Central Recap | Round 9 Saturday

By Tristan Prentice for NBL1.com.au

Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au /  Dan Cowley | @imagesby_dan

Round 9 of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central saw another set of results not quite show where the ladder is currently full of upsets, surprise performances and true grit down the stretch  

Here are the results of Saturday games:

Flames first half sets upset win over Rockets           

The Norwood Flames scored one of the upsets of the season toppling the fourth placed North Adelaide Rockets to move up within two games of the top five with an impressive 89-76 win at the ARC of Campbelltown.    

Minus Brooke Basham again Lauren Mansfield back in the starting five served up some dishes early for her Rockets teammates but the dynamic duo of Ke’Shunan James and Amanda Paschal kept the Flames in front after one 21-16.

James and Paschal pushed the Flames out to a 36-24 lead with the Rockets Mollie McKendrick (10 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals) answering a couple of times but the outside shooting of James and Cailtlin Shillabeer (10 points) and the transition work of Sophie Kerridge (10 points, seven assists and three steals) left them with a handy 50-30 lead at the half with the upset well and truly on the cards. 

Looking to unleash Jordyn Freer (10 points for the term) found her range in the third term after the Flames kept themselves in front through James again - but a Mansfield bomb on three quarter time kept things interesting 72-56 with one to play. 

Mansfield kept it rolling for the Rockets with a quick 0-4 run but a couple of quick baskets to James and Shillabeer from long distance again caused another timeout to go the way of the away side 81-68 with just over three minutes to play. James and Paschal sealed the upset win with some steady mid-rangers down the stretch with North Adelaide taking the split still comfortably. 

James continues to impact in her arrival with another solid 29 points, seven rebounds and five steals supported ably by Paschal with 24 points and seven rebounds. Lauren Mansfield made a strong return to starters minutes with a consistent 19 points, 10 assists and five rebound stat line while Freer in the second half helped the Rockets sneak back in with a chance with 25 points and four rebounds.          

NORWOOD FLAMES 89 (KJ James 29, Paschal 24, Kerridge, Shillabeer 10)

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 73 (J Freer 25, Mansfield 19, McKendrick)

 

Lions roar to break season drought at expense of Mavs          

The Central Districts Lions roared in a big way breaking their losing streak season drought with their first win of the season 63-90 over the Eastern Mavericks at St Francis De Sales.   

There was a sense of hunger and desire from the winless Lions as they rolled out a triple threat in Tiahna Sears, Shanique Lucas and Sydney Wright in tandem grabbing an early slender lead - Aspen Williston (14 points and 11 rebounds) keeping the Mavs scoreboard ticking over along with nuggety guard Sophie Miles (13 points and five rebounds). The scoreline was a tight 13-17 after a grind of a start but the contest well and truly on. 

The Lions star Sears was scoreless in the first term but that changed quickly as she compiled points a plenty with double figures in the second quarter and along with the speed and tenacity of steals from Shanique Lucas produced a 17-28 second term stanza. Williston grabbed a late two off the fortuitous offensive rebound but the 30-45 lead spelled another upset result of the night on the cards. 

Sydney Wright showed her skills with the step-back deuce as the Lions switched to up-court pressure - the Mavs needing answers. Enter under eighteen's Daisy Hocking (10 points and seven rebounds) and Ruby Stockley (10 points) who fought hard through drives, spin moves and outside splashes to keep it within striking distance 51-69 - the Lions in the driver's seat for their first win of the season. 

The Lions hunger for a win would not be denied however as they pulled off a 2-12 run through an April Rummery-Lamb (10 points) triple and another Wright stepback in good decision making. Blowing it out beyond the split margin the Mavs chipped it back in the finish but could not deny the Lions their first W of the season - and first since their drought breaking Grand Final win of 2024.

Tiahna Sears fought back hard after the first term to post 22 points and nine rebounds but through four quarters both Lucas with 15 points, seven rebounds and five steals and captain Wright accumulating 13 points, four assists and rebounds led from the front. The Lions with seven players with seven or more in their most balanced performance of the season.        

 

EASTERN MAVERICKS 63 (Williston 14, Miles 13, D Hocking, Stockley 11)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 90 (Sears 22, Lucas 15, Wright 13)

Gardiner stakes claim as South claim Southern Showdown over Southern        

A career high 29 points from another of the talented Gardiner sisters has snuck the South Adelaide Panthers across the line 74-69 in a tight tussle against the Southern Tigers at the Jungle in Mitchell Park. 

The Tigers buoyed by another tight win last weekend, started the better led by Footlocker Player of the Week Iva Belosevic (15 points and 12 rebounds) to take the slender lead 11-15. That momentum continued through Annie Bartsch (14 points, five assists, steals with four rebounds) and riding the hot hand of the skipper and nous queen Tara Dodman as the Tigers surged into an extended lead 25-36 at the main break. 

With both teams knowing this result could be a factor determining who makes and who misses the Panthers got an uptick from another one of their young rising stars in Hannah Gardiner as she put some key baskets on the board to bring it back to 48-55 with one to play.

