NBL1 Central Recap | Men's Round 15

Space Jam-ar: The Rockets rise coincided once again with a season high 27 points to import centre Jamar Akoh  | @snapshotphotography31 @Snap Shot Photography / Emma Hoppo

Saturday 16/07/22

Forestville Eagles vs West Adelaide Bearcats

Doyle deals out Bearcats fate for faint finals

The Eagles did as many thought they would dealing out the West Adelaide Bearcats faint finals hopes fate with a 93-55 win at the Nest. Adam Doyle dropped 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and steals to lead from the front with Jack Purchase continuing his recent hot form with 17 points and 8 assists. Brandon Brine also accumulated a double double as six Eagles hit double figures. The Eagles took the Bearcats to task with 18 points from fast breaks, 17 points from turnover and 12 second chance points. Both Nik DeSantis and Nate Sheppard scored 11 points apiece for the visitors but again were unable to find another consistent method of ticking the scoreboard over.       

Woodville Warriors vs Sturt Sabres (Kayo Game of the Week)

Warriors history repeats as second half ambush snares Sabres   

It was a case of history repeating as a half time turnaround from the Woodville Warriors saw them ambush the Sturt Sabres at the green and gold’s home of the Castle 84-71. The Sabres led by as many as 13 points in the second and held the lead 42-54 through 17 points to Jacob “Tregoni” Rigoni and import centre Devin Haygood with 15 points. The Warriors obviously thought 22 points which they held them to in the second half was not enough so this time around they won the second half 42-17 off the hand of Riley Meldrum with 11 second half points and a collective effort from top scorer Joe Jackson (23 points and 13 rebounds), David Humphries (19 points and 12 rebounds) and Nick Wurm (18 points). Rigoni was restricted after half-time and finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists while Joel Spear grabbed 13 rebounds to go with 9 points.   

South Adelaide Panthers vs North Adelaide Rockets

Rockets are all Akoh, Panthers survive split steal   

The North Adelaide Rockets won their fourth in a row, but the Panthers third quarter prevented their split being stolen back 63-87 at the Jungle. A 17 point at 88 percent, 6 rebound first half from Rockets import centre Jamar Akoh and 8 point quarter from the inform Dylan Marshall including a rare four-point-play put the Rockets in the box seat to grab the split back from the Panthers 23-48 at the half. The Panthers found someone to go through apart from Jeremy Smith (24 points and 8 rebounds) in the absence of Alex Starling and Jarryd Hoppo (HS Protocols) in Codey Ellison who grabbed 12 points and 7 rebounds and veteran Sam Johns stepped up with 12 points and 8 rebounds. The Rockets comfortably pushed it out at the end though as Riley Harrap after an electric 9-point opening quarter posted 22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and Jimma Dau finished with a 19 point and 10 rebound double double. It was Akoh who set the tone from the start to finish with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in his most dominant performance of the season.

Southern Tigers vs Eastern Mavericks

Dew delays play as Tigers, Mavs abandoned      

It took just a minute and fifty-six seconds for the match between the Southern Tigers and the Eastern Mavericks to be abandoned due to a slippery floor. The conditions caused likely by outside weather temperatures dropping forced the game to be rescheduled at a time to be confirmed soon…

Central District Lions vs Norwood Flames

Green machine monsters Lions in Sunday showcase

A standout Sunday showcase from import centre Anthony Green saw the Flames overcome the spirited Lions 74-95 at the Den. Green dunked and muscled his way to 18 points at 66 percent, 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks in a warning to the rest of the league that he’s finding his best touch at the right time of the season. Both teams were neck and neck through the first half before the Flames opened an 18-point lead through a 2-13 run led by Walter “Trey” McBride and Ray Harding with 17 points apiece. The Lions got the best out of Branden Jenkins this season with 18 points and Magok Manyang with 18 points and 9 rebounds to keep them in the contest until that third quarter run. The Flames took advantage of 11 second chance points and points from turnovers.