Games of the Week Preview: March 23-24

Still trying to decide what to watch this weekend? Look no further, as NBL1 Central tips off on Saturday, featuring two double-headers live and free via Kayo Freebies. 

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The rest of Round 1 will be available via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App. 

Check out the reasons why you should watch the two Games of the Week below: 

Eastern Mavericks vs Central District Lions 

Women’s: Saturday, live from 6:30pm ACDT

After finishing on the bottom of the ladder last season, the Central District Lions are set for a massive turnaround with the addition of 2022 champion Jasmin Fejo to the roster. She’s just what the team needs, a leader on and off the court who can score and be a playmaker for the young core of the Lions. 

The Mavericks also had a busy offseason, bringing in Jocelyn Taylor – the American forward spent two years at the South East Missouri State University and last played in El Salvador, averaging 19.1 points in the Central American competition. 

Two teams who are looking to rebuild after last season will have an interesting Round 1 battle to try and set the tone for their 2024 campaigns. 

Men’s: Saturday, live from 8:15pm ACDT

Two teams who will have high anticipation coming into this weekend, the Lions and the Mavericks have made offseason additions to shore up their finals chances. 

While the Lions retained 25-point-per-game scorer Brandon Jenkins, the team also added Magnus Richards to form a strong import duo – he’s projected to be a highly talented scorer for the Lions. 

For the Mavericks, the team added former Norwood Flame Moses Nuangki. The 23-year-old averaged 8.8 points and 2.2 rebounds last season with a season-high of 23 points against Forestville. The player to look out for will be Melvin Newbern Jr, as the 6’5” wing should provide some much-needed scoring and defence to the line-up in 2024.

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Norwood Flames vs North Adelaide Rockets

Women’s: Sunday, live from 1:00pm ACDT

The defending champion Norwood Flames will host the dynamic duo of Lauren Mansfield and Brooke Basham in one of the more intriguing match-ups of the opening weekend. 

While Norwood’s roster has significantly changed from last season. The addition of Woodville Warriors scorer Emily Winter, who averaged 13 points per game last season, will be a new tool for coach Richard Dickel to implement in 2024.

On the other hand, the North Adelaide Rockets will be motivated to come out the gate with a win against the defending champions. After being eliminated in the first round, the pair of Mansfield and Basham have an extra season of chemistry. 

The team has also added WNBL player Ella Batish to bolster the frontcourt. She played for the NBL1 South’s Frankston Blues last season, averaging 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds. 

Men’s: Sunday, live from 2:35pm ACDT

The Norwood Flames finished sixth last season but don’t expect them to stay out of the finals race. The team has added MVP nominee and NBL1 East All-Star Five member Blake Morrow as well as prospect on the rise Alex Dodson – one of South Australia’s bright young stars in the making. 

The North Adelaide Rockets have always been a fun team to watch, with Durrell McDonald facilitating 7.6 assists per game last season alongside athletic scorer Koop McCalop – who now has his brother Richard joining the Rockets. The team finished seventh last season but has the potential to rise up the rankings with the power shift in the conference. 

It will be a must-watch class between two teams looking to rise into the Finals race for the 2024 season.