Recap NBL1 Central | Round 11 Saturday

Feature images via: Neil Goldsmith @neilgoldsmith | Jo Bomford

Round 11 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central each year is always pivotal with the start of a double header after the king’s birthday weekend the catalyst to launch a finals assault - but some of the top teams found it a tough night as upsets sprung up a plenty… 

Here are the results from Saturday's games:

Warriors win finally comes beyond the arc at St Francis   

The Woodville Warriors Women are finally on the board in season 2024 winning their first game of the season 58-80 over the Eastern Mavericks at the Castle. The Warriors were boosted by their accuracy outside the perimeter with 11 triples at 42 percent. A fast start helped them to an early lead led by Molly Whitmore (14 points and five rebounds) and Holly Forbes (15 points, seven rebounds and three assists) saw them to a 12-23 lead. Keeping the Mavericks in the game was Stephanie Formby (14 points and four rebounds) and import Patricia Morris (16 points, seven rebounds and two blocks). 

It was a combined effort in the second half with import Ida Andersson (11 points and seven assists) and Annaliese Watkinson (14 points with a perfect three triples) that helped the Warriors to a 38-28 second half to secure their first win of the season. 

The Warriors can back up their first victory of 2024 with another over the North Adelaide Rockets on Sunday 1:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

EASTERN MAVERICKS 58 (Morris 16, Formby 14, Ramsey 8)

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 80 (Forbes 15, Watkinson, Whitmore 14)

 

Bearcats bring down top of table Lions in Den-ial     

An upset of the night spearheaded the Women’s division with the West Adelaide Bearcats taking down the top of the table Central Districts Lions 68-77 at the Den. The Bearcats second quarter set up their assault with a 6-20 term led by the pack of import Elin Gustavsson with nine of her 17 points and 17 rebounds enormous hand and young gun Krystal Thompson (15 points and four rebounds).

The second half belonged to another young gun in Sienna Grieger as she poured in 13 of her 21 points and four rebounds along with New Zealand recruit Ashlee Strawbridge with 14 points with four triples. The Lions had their opportunities to steal the lead back in the late minutes of the fourth quarter but the Bearcats hung on for the upset win and breathing life back into their top five aspirations.

You can watch the Bearcats rise back up the table continue when they take on the Eastern Mavericks Sunday at 1:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 68 (Levy 17, Samuels 15, Ritz, J Fejo 12)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 77 (Grieger 21, Gustavsson 17, Thompson 15)

 

Panthers steal win from Lights over Rockets   

One of the games of the night took place at the Lights with the South Adelaide Panthers third win in a row upsetting the North Adelaide Rockets 73-74 in a thriller. The Panthers got a fast start through Hatti Cox and Hannah Stewart before Jordyn Freer (16 points and three rebounds) and Brooke Basham worked them back into the contest. Brittany Hodges (13 points and 9 rebounds) landed on her ankle maiming her for the remainder of the game as the Panthers held court 18-22 after one. 

As did centre Tayla Corrigan who amassed five blocks in the first term as the Rockets took a handy lead into the break 38-31 after a strong 20-9 second term led by the trio. Both teams traded blows but Lauren Mansfield (17 points, six assists and five rebounds) lift in intensity saw the Rockets out by as many as 11 points in the third term. Enter the back end of the third term the WBBL Essex Rebel herself Darcy Rees.

Rees grabbed her first basket then proceeded to lead the Panthers to a huge fourth quarter fightback with all her 14 points and 11 rebounds coming when it counted. It was needed too as Ash Spencer left the game with a leg injury halfway through the final term to finish with 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Stepping up was another WBBL product in Cherita Daugherty who produced some of her best in the season with 11 points and six rebounds and put the Panthers in front with a free throw with eight seconds remaining. The Rockets got it to Basham after the timeout who’s mid-range just fell short and the Panthers escaped with a crucial victory. 

Basham returning from injury finished with 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals and Corrigan stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and a season league high of nine blocks - but the Panthers combined effort overcame the Rockets stars.