In a rare showing this season the floodgates opened for the homeside as Gardiner pounded her way to double digits in the final term only for Dodman (16 points on four triples) to continue to rain them in from deep. With scores tight the Gardiner combo grabbed another to give the lead to the Panthers with less than a minute to play. After the Tigers won their three games this season by less than a basket - a fourth time would not occur as the home side executed plays at both ends of the floor sealing it with a pair of free throws. 

Hannah Gardiner’s career high of 29 points over four quarters was one of the telling performances of the season keeping her team within one win of the top five with Hatti Cox making some key decisions and plays for 12 points with four rebounds and steals.       

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 74 (H Gardiner 29, Cox 12, Spencer 10)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 69 (Dodman 16, Belosevic 15, Bartsch 14)

 

Hodges of heart give Bearcats Wild West Showdown over Warriors             

It took the final quarter for the West Adelaide Bearcats to finally overcome a willful Woodville Warriors to take the series again for another season 78-87 at the Castle of St Clair.  

It was an electric start from Laura Erikstrup and the Warriors as they bounced out to a 7-0 run before a pair of sisters in Coco and Chloe Hodges (20 points, nine rebounds and three assists) in the absence of Olivia Levicki dropped it back in the Bearcats favour 18-23 at the first change.

Sienna Lehamann produced some magic with the ball in hand for this finish…

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The Warriors chipped back into it through Jasmin Fejo and Erikstrup who levelled things back up again 28-28 a piece as the scores stayed even throughout the remainder of the term leaving it 36-35 at the half.

Erin Phillips lit up from the land of plenty to keep the Warriors in front in the third as they held the lead 52-48 with one to go. The Bearcats however stormed their way to a 0-10 run on the road which put the home side in an awkward 14 point margin but still with time left to correct the total. Jas Fejo did everything she could to do so hitting offensive glass late in the piece but Hodges sealed it to give the Bearcats a crucial split over the Warriors come the end of the season.

Erikstrup produced a huge 26 points and 11 rebounds with nine assists narrowly missing a triple double along with Fejo collecting 26 points, nine rebounds and three steals. The Bearcats 39 point final term proved to be difference as without their star centre they showed they could step up to the plate when it counted - ending a six game winning streak for the Warriors.                     

The Bearcats continue to stretch their lead at the top - can they extend it further??? Find out when they take on the South Adelaide Panthers in two weeks back at home at 6:30pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 78 (Erikstrup, Fejo 26, Allotey 11)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 87 (Ch Hodges 20, Strawbridge 16, Coleman 15)

Harrap and Bleechmore clean up Rockets to thumping tune for Flames            

Louis Bleechmore showed his recruitment will be a winner for the Norwood Flames as he cleaned up the North Adelaide Rockets 104-75 at the ARC of Campbelltown.  

Harrap got fired up early with the 8-0 individual start as the Flames jumped out to a 14-4 start.  Machar Machar and Joel Dyer (Nine points) brought it back in the final minutes of the term to make it 19-18 lead at quarter time.  

Bleechmore with some back to back triples helped start the triple treat as the Flames took the ascendancy with a 31-18 term as they led 50-36 at the main break. 

Not to be deterred the Flames engineered a 12-0 run through Harrap, Bleechmore with more triples plus a huge right handed spike on Machar. Machar (23 points and four rebounds) made some late baskets but the Flames got out by as many as 26 points in the term and looked like winners with one to play.

That played out in the fourth as Bleechmore, Harrap and Osborne (16 points, seven assists and six rebounds) put the finishing touches on the performance, halting a three game losing streak and keeping them in the logjam between the top five and the bottom five.

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Bleechmore balled out for 29 points and 10 rebounds along with Riley Harrap who continues a rich vein of form with 28 points and five rebounds.     

 

The Flames found a way to a win - can they grab two in a row against the Tigers??? Find out in two weeks on Saturday night at 8:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

NORWOOD FLAMES 104 (Bleechmore 29, Harrap 28, Osborne 16)

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 75 (Machar 23, McCalop 15, BJ Johnson 13)

 

Sleeping Lions hold off late closing Mavericks           

The Central Districts Lions pulled off a successful trip up to Mt Barker with a solid 76-89 win over the Eastern Mavericks but not before the Mavs launched another late swing from the rafters. The Lions held control a majority of the night up at St Francis De Sales but all of a sudden within a few minutes found the contest much closer - they were however able to still close the contest in the finish.         

Minus Broderick Robinson again - Freddy Webb (19 points, six assists and rebounds) cooked up a storm early with ball in hand not able to miss anything in the first half for 15 points - Micale Mee promoted to the starting lineup threw down a huge two handed slam down the middle of the corridor. The Lions kept in touch with Koen Sapwell (15 points, seven rebounds and four steals) the beneficiary to leave it at 47-52 in his team’s favour at the half. 

Entering the third term the Mavs had their own snoozing period in the match as Efe Abogidi took advantage with triples and more athletic finishes to grab seven points in five minutes of action out of the break. 8-17 was produced to the Lions as the Mavs scoring dried up and the Lions claws began to show led by young gun Deng Manyang with 17 high quality points as they held the Mavs to eight for the term to lead 55-68.   

