Recap NBL1 Central | Round 15 Saturday

Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au / Melissa Belanic | Just B Photography @justbphotoau

Round 15 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central saw seven of the eight matches affect the final five standings in one of the tightest finishes to the season - it was all to play for on the final evening of the competition…  

Here are the results from Saturday's final ladder position games:

King returns to rise Eagles to third with win over West     

The Forestville Eagles encountered the inform West Adelaide Bearcats but managed to pull together a collective effort 70-55 at the Nest to secure third spot on the table and a qualifying final spot.

The Bearcats once again challenged the Eagles thanks to Sienna Grieger (16 points and three steals) and import Elin Gustavsson (An 11 point and 10 rebound double double) to keep the red and black in it well into the contest. The return of the King in Rachel King to the starting five for the Eagles however was a welcome addition with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Rachael Hines with the tough finish ?

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Maddy Freer double doubled again with 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four steals and along with Ella Sawyer with 11 points, five rebounds and three steals helped guide the Eagles to the win and third place with results falling their way. 

          

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 70 (M Freer, Sawyer 11, King 10)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 55 (Grieger 16, Gustavsson 11, Strawbridge 8)

 

Lions on Casey in the finish to secure top two spot   

The Central Districts Lions will play in their first finals series since 2012 and secured their equal highest finish since the turn of the millennium with an 82-74 win over a desperate South Adelaide Panthers at the Den. 

The Lions leapt out at the start led by last week’s Footlocker Player of the Week Lily Ritz (a near triple double of 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals) and Tayla Levy as they took a 26-15 lead after one. The Panthers hit back in the second through their bigs in Brittany Hodges and Darcy Rees to close it to 41-34 at the half. The Panthers struck even closer thanks to Sammy DeFrancesco (7 points) form of the past fortnight and Hatti Cox (13 points, four rebounds and three assists) to set up the all important final term 55-52.

That’s when the Lions got on Casey as Samuels of the Bendigo Spirit scored nine of her game high 25 points to take them to the win and second place on the table to a home qualifying final next weekend. Samuels kept it ticking all night long with 25 points, 13 rebounds, three assists with Levy following up with 16 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three steals. With Ash Spencer sitting out to rest - Rees was high with a 16 point and rebound double double as was Hodges with 15 points and 10 rebounds. 

    

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 82 (Samuels 25, Levy 16, J Fejo, Ritz 12)

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 74 (Rees 16, Hodges 15, Cox 13)

 

Sabres steal it from Eastern to sit top of table    

The Sturt Sabres have stolen their final victory of the season over a spirited and stout Eastern Mavericks outfit 75-79 at St Francis. The Mavs were in spoiler mode and did everything to prevent the Sabres from finishing top of the table. 

They hung in the whole night not letting the Sabres get out by as many as seven points and claimed the lead by eight points in the final term. Import Patricia Morris made herself a problem for the Sabres as she grabbed eight points in the opener to leave her side just in front 19-17 after one. Sabres sharp shooter Meg Prosser delivered her verdict on the second term bringing the Sabres back in front 33-36 at the main break. After the break Airlie Ramsey was cleared for take off as she dropped 11 of her 19 points for the match to leave it teetering at 54-55 with a thrilling last stanza ahead. 

In scenes reminiscent of their last round one point meeting last season - the Mavs pulled out by eight before the Sabres fought back to take the lead back with a pair of Mathews drilling three triples down the final stretch to take the match away from the Mavs. Sydney Brown continued her recent form with 20 points and seven rebounds while Prosser finished with five triples to produce her best on the eve of the finals with 17 points. Morris produced her best in her side’s final match of the season with 21 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks and formed a dangerous one two punch with Steph Formby in her final game before college commitments with 18 points and eight rebounds.

       

EASTERN MAVERICKS 75 (Morris 21, Ramsey 19, Formby 18) 

STURT SABRES 79 (Brown 20, Prosser 17, N Mathews 12)

 

McKendrick magic takes Tigers to fitting final win of season over Rockets    

It has happened time and time again but this one was really special from league veteran Mollie McKendrick as she produced a magically fourth term to take the Tigers to a thrilling 75-73 win over the North Adelaide Rockets at the Cage. 

The Tigers with already sixth placed sewn up started the better with a 21-8 opening term which included a 14-4 run led by Ace Harrison with the Rockets struggling to find offensive connection. The second term saw that return partially as they collectively found some points production but the Tigers still led ahead despite a Tia Bails late triple 36-29. Regan Schenck began to make the Rockets life difficult again in the third with some spectacular individual offensive play creating space where there was none with the Rockets trailing 61-51 with one crucial final quarter remaining.

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Brooke Basham restricted all game unleashed a barrage of bombs for 11 points (23 points, six assists and rebounds) to bring the Rockets back into it - but off the back of more Schenck shots the captain Mollie McKendrick made two outrageous fadeaways back to back to put the Tigers in an upset position. Schenck and Basham hit two big shots at the back end of the quarter to make it a one point game with Schenck drawing contact from Lauren Badenoch to create three free throws. She missed two and made one to make it two points with both teams having chances to win it and unable to convert - Shannon Webber’s last second heave unable to connect and the Tigers took victory and consigned the Rockets to an away elimination final. 

McKendrick was magic in the finish with 20 points, eight rebounds with both imports Schenck (20 points, nine rebounds and three assists) and Harrison (16 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks) to guide the Tigers to the upset. Jordyn Freer for the Rockets was consistent in the second half in putting them back into it with 17 points and nine rebounds.

