Recap NBL1 CENTRAL | Round 4 Saturday

Round 4 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central saw records continue to fall for some of the cellar dwellers of the past decade and the opening quarter proved to be pivotal in all contests and how the results fell.

Here are the results from Saturday's games:

Eagles defensive rule continues over Flames

The Forestville Eagles are proving to be the defensive rulers of NBL1 Central 2024 as they locked down the Norwood Flames 81-61 at the Nest. A 45-24 first half set the tone once again led by Maddy Freer who put together a strong set of numbers with 21 points at 69 percent, six assists and rebounds, four steals and seven blocks. Jess Simons wasn’t far behind her with 22 points with four triples and nine rebounds.   

Emily Winter continued her strong start to season 2024 with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and steals- only Polly Turner was the other Flame to reach double figure in a tough night for the visiting team. 

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 81 (Simons 22, M Freer 21, H Gardiner 11)

NORWOOD FLAMES 61 (Winter 15, Turner 10, Langton 8)

Lions over Tigers in sensational “Safari” start  

The Lions have a win over the Tigers in the Safari cup for the first time since 2015 with an undefeated start 83-59 at the Den. It was a blistering start for the Lions as they reeled off 34-12 in the opening quarter to stun the Tigers who have had their measure for just under a decade. Casey Samuels roared the Den to life with 15 points in the opening stanza to finish with 28 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals with Tayla Levy deadly from outside with six triples in her 21 points and six assists.    

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The Tigers fought back in the second quarter bringing it back to 48-35 thanks to import Regan Schenck (10 points, seven assists and four rebounds) and veteran Mollie McKendrick (10 points) but it was Abby Beeche that led the way in the finish for the Tigers with 17 points with four triples - for a side missing key import Ace Harrison.

It’s early in the season but the Lions start could emulate the run of 2012 where they went all the way as deep as the semi-final… 

CENTRAL DISTRICT LIONS 83 (Samuels 28, Levy 21, J Fejo 13)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 59 (Beeche 17, Hall 11, Schenck, McKendrick 10)

Taylor made finish guides Mavs home to back to back 

The Eastern Mavericks continue to defy expectation winning back-to-back games thanks to their composure at the free throw line 66-62 over the West Adelaide Bearcats at St Francis. The Mavs made 7/9 in the final minute led by import Joceyln Taylor with five or six to finish with 19 points on 9/10 from the stripe, nine rebounds and three steals. Patricia Morris proved to be a big target inside and hard for the Bearcats to contain, registering a double double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while the 14 year old Daisy Hocking produced a stellar double double of 11 points and 11 rebounds herself.    

The Bearcats Daneesha Provo provided a fight with 13 points - but they couldn’t hold off the in-form silver and maroon from the Hills showing they are no push over in 2024…   

EASTERN MAVERICKS 66 (Taylor 19, Morris 17, D Hocking 11)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 62 (Provo 13, Brenton 10, Grieger 9)

Jenkins jumps Lions past spirited Southern 

It took a haul from star import Branden Jenkins for the Lions men to overcome a spirited Southern Tigers outfit 99-93 in another high scoring thriller - in the first chapter of the Safari Cup. Jenkins' run started in the second quarter after the Tigers roared out of the blocks 13-30 in the opening ten minutes before a 19 points second quarter haul to level things 51-50 at the half. He continued from there to finish with 37 points with six triples, six assists, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks. 

Just Branden Jenkins putting up 37 points ?

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Spencer Gaze made a big cameo with 14 points, four rebounds and steals while import Magnus Richards backed up his huge contribution the previous round with a double double of 17 points and 14 rebounds - to give the Lions their second win of the season. 

Riley Miller showed all his class and experience setting up the Tigers early to finish with 24 points with six triples and four assists as did import Michael Diggins with his most productive outing of 22 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.  

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 99 (Jenkins 37, Richards 17, Gaze 14)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 93 (Miller 24, Diggins 22, Bulabek 16)

Crawford fires for Rockets but Warriors hold at Castle

The Woodville Warriors ran into the hot hand of Robert Crawford as he fired the North Adelaide Rockets into a winning position but ultimately just came up short as the Warriors grinded out a 92-82 win at the Castle of St Clair. Crawford nailed 30 points at 55 percent including six of nine beyond the arc and added five rebounds and three assists - he had plenty of support with Steve Parfitt rock solid again for his 13 points and 16 rebounds (12 offensive) including a couple of delicious dunks.   

Nick Wurm though was the thorn in their side as he reeled of 18 points in the first half to finish with 26 points with seven triples, eight rebounds and two assists and steals, Devon McGee finished with 17 points and six rebounds and Sharif Black again poured them in late with 17 points.

He did stay active through the contest with eight assists as did Ben Janssen with a double double of 10 points and 11 rebounds and Joe Jackson with 11 points and nine rebounds.   

Durrell McDonald (16 points, four assists and rebounds) looked threatening down the stretch but he along with new recruit Yosani Clay (15 points, six rebounds, three assists and steals) ran out of gas as the Rocket ship sputtered just at the finish line. 

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 92 (Wurm 26, Black, McGee 17)

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 82 (Crawford 30, McDonald 16, Clay 15)

Rathjen ruthless opener flys Eagles to cool off Flames 

Utility Brad Rathjen was ruthless in the opening quarter as he poured in 12 points to set up a 38-16 start which proved to be too much - the Eagles cooling off the Flames 107-87 at the Nest. Rathjen rolled to 16 points at 77 percent, 13 rebounds to join a flock of Eagles with large numbers. Greg Mays muscled his way to another set of impressive figures with 21 points and Daniel Johnson accumulated 16 points and 15 rebounds. Adam Doyle was also exceptional with 14 points with four triples and six assists.    

The Flames Jack Hemphill was important in his 17 points and eight rebounds with Issac Miller-Jose joining him with 13 points and five rebounds.

But the biggest impact came from Albert Schweitzer Gold medal winner Alex Dodson returning with an 18 point punch off the pine.  

The Eagles however kept the Flames at arms length to return back to the top temporarily.    

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 107 (Mays 21, Rathjen, Johnson 16, Doyle 14)

NORWOOD FLAMES 87 (Dodson 18, Hemphill 17, Miller-Jose 13)

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