Recap NBL1 Central | Round 13 Saturday

Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au / CS Photographics

Round 13 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central saw more record setting, milestones celebrated and spirited performances from the underdogs but the biggest winners were sporting double blue (or was it green?)

Here are the results from Saturday's games:

Basham blitz can’t halt the Eagle rock   

It seems 40 is a number the Forestville Eagles can’t escape the last few seasons but they did with a ladder altering win over the top two positioned North Adelaide Rockets 79-75 at the Nest. The venue registered another 40 point haul for the evening courtesy of the Rockets Brooke Basham to record her second 40 plus total of the season.

 

The Eagles got great service from incoming guard Gabi Vidmar with her best numbers of the season 15 points at 60 percent and four rebounds minus Izzy Borlase with Opals duties to push away in the third quarter 28-15 to be at 65-51. 

Basham and the Rockets however fired home 4-20 in the fourth to set up a thrilling conclusion. Eagles Ella Sawyer responded with ice cool free throws to bring it to 77-73 before Genna Anderson put in a crucial basket with one minute to play. Cara Annetts hook shot missed but a team offensive rebound saw the Eagles regain possession by forcing it out of bounds off the Rockets and timeout was taken with 34 seconds left. A turnover saw Basham with a chance to tie the scores but her corner shot contested missed and Tia Bails offensive rebound turned into a turnover as Sawyer was fouled again then iced the free throws to take the contest 79-75.  

Sawyer was strong in the finish with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds with Jess Simons leading all Eagles with 16 points and five rebounds - Maddy Freer was also a fantastic contributor with 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Basham finished her 40 points with six triples at 50 percent with four steals, three assists and rebounds and was well supported by partner in crime Jordyn Freer with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists.  

The Eagles have grabbed an important dub - will they continue to fly? Find out next Saturday 6 July as they take on the Central Districts Lions in First Nations Round 6:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 79 (Simons 16, Vidmar 15, M Freer, Sawyer 12)

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 75 (Basham 40, J Freer 20, Corrigan 7)

 

Sabres unite to usurp Lions and continue streak      

It seems no matter what lineup the Central Districts Lions have - they struggle against the Sturt Sabres and that happened a second time last night as the Sabres walked out of Springbank 71-63 with their fourth win in a row. It was another grind of a game but the win kept the Sabres streak alive over the Lions who haven’t beaten them since 2015.

It started with a 7-0 run to the home side minus Kayla Mathews, Jasmine Simmons and Soriah Moon but they were anything but deterred by the top of the table Lions. It was all level at quarter time to a Lions lineup led by Casey Samuels with 11 of her 19 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and steals coming in the term also minus Footlocker Player of the Week Tayla Levy.

Casey Samuels makes the TOUGH shot ?

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The Sabres looked like they’d let the Lions go just after halftime thanks to a cameo from Renai Fejo (8 points for the quarter) to reel off 0-13 but the Sabres hit back through Sydney Brown (15 points and seven rebounds) with 17-9 from there to bring it back close to even 53-55 with one to play. That’s where the Sabres made their play to draw the Lions out, closing out the final term 18-8 to seal victory through Zoe Walker-Roberts with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Lily Ritz for the Lions was a problem all game with 17 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three assists as did Jasmin Fejo stuffing the stats sheet in all columns with 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

      

Can the Sabres continue their surge - you don’t won’t have to wait long as they take on the Woodville Warriors on the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week 12:00pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

STURT SABRES 71 (Z Walker-Roberts 17, Brown 15, Prosser 10)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 63 (Samuels 19, Ritz 17, J Fejo 13)

 

Panthers escape castle to outlast Warriors in OT 

They made it hard work but their opponents equally were up to it as well as the South Adelaide Panthers escaped the castle to outlast the Woodville Warriors 95-101 in overtime. Both teams had runs in the first half before the Panthers broke into a 2-14 run at the start of the second half - led by Ash Spencer (28 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks) and Darcy Rees (17 points and nine rebounds) and looked to have the game in their keeps with one to play 66-76. 

Three quarter time saw a determined Warriors outfit led by the “Olly-Wood'' Warriors in Holly Forbes with the fourth triple double of the season of 30 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and Molly Whitmore (8 points and five rebounds) at the defensive end of the floor back into the contest 76-78. Ida Andersson’s huge triple (10 points, six assists and rebounds) put them in front as Spencer traded a few more baskets to take it to the final 40 seconds. Natalia Lalic’s triple rattled home literally off the rim to put them two points up with Spencer next play completing and1 to put the Panthers back up by a point. Lalic was fouled by Cherita Daugherty and iced two free throws to put them one up as it came down to the last play. Daugherty was blocked initially by Chloe Purvis but Hodges drew a foul on the re-catch but only made her second free throw. A last second heave fell short from Chelsea Apacible and we headed to extra basketball.  