      

The Panthers can solidify their advantage with another pivotal clash with the Sturt Sabres on Sunday at 1:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 73 (Basham 20, Mansfield 17, J Freer 16)

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 74 (Spencer, Rees 14, Hodges 13)

 

Sabres survive scare from Flames 

The Sturt Sabres were made to work all the way to the finish line winning their sixth in a row against the Norwood Flames 94-92 at the Cave of Springbank. The Flames fired their way out of the starting blocks thanks to Jack Hemphill (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Isaac Miller-Jose (25 points at 75 percent, eight rebounds and six assists) who got things rolling from the free throw line and in the open court to have the Flames out 28-34 after the first term. 

The Sabres clawed it back through stars Jordan Forbes (29 points at 65 percent, 12 rebounds, five steals and three assists) and Jacob Rigoni (15 points and 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals) to bring it back to 50-52 at the half. Both teams again went toe to toe through the third with the Flames looking like they had the momentum going into the final quarter thanks to the spark of Cooper Osborne (16 points, eight assists and six rebounds).

An 8-0 run with minutes remaining with Adelaide 36ers signing Ben Griscti (11 points) highly influential saw the Flames lose the lead. Sam Daly grabbed the steal and score to bring it to 94-90 - but an unsportsmanlike foul called on Rigoni gave Miller-Jose the opportunity to bring them closer in the next play. Miller-Jose missed the first then made the second with one last chance to send it to overtime or take the upset win. The Flames had two chances to tie the scores with Osborne’s triple short but Miller-Jose’s offensive rebound tip-in missed as the Sabres escaped with victory.      

The Sabres pivotal weekend continues with a must win clash with the South Adelaide Panthers Sunday at 3:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

STURT SABRES 94 (Forbes 29, Rigoni 15, Nash 12)

NORWOOD FLAMES 92 (Miller-Jose 25, Hemphill 19, Osborne 16)

 

White hot Harvey unleashes on Eagles as Tigers nearly take Nest    

It’s been about close to half a decade since the Tigers last beat the Eagles and they nearly reversed that trend with the Forestville Eagles surviving another scare in the evening 93-90 at the nest against the Southern Tigers. It looked like the Eagles might take the early ascendancy once again thanks to Greg Mays (17 points and 10 rebounds) and Daniel Johnson (21 points, five rebounds and three assists). A 14-28 third quarter led by 36ers development player Harvey White saw the Tigers roar right back into the game - White finishing with 28 points at 61 percent to accompany seven assists. 

Imports Riley Miller (17 points, five rebounds and three assists) and Michael Diggins (25 points and seven rebounds) kept the Tigers in it in the final term - but the Eagles Adam Doye iced free throws late as they staved off the comeback from the away side in another thrilling finish.    

The Eagles are flying this season and you can catch them again Sunday against the Norwood Flames at 2:45pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 93 (Johnson 21, Mays 17, Ipassou 13)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 90 (White 28, Diggins 25, Miller 17)

Lions show credentials in Bearcats boilover    

The Central Districts Lions have now won four in a row but claimed their most significant scalp of the season with a roaring 97-83 over the West Adelaide Bearcats at the Den. The Lions were playing catch up all night to the Bearcats with Footlocker player of last week Akoldah Gak dominating with a majority of his 32 points at 60 percent and five rebounds and Fabian Krslovic (15 points and 15 rebounds) looking like having things in reasonable control 38-51 at the main break.

But the former Spartan and Dresden Titan himself in Koen Sapwell began to take the ball into his own hands as a majority of his haul of 27 points pulled the Lions back into contention. The 33-19 final term the most impressive of all as Branden Jenkins amassed 22 points and 11 rebounds with four assists and along with Magnus Richards (13 points and 15 rebounds) and Kalani Sapwell (14 points, six rebounds and four assists). 

The Lions holding firm amongst the on-court carnage and securing a crucial start to another pivotal weekend.          

The Lions continue their quest to hunt for the top five with another cage meeting with the Southern Tigers Sunday 3:15pm local time in the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week.  

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 97 (Ko Sapwell 27, Jenkins 22, Ka Sapwell 14)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 83 (AK Gak 32, Krslovic 15, Drmic 13)

And finally 

It was reminiscent of the 90s and the son of the gun Darryl McDonald emulated his father in a North Melbourne Giants NBL jersey as Durrell “Nugget” McDonald took to the sky for one of the dunks of the season… 

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