Men’s Grand Final Preview: Norwood Flames v North Adelaide Rockets

When: 8.00pm (ACST), Saturday September 11

Where: St Clair Recreation Centre, Woodville, Adelaide 

Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, www.nbl1.com.au

The last time
North Adelaide Rockets 83 (McVeigh 27, Williams 24) lost to Norwood Flames 98 (Turnage 27, D Webber, Lycett 18 points) – Round 16 at “The Launch Pad” The Lights Sports and Community Centre

Last time they met the Norwood Flames-throwers destructed the North Adelaide Rockets as they grabbed the crucial win 83-98 at the Launch Pad. CJ Turnage led the charge with 27 points, 12 assists and 6 rebounds and had plenty of support from Daniel Webber (18 points at 66 percent and 5 rebounds) and Matt Lycett (18 points and 6 rebounds). NBL Jack-Jumper Jack McVeigh notched up 27 points and 12 rebounds for the home side along with “The Red Tornado” Verle Williams who dropped in for 24 points and 7 rebounds.

How they got here

The Norwood Flames came into the NBL1 Central Finals on the back of a 6-1 run orchestrated by head coach Mike Malat then ended a four-game winning streak of the second placed Forestville Eagles as they stole, slammed, and sizzled their way to a Qualifying Final win 82-86 at the Nest in week one of the post-season. The Woollacott Medallist CJ Turnage after going into “Turnage-nator” mode early finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists with import big man Anthony Green notching a double double of his own with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The game particularly highlighted the crucial role that previous championship winners Matt Lycett and Dan Webber would provide along with the impact of new era Flames Aydan Janssan, Ray Harding and Jordan Wilson.   

Then they ticked off eight of their last nine and booked the first spot in the NBL1 Central Mens Grand Final with a dramatic and pulsating 69-83 win over the top seeded Sturt Sabres at the Cave. A 22-9 last quarter was the final blow to the home side as the Flames made their first state Grand Final since 2015. Turnage terminated the Sabres with 30 points and 6 rebounds while vintage Matt Lycett came to play with 17 points and 13 rebounds; Green not far behind with 15 points and 9 rebounds.

Whilst it took the Flames two games to get to the decider, it took overtime in week one for the North Adelaide Rockets to outlast a roaring Southern Tigers in an elimination final thriller 82-77 at the Launch Pad. It came down to the final 15 seconds of regular time with the Rockets needing a score when Tiger’s Nick Wurm’s sideline pass was stolen by Tobias Dowdell who flushed the ball down the hoop to tie the scores 71-71 and send the game to elimination overtime. The Rockets dominated the extra period with JackJumper Jack McVeigh And1 and Verle “The Red Tornado” Williams big dagger triple sealing the victory to keep the Rockets season alive and end the Tigers season. McVeigh finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead all comers with Williams (21 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) and Jimma Dau recruited from the Central District Lions pre-season (17 points and 13 rebounds) crucial in the contest.

The Rockets then continued their explosive post season as they shot down the Eagles in the final quarter of the Semi-Final to send them out in straight sets 84-93 at the Nest. Adelaide 36er Sunday Dech returning to the line-up went off offensively in the third as McVeigh fired yet again in the fourth at the crunch time as did several of his accomplices including again Williams. Dech was elite offensively with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, Williams came off the bench for his 22 points and McVeigh grabbed his double double of 20 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists and to cap it off Dau once again contributed dropping 18 points and 9 rebounds and showed he’s been one of the pick-ups of the season.  

Coach Dean Nyberg’s team that started the season 1-6 then ran rampant shooting down the Sturt Sabres 69-86 at the Cave; to make their first decider since the 2007 CABL Grand Final. The Rockets got off to a flyer once again through Sixers Sunday Dech and Jack-Jumper Jack McVeigh as they sparked a run of 16 consecutive points to jump out to 4-19 lead. McVeigh finished the first quarter with 11 points and Dech 10 points as the Rockets firepower was on full display as all the players were hitting big shot after big shot dropping 8 of 16 shots for 50 percent from beyond the arc. The Rockets setting up the game in absolute control 28-66 at the main break. 11 triples at 45.1 percent was a key figure in the finality of the result along with 6-13 points from 22 turnovers of the home side. Dech finished with 31 points, 4 rebounds and assists setting himself for a showdown with the “Woolly” medallist CJ Turnage of the Norwood Flames and McVeigh with another double double of 28 points and 12 rebounds (His ninth of the season). Hamish “Hammer” Staude got hot during the game for his 9 points at 60 percent along with 6 assists and 3 rebounds and Tobias Dowdell had a solid night with 9 points and 11 rebounds.

The form of both sides coming into the Grand Final is plenty to salivate about; the week off for the Flames will be interesting to see whether that helps or hinders their preparation for their first decider since 2015.

Championship history

The Norwood Flames may have been around since the ending of the second world war, but it took them till 1999 to make their first Grand Final against non-other than the North Adelaide Rockets. Norwood have played in six Grand Finals across the state league winning four of those titles (1999, 2008, 2009 and 2015) the most recent 2015 and in that same year, a Flame won the Woollacott Medal in Matt Lycett to note. The most famous of these wins was a prayer of a shot from Andrew Webber in the 2008 decider at the Clipsal Powerhouse with the 2000s era featuring a decorated list of players including Keith Krause, Todd Mathews, The Webbers and former Adelaide 36ers Rupert Sapwell and David Cooper.