Overtime was dominated by the charity stripe as the Panthers iced seven of eight to close it out 4-10 and escape with the win. Hodges finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds with Hatti Cox backing up a brilliant last outing with 11 points, six assists and rebounds. Purvis had one of her best games for the season for the Warriors with 15 points with four triples and Lalic produced a season hgh with 20 points on six of nine from beyond the arc.     

The Panthers are certainly on the prowl - watch them claw their way closer to the top when they take on the Eastern Mavericks Saturday night 6 July in First Nations Round at 6:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 95 (Forbes 30, Lalic 20, Purvis 15)

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 101 (Spencer 28, Hodges 20,  Rees 17)

 

Daly Sabres bred feeds United Church Sturt stirring win over in-form Lions  

Sam Daly showed his love for the heritage strip of the United Church club as he delivered in his 100th game for the Sturt Sabres in their 120-108 win over the in-form Central Districts Lions. The Sabres 120 points is the equal eight highest team total since 2021 in the league. The Lions had not won at Springbank since 2014 and the drought continued due to Daly amassing 32 points at 76 percent, six assists and five rebounds with four Sabres rising to 20 points or more.

 

The collection included Jordan Forbes with another double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Jacob Rigoni in his 100th game with 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals and Ben Gristci in his 50th game with 23 points at 64 percent and eight rebounds. 

The Sabres controlled most of the first half to lead by 58-41 before the duo of Koen Sapwell (25 points, seven rebounds, four assists and steals) and Mangok Manyang with 25 points and six rebounds saw a huge 26-37 third term to bring it back to 84 78. Score were close to level with five minutes to go 92-91 but that’s when the Sabres united.

The collective produced a devastating 0-10 run which turned into 26 points in four minutes to run away with the match.     

The Sabres unitedness continues today as they take on the Woodville Warriors on the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week 1:45pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

STURT SABRES 120 (Daly 32, Gristci, Rigoni 23)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 85 (Manyang, Ko Sapwell 25, Jenkins 16)

 

Flames keep finals hopes alive to knock Mavs out of race     

The Norwood Flames knocked another peg off the finals race board and kept their own season flickering with an important 74-84 win against the Eastern Mavericks at St Francis. It took till the final term to finally extinguish their opponents but a 8-25 last term led by Cooper Osborne (21 points, six rebounds, five steals) and Jack Stanwix with 21 points and three triples.

Isaac Miller-Jose was active all night with 18 points, 15 rebounds, seven steals, four assists and blocks to finally break the back of the Mavs. The Mavs hope sprung through Lachie Hunter with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists and Jordan Rawls with 14 points and nine rebounds but the Flames final term cooled them right off as they remain now spoilers for the teams ahead of them.     

     

Can the Flames claim another victim in the coming round? Find out next Friday 5 July in First Nations Round as they take on the West Adelaide Bearcats 8:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

EASTERN MAVERICKS 74 (L Hunter 15, Rawls 14, Raneburg 12)

NORWOOD FLAMES 84 (Osborne, Stanwix 21, Miller-Jose 18)

Sharif and Starling go head to head as Panthers deal first blow of crucial double header    

The Woodville Warriors and the South Adelaide Panthers have played the most games against each other of any teams since the start of 2021 and produced another highly entertaining matchup with the Panthers prevailing in the finish 83-91 at the Castle.

It couldn’t have got much closer for a half with 44-44 all locked away at the main break with Sharif Black collecting 37 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and Alex Starling with 24 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Jeremy Smith quiet to halftime lit up after the break toying with the Warriors defence in isolation breakdowns to take 13 points to finish with 17 points.

 

The Panthers gap was held firm by the glue of Tom Kubank (16 points, seven rebounds and three assists) throughout the evening as did Sam Johns with eight points and rebounds.

   

The Panthers are pushing for the very top right now - find out if they’ll keep that momentum climbing when they take on the Forestville Eagles next Saturday night 6 July 8:00pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 83 (Black 37, Wurm 13, McGee 8)

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 91 (Starling 24, Kubank 20, J Smith 17)

 

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