     

SOUTHERN TIGERS 75 (McKendrick, Schenck 20, Harrison 16) 

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 73 (Basham 23, J Freer 17, Anderson, Badenoch 8)

The Sturt Sabres have earnt the week off with the Central District Lions taking on the Forestville Eagles in the qualifying final and the South Adelaide Panthers hosting the North Adelaide Rockets in their elimination final next weekend via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

Bearcats best earns home final over Forestville        

The West Adelaide Bearcats did enough to show they will be a threat if they can get through the opening round to keep their championship defence alive with a rewind reminding rematch with the Forestville Eagles 94-97 at the Nest. 

The Jackjumper Duo of Anthony Drmic (26 points, six assists and rebounds) and Fabian Krslovic (22 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and three steals) drove the West from the front but feeding off them was sharp shooting Mirko Djeric (21 points with six triples and five assists) with eight points in the opening term combating with Brad Rathjen of the Eagles out with a point to prove 24-26 in the first. Both teams traded blows through their NBL experience to level it at half time with the third quarter following the same script - only Djeric’s triple on the buzzer bringing it back to one basket again with one to play. 

Drmic brought his best in the final term with 15 of his 26 points for the match including some important plays down the wire. His free throws and three point shot over the outstretched Daniel Johnson gave the Bearcats an 89-92 lead. Rathjen finished the drawn up timeout dunk on the rim from DJ with Drmic given chances to close the match. Drmic made another couple of free throws and despite Rathjen making a triple late the Bearcats were given an extra possession when Djeric was fouled. He made one of two to make it three points with Adam Doyle’s shot to send it to overtime sailing wide and consign the Eagles to third and the Bearcats securing a home elimination final.  

The NBL talent on full display was usurped by Rathjen with 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists backed up by Greg Mays with 19 points, seven rebounds. The other talent was not too far behind with Johnson collecting another 21 points,  nine rebounds and four assists.

    

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 94 (Rathjen 29, Johnson 21, Mays 19)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 97 (Drmic 26, Krslovic 22, Djeric 21)

 

Panthers overcome pride to take top spot       

The South Adelaide Panthers have produced another thrilling finish at the Den as they overcame the Pride of Centrals for a top of the table win 88-90. 

The Panthers established the early momentum through Alex Starling with 13 opening quarter points to lead early 24-28. The Lions returned to the front with nine points to import Magnus Richards to level it 51-50 at the half. 

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Both teams played out an even third term but Starling continued to be a factor with the Lions 75-73 heading into the last period. 

Starling continued to keep the Panthers in touch but Richards kept edging the Lions front at each turn - Jeremy Smith levelling proceedings with another tough mid-range at 86-86 before nailing a free throw to edge in front by a point. RIchards drew the foul from Starling to grab two free throws but Starling hit back next play with the athletic layup to do enough to edge the Panthers over the line and into first on the table and keep the Lions in fifth place.   

Starling was outstanding and may go close to securing his third Woollacott Medal with another 29 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, blocks and steals. Tom Kubank and Codey Ellison played useful roles for the evening with 16 points for Kubank and a double double of 12 points and rebounds for Ellison. Koen Sapwell led all comers for the Lions with 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals along with Richards with 19 points, five steals and four rebounds. Branden Jenkins also collected a near triple double of 16 points, eight assists and rebounds.

        

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 88 (Ko Sapwell 21, Richards 19, Jenkins 16)

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 90 (Starling 29, Kubank 16, Smith 13)

 

Sabres secure win to lock in top two over Mavs      

The Sturt Sabres only had one mission in St Francis and that was to win, which they did 75-104 over the Eastern Mavericks.

The Mavs kept it tight early through Jordan Rawls (18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks) and Melvin Newburn (20 points and three rebounds) off the pine but that’s when the Sabres ran away to keep a consistent gap between them. The Sabres again did it by committee with Ben Griscti leading the way with “Big Ben” chiming in for 24 points, 12 rebounds and four assists with three triples. 

Jacob Rigoni collected 13 points and Jordan Forbes 12 points, six assists and four rebounds - with seven players scoring eight or more in another even performance. 

   

EASTERN MAVERICKS 75 (Newburn 20, Rawls 18, Raneburg 17)

STURT SABRES 104 (Griscti 24, Meakes, Rigoni 13, Forbes 12)

 

Southern and North put on final performance to close curtain on seasons      

It may have been for ninth spot on the table -  but both the Southern Tigers and the North Adelaide Rockets provided an entertaining final contest of the night 91-80 at the Cage. 

Both teams were keen to start well but none more so than Isaac Abergut who splashed multiple triples in the opening quarter to surge the Tigers to the early lead 27-15 after one. With the opportunity for young talent to hit the hardwood - enter Hayden Lovell (23 points at 69 percent with four triples) with the rookie for the Rockets pouring in 15 points for the quarter to sparkle for the Rockets but the Tigers held sway at half time 40-37 in a tight one.

One last duel for imports Michael Diggins (24 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks) and Koop McCalop (23 points, six rebounds and two blocks) assured in the second half as both went to work against each other with Harvey White (21 points and eight assists) capping his impressive month before heading to college and Abergut with 29 points raining in his seventh triple to go with 10 rebounds for the night - closed it out for the Tigers in the finish. Steve Parfitt took to the air for the Rockets to control the glass with 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. The Tigers third win of the season was enough to finish off the bottom after finishing there in 2023. 

  

SOUTHERN TIGERS 91 (Abergut 29, Diggins 24, White 21)

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 80 (Lovell, McCalop 23, Clay, Parfitt 14)

The South Adelaide Panthers have earnt the week off with the Sturt Sabres taking on the Forestville Eagles in the qualifying final and the West Adelaide Bearcats hosting the Central Districts Lions in their elimination final next weekend via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

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