The North Adelaide Rockets won their first title in 1953 over West Adelaide and then won four of the next five titles including three across 1957-1959 before achieving the top of the mountain again in 1983. The Rockets Men have made thirteen Grand Finals and won seven of those with three of those thirteen games a loss in dramatic circumstances by less than two points. The Rocket’s Men through the 2000s also featured several state stars and Adelaide 36ers including Nathan Hawkes, Erik Burdon (who won the “Woolly” in 2008), Pero Vasiljevic, Nick Hambour, Ryan Kersten and Michael Zorich to name a few.

the last time these teams met in a decider 15 years ago, one star for the Rockets was the Woollacott Medallist and the MVP for the Grand Final in 2007; 36ers import Dusty Rychart. Rychart dominated in the first half as the Rockets setup a 49-27 lead to eventually claim their first title since 1983; 85-74. The history suggests that Woollacott Medallists win titles for these two teams and that could be the case this Saturday night.       

The Stats

- The Norwood Flames are averaging 84.5 ppg over the post season on par with their season average. In terms of the production of those points they are hitting 37 percent from beyond the arc which is 4 percent up on their season average and also averaging 12.5 points from turnover off 5.5 steals. The rebounds are up as well with an average of 49.5 almost an additional 10 extra rebounds per game and assists are at 19.5 per game up from 17.9 per game.

- The North Adelaide Rockets are producing 87 ppg up from 82.5 during the season however it is not a surprise to see this rise with scores of no less than 90 five times across the second half of the season. The Red and White are shooting it at 44.43 percent in the post season with no doubt points from turnovers (14.6 per game) and fast break points (9.3 per game) helping lift these season averages. Notably the Rockets have dominated the second chance opportunities with an average of 10.3 offensive rebounds (slightly down but still high from their average of 14.1) across the post-season.   

- The Flames have five of the top 50 ranked players in the competition in CJ Turnage (#2), Matt Lycett (#36), Anthony Green (#40), Ray Harding (#42) and Daniel Webber (#46).

- The Rockets also have five of the top 50 ranked players, however they are all within #35 and below in Jack McVeigh (#1), Sunday Dech (#8), Verle Williams (#21), Tobias Dowdell (#31) and Jimma Dau (#34)

The Money Men

Jack McVeigh – The favourite son of the Adelaide 36ers will make his final appearance in the state as he moves into his NBL role with the Tasmanian Jack-Jumpers. His season form in the NBL1 Central has been a jump-starter for the Rockets averaging 26.91 ppg, 2.41 assists, 11 rebounds and shooting the rock at 46.69 percent. He also is dropping the three ball at 39.5 percent and is clearly the go-to for the Rockets. The Flames will need to find a way to stop him early if they don’t and Jack gets in his groove, look out!   
 
CJ Turnage – He’s not the Woollacott Medallist for no reason and “The Turnage-nator” can rise the Flames over the Rockets. Turnage’s big strength is his ability to score in multiply ways in his average of 24.60 percent at 49.35 percent from the field. Add his ability to bring others into the game with 5.05 assists per game and 7.25 rebounds per game and you have a player that is a complete package. Perhaps the strategy the Rockets may employ is to send Turnage to the charity stripe where he is 55.85 percent this season, perhaps the only knock on an outstanding season that should have some NBL clubs looking for a third import maybe getting on the phone.    

The Reliable Men  

Verle Williams – The Brisbane Bullets training player has been watched since pre-season and immediately his game style and presence were noted in a couple of pre-season fixtures. “The Red Tornado” is just that and with a likely matchup with someone other than Turnage, you feel he is someone that could get under the Flames guard. Williams post season has been electric averaging 21.5 for the first two games and after a quiet prelim, the winds of change could be on the horizon for Williams this Saturday.

Matt Lycett – The 2015 Woollacott Medallist showed against the Sabres what a man he is for a big-time game and especially when his club needs it. Lycett is averaging 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game over the post season and has hit some reliable form right at the pointy end. Lycett’s ability to find the right play or basket at the right time has been on display this season and its shining in the Flames two wins at crucial times.   

The X-Factors

Anthony Green – If Green can stay out of the foul trouble clutches as he’s done most of the post-season, the 6’10 big man looms as a towering figure against Tobias Dowdell. Green’s ability to lift his team through rim shattering dunks can start the spark that ignites Norwood’s runs and his numbers have been above his season averages with 14.5 ppg and 10.5 rebounds.

Jimma Dau – Dau has really emerged across the second half of the season particularly and scored more than 17 points in four of his last five games; and as result made the Rockets a much tougher team to guard. Something for Dau has clicked under coach Nyberg and we are seeing the potential seen at Centrals realised and perhaps Saturday night is another chapter in the rise of Dau.

Photo Credit: Picture_IT Sports Photography

Article Sources: Basketball SA, Norwood Basketball Flames Club, Boti Nagy and Ray Girvin