

 

Bearcats blitz downs Morgan-less Mavericks         

It was a tough night for the homeside as the West Adelaide Bearcats blitzed the Eastern Mavericks out of the blocks 48-101 in the finish at St Francis De Sales. 

It was meant to be the top two scoring teams in the competition taking on each other but with Morgan Yaeger resting in this encounter - The Bearcats were never headed after the opening five minutes with a 0-16 run setting up a 9-30 quarter time margin. Sienna Grieger (15 points, seven assists and two steals) continued her recent roaring form with a 13 point opening half. Olivia Levicki (18 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals) came along for the ride as well, posting 12 opening half points. 

The Mavs needed to find a different method after quarter time and it took a teenager who burst onto the scene as a 14 year old in 2024 in Daisy Hocking (11 points and six rebounds) to lead the charge to keep the quarters even however some second half cameos from Molly Coleman (14 points, five rebounds and three steals), Eliza Woolley, Georgina Salandra, Abby Brenton and Coco Hodges (Nine points, seven rebounds and five assists) put paid to the margin as the Bearcats bounced back from their back to back loses in last weekend’s double header.      

  

EASTERN MAVERICKS 48 (D Hocking 11, Williston 10, Constantopoulos 6)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 101 (Levicki 18, Grieger 15, Coleman 14)

 

Sabres slide home in tight tussle against Tigers         

In the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week - the Sturt Sabres slid home but the Southern Tigers would not relent in a tight tussle at the Cage in Morphett Vale 53-57.  

The Tigers got all their work down early through McKenzie Johnston (Six points, eleven rebounds and five assists) but as is often the case for the league stars the return of DPOY Zoe Walker-Roberts (Seven points and three rebounds) and Katia Stamatelopoulos (Seven points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists) nullified her influence steadily as the contest ensued. Needing some points in a hurry the Tigers turned to youth in Layla Hearne (Eight points) who’s cameo supported the all-round effort of Iva Belosevic (16 points and 12 rebounds) and Annie Bartsch (12 points and five rebounds).

When the Sabres needed points however the pine of Chelsea Portus (16 points) and Tahlia Griffths (10 points) provided in the tight struggle - the Tigers having one last chance to take it to overtime with Hearne’s shot just missing and the Sabres sliding home to their fifth straight win since 2021 against their southern neighbours.         

  

The Sabres survived Southern and another cat awaits in the West Adelaide Bearcats - how will they find one of the offensive powerhouses of the league in 2025??? Find out next Saturday night at 6:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

SOUTHERN TIGERS 53 (Belosevic 16, Bartsch 12, Hearne 8)

STURT SABRES 57 (Portus 16, Griffths 10, Z Walker-Roberts, M Walker-Roberts Stamatelopoulos 7)

Lions avoid Wurm worries from Warriors           

They dodged all the blows Woodville Warriors Nick Wurm could land late in the fourth but the Central Districts Lions did enough to claim their second win in a row at home 82-77 at the Den.  

Efe Abogidi (19 points and 13 rebounds) electrified the home crowd with this special slam for all to see…

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The Lions kept their noses in front throughout the night via the steady hand of Kevin Baker (20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists) and the left handed classy finishing of Jack Stanwix. 

The Warriors kept touch via committee with Nick Wurm (22 points) raining in multiple triples in the final term but missed the last couple of opportunities to close the margin in an entertaining finish.    

  

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 82 (Baker 20, Abogidi 19, Stanwix 13)

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 77 (Wurm 22, Uzo Dibiamaka, Parfitt, Sloan 10)

 

Tryon that for size as Bearcats bury Mavericks             

A season high 29 points of outside hits buried the Eastern Mavericks courtesy of the West Adelaide Bearcats Jacob Tryon 75-94 at St Francis De Sales.   

The Bearcats made their mark early with an opening stanza 14-29 led by their 6 '11 centre and Jimma Dau (17 points and nine rebounds) stepping up in the absence of Lat Mayen (ankle tweak). The crafty work of BJ Symons (15 points and eight rebounds) and Broderick Robinson (19 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals) lighting up from outside saw the margin cut back slightly at the half though 45-51.

Micale Mee produced a rare highlight denying Rasmussen in shades of Darnell for all to see…

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Dom Jackson (19 points and five rebounds) tried to keep the Mavs in touch but a third quarter run of 0-8 drive by Keanu Rasmussen (dangling with a triple double 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists) kept the Bearcats right in front and propelled them to the finish line to bounce back from their double losses the previous weekend.

Tryon buried five triples for the night from a long way out to finish with 29 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks.        

  

EASTERN MAVERICKS 75 (Jackson, Robinson 19, Symons 15)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 94 (Tryon 29, Dau 17, Rasmussen 13)

 

Griffin rises Sabres to stirring with over Southern          

A career high in the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week for the Sturt Sabres was the catalyst for them grabbing a stirring second win of the season over the Southern Tigers 92-99 at the Cage in Morphett Vale.  

The Sabres stunned the Tigers in the opening term with a 22-31 start orchestrated by Sam Daly and Sharif Black (16 points and four assists) - but with the Tigers inserting Sunday Bol in who threw down a ferocious tomahawk jam helped give the momentum back slightly to the home side. 

Seb Griffin and Ben Gristci (11 points and eight rebounds) kept the scoreboard ticking over to give the Sabres a 42-58 half time lead. Harry Morris (21 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists) and Jarvis Summers (17 points, five assists and rebounds) got to work after the half working the Tigers back into contention with Jarvis Doles (20 points, 14 rebounds and three assists) joining proceedings 70-80 and closing it even further through the quick play of Isaiah Oste-Pinder (Seven points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists) and Bol (14 points). 

When it counted though Patrick D’Arcy (12 points) and Sam Daly with 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists came up huge as did Griffin despite fouling out to guide the Sabres home in a narrow conclusion - Griffin with a career high 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.           

  

Are the Sturt Sabres back or is it a temporary time??? Find out this Saturday night when they take on the West Adelaide Bearcats at 8:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

SOUTHERN TIGERS 92 (Morris 21, Doles 20, Summers 17)

STURT SABRES 99 (S Daly 25, Griffin 20, Black 16)

 

Rockets hang tough but Eagles third term spreads in their favour         

The North Adelaide Rockets competed all night but the third term proved the separator as the Forestville Eagles grabbed their fifth win in a row to sit equal top with the Lions 75-86 at the Lights.  

The Rockets skipper Tobias Dowdell was strong in his contest with Alex Starling turning back the clock for a handy 19 points and 11 rebounds with young gun Machar Machar taking the toll on the Eagles with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. 

The third term however belonged to the sharp shooter himself in Dejan Vasiljevic (27 points on five triples, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals) as he shot and set up his teammates with a nice 13 point lead heading into the final quarter - the Eagles getting out by as many as 16 in the final term before the Rockets closed the margin.

The Eagles comfortable win saw it all shared around with Starling (19 points, 10 rebounds and four steals) and Daniel Johnson (17 points, 10 rebounds, six assists) double doubling up in the finish.     

 

The stage is set, the script was written in the preseason and the popcorn at the ready - the Forestville Eagles will take on the South Adelaide Panthers in the Grand Final Rematch of 2024 which is a little more than just a rematch. Find out why this Saturday night at 8:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 75 (Machar 20, Dowdell 19, BJ Johnson 15)

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 86 (Vasiljevic 27, Starling 19, DJ Johnson 19)

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