Recap NBL1 Central | Round 7 Saturday

Feature images via: Sharnee Jones / @Picture_itsportphotography / Just B Photography / @JUSTBPHOTOAU

Round 7 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central saw unrest in the league with several teams in need of wins, resistances were led and there were heroes on both sides - while rebels returned to their former clubs to claim wins over their former sides.

This is the recap you're looking for in the NBL1 Central… 

Here are the results from Saturday's games:

Webber 250 a Rocket Odyssey outside blast blows away Tigers 

In honour of legendary guard Shannon Webber’s (nee McKay) 250th game - the North Adelaide Rockets shot 50 percent beyond the arc for the milestone player in their bounce back 87-71 win over the Southern Tigers at the Lights. Led by commander Brooke Basham with 24 points and six triples, six assists and three rebounds and steals - the home side jumped out to an early lead with the Tigers unable to ground them. 

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Jordyn Freer wasn’t far behind her with three triples in her 19 points and fours assists while the main player of the night Webber hit 10 points along with Tayla Corrigan who collected 10 points and nine rebounds.       

The Tigers got back within nine points in the later stages of the third quarter to give them a sniff thanks to Annaliese Bartsch with nine of her 14 coming in that quarter but Webber’s impact at the back end of the third set up the comfortable final quarter. Regan Schenck for the Tigers was their best with a near triple double of 18 points, nine assists and rebounds. 

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 87 (Basham 24, J Freer 19, Corrigan, Webber 10)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 71 (Schenck 18, Bartsch 14, Beeche 13)

 

Langton lights it up from another planet for Flames win 

Norwood Flames Eva Langton caught fire all night and extended a ruthless streak over the Woodville Warriors to 29 games since 2008 with a 69-99 win at the Castle. Langton could not miss early pouring in 19 points in the first half to finish with a season high 35 points with a league high nine triples for 2024 - she also partnered that with seven assists and five rebounds in a comprehensive haul. 

  

The Emily’s in Saunders and Winter continued their strong recent form with another double double of 13 points and 12 rebounds to Winter and 13 points and eight rebounds to Saunders. Bella Stratford although stats did not tell her story of 12 points was highly influential with her points coming at important junctions in the match.      

The Warriors stayed in the contest and looked a chance through Holly Forbes (14 points, eight rebounds and three assists) and Katherine Perkas (12 points) closing it to as little as thirteen in the fourth but a Flames run of 10-27 from there sealed the contest for the Flames who continue to rise back into the hunt in 2024.   

 

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 69 (Forbes 14, Lalic, Perkas 12, Andersson 11) 

NORWOOD FLAMES 99 (Langton 35, Henderson 14, Saunders, Winter 13, Stratford 12)

 

Forceful Fejo senses moment for Lions in Jungle Battle 

The Women’s Panthers and Lions took on each other in the Jungle of Mitchell Park - but it was the Lions that prevailed thanks to another force-filled performance from Jasmin Fejo 74-102. The Kayo Freebies game of the week saw the Panthers with an early lead but that was the only time they held court as the Lions seized back to 21-25. A combined 16 points from second half chance points setup the second quarter for the away side with Fejo (27 points, six rebounds, four assists and steals), Lilly Ritz (21 points and 12 rebounds) and Casey Samuels 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists) 

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The Panthers tried to keep in touch through Brittany Hodges with 22 points and nine rebounds and Sam DeFrancesco with 21 points, three assists and rebounds - but the Lions continued their awakening in season 2024.  

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 74 (Hodges 22, DeFrancesco 21, Spencer 10)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 102 (Fejo 27, Ritz 21, Samuels 16)

 

Diggins and Miller see Tigers to first since 2022 

The Tigers men have won their second game of the season for the first time since 2022 with a super second half 71-83 over the North Adelaide Rockets at the Lights. Imports Michael Diggins, Riley Miller and local Isaac Abergut were the bad batch ruthless in their execution of the offence. Diggins wrecked his way to 26 points and eight rebounds while Miller hunted points for 25 of his own with six triples on target along with six rebounds and three assists. Abergut once again in the fourth was the call of the Tiger as he echoed his way to 13 points and nine rebounds.

          

The entire Rockets starting five scored double figures and all but two of their points led by Robert Crawford with 18 points and Koop McCalop with a double double against one of his former sides with 16 points and 18 rebounds. 

The Tigers second win potentially by the end of the round lifts them to eighth on the table and only two wins behind the Flames and the Warriors.

   

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 71  (Crawford 18, K McCalop 16, McDonald 13)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 83 (Diggins 26, Miller 25, Abergut 13)

 

Mays the force is with Forestville as they down Bearcats

The star attraction of the night was the NBL laden matchup between the West Adelaide Bearcats and the Forestville Eagles - even minus Anthony Drmic in the contest there were nearly 900 games between last year’s grand finalists. The Eagles however exacted revenge on their grand final nemesis with an 87-95 win at the Bearcats cave thanks to the outlier of the above in Greg Mays - who produced 27 points, nine rebounds with four offensive to lead the Eagles home in their assault.    

Daniel Johnson dropped 17 points and nine rebounds on the manifest as did Brad Rathjen with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in their plans to disrupt the Bearcats defensive schemes.  

In the absence of Drmic - the experienced heads of Mirko Djeric (23 points with seven triples, four assists and three rebounds), Fabian Krslovic (23 points, nine rebounds and six assists) and Akoldah Gak (19 points and 11 rebounds) launched the comeback in the fourth to bring it back to four through Djeric blasters outside the arc - but the guile of DJ saw the Eagles close out a very entertaining episode of the league.

   

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 87 (Djeric, Krslovic 23, AK Gak 19)

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 95 (Mays 27, Johnson 17, Rathjen 16)

 

South Starling wars over Lions for starring win 

Backing up his Footlocker Player of the Week and renewed contract with the Adelaide 36ers - Alex Starling once again warred over the Central Districts Lions in the Panthers 97-84 at the Jungle of Mitchell Park. Starling was scintillating and superb in 40 minutes with 36 points with four triples, 18 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and steals. He produced highlight after highlight gaining the high ground while also mastering every move the other side of the Lions force could throw at him.

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He went head to head with Branden Jenkins who amassed 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and steals while after the Dresden Titans finally fell in the Pro A league in Deutschland - son of the legend Koen Sapwell reunited with father coach Rupert and brother Kalani as the NBL development player dropped 27 points, eight rebounds and four assists in his return. 

The Panthers final quarter of 29-20 sealed a crucial win for South to keep them in touch with the top three - with their own saviour in Jeremy Smith not too far away as he takes on the SuperLiga with Graz on a court far, far away…     

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 97 (Starling 36, Martin 12, Ellison 10)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 84 (Ko Sapwell 27, Jenkins 25, Ka Sapwell 12)

 

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