The away side extended their lead out to a 20 point lead and looked like they had this one wrapped up however Abogidi’s tip in saw the Mavs engine room BJ Symons start to motor as he made a tough driving layup then knocked a corner triple out of no where. With five minutes left and the Mavs sensing the Lions may have gone to sleep on their own - Symons and Owen Raneburg (12 points and six rebounds) launched a mini comeback as they pulled the margin back to 11 points with 2:26 to go and a glimmer still available considering recent history. 

A couple of smart controlled sets saw the Lions however weather the late Mavs storm, reawake and resume proceedings to close out the finish to the match. Abogidi was terrific over four terms with 21 points, nine rebounds while Symons for the Mavs had a huge second half to finish with 22 points, four rebounds and two assists.      

The Lions have a gap on the pack - can they stay ahead??? Find out in two weeks on Saturday night at 8:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

EASTERN MAVERICKS 76 (BJ Symons 22, Webb 19, Raneburg 12)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 89 (Abogidi 21, D Manyang 17,  Ko Sapwell 15)

 

Warner sounds for South as they rise to second over Southern           

The South Adelaide Panthers got plenty of key performances this weekend including import Kaleb Warner as he sounded a form warning in his side’s 93-81 win over rivals the Southern Tigers at the Jungle of Mitchell Park.          

Both teams put on an entertaining opening stanza laden with Jarrod Molnar (10 points) making some triples to give the early lead 10-14 but with Curtis Scott inserted into the match it left the Tigers just in front 22-23. 

After an initial push from Southern via Jarvis Summers (11 points, 10 assists and six rebounds) and Harry Morris - the Tigers struggled for points as the Panthers increased their defensive scouts with the upcourt trap to give Lloyd McVeigh (16 points, six rebounds and five assists) the advantage and his side 41-36 at the change of ends. 

The Panthers grabbed the ascendancy in more ways than one as Christian Brandon elevated his game once again for above the rim operation.

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That advantage was extended as from outside the arc Warner got rolling as did Curtis Scott after the Tigers closed it to two baskets through Harry Morris. A 16-8 run from the men in white and blue had them in the box seat with one just ahead of the two rivals.

The Tigers came at them through Morris and Summers but skipper Tom Kubank (11 points, six rebounds and five assists) and Warner managed to reassume a comfortable margin. Jarvis Doles came with a late flurry to put some wallpaper over the cracks for the Tigers but Scott once again capped a decent night from him for the Panthers to bring the curtain down on the Southern Showdown. 

Warner produced one of his best performances for the season with 22 points with six triples and five rebounds while Morris for the Tigers had a night out with 23 points and 12 rebounds as did Jarvis Doles with another double double of 18 points and 13 rebounds.              

The Panthers have their fourth win at home for the season - can they take their form on the road??? Find out in two weeks on Saturday night at 8:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.  

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 93 (Warner 22, L McVeigh 16, Brandon, Scott 15)

SOUTHERN TIGERS 81 (Morris 23, Doles 18, Summers 11)

 

Wurm-ed up Warriors cook from start to win Showdown against West           

The Woodville Warriors got the hot start to erase the memories of their previous meeting at the start of the season as they outlasted the West Adelaide Bearcats 79-72 at the Castle of St Clair. 

In many of the Warriors big wins it was Nick Wurm with 12 first term points who lit up early again ably supported by skipper Riley Meldrum (12 points, seven rebounds and three assists) with 10 points as they piled on points in the opening term. Jacob Tryon (22 points and 14 rebounds) and Lat Mayen (22 points, 12 rebounds and five assists) at least gave the Bearcats a little bit of hope, keeping the ball going through the rim to make it 35-21 in response. 

A much tighter term was highlighted by Steve Parfitt finishing the above the rim catch twice, Uzo Dibiamaka making some huge hits (13 points) the play of Bearcats guard Keanu Rasmussen as the Warriors held a 49-38 win with a half to play. Tim Troussel had an impact early in the third term, Bryce Sloan peeled off the triple and the and1 but Rasmussen and Mayen brought it back to 65-57 at the end of three and you could feel the nerves of the homeside as their rival was coming at them once again. 

The Warriors needed more steady play from their imports and their call was answered through Sloan (15 points) and Troussel (10 points, nine rebounds and three assists) while Joe Jackson (five points and 12 rebounds) who had also contained Rasmussen (16 points, four rebounds, three assists and steals) throughout the night made key defensive plays down the stretch to give the Warriors one of their most important wins of the season in the context of the table. 

Nick Wurm led all Warriors with 18 points, five assists and rebounds with three steals in an even night of performances as five players made double figures.  

The Warriors have picked up a huge win which opens up a two game gap from fifth - can they extend the margin even further leaving one spot left only??? Find out in two weeks on Saturday night at 8:15pm local time via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 79 (Wurm 18, Sloan 15, Uzo Dibiamaka 13)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 72 (Mayen, Tryon 22, Rasmussen 16)

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