Central ABL Round 8 - Norwood Women Win 30th Game In A Row
South Adelaide Panthers v North Adelaide Rockets
Women’s: South Adelaide Panthers 69 – 78 North Adelaide Rockets
The Panthers took on the experienced Rockets side, and after the Panthers dominated the opening frame, the Rockets took control in the second period, before securing a hard fought victory on the back of a classy second half performance by their veterans.
South Adelaide were once again led by import Janae Howard, who finished with 28 points and 7 rebounds, however she took 26 shots, including going 2 from 10 from range. Star point Jess Mahony struggled with foul trouble early, and only managing 28 minutes for the night, she still finished with 11 points and 6 assists.
North Adelaide veteran captain Jo Hill showed her class, stepping up when needed, landing 28 points and 10 rebounds on 67% from the floor. Centre Jamie-Lee Peris was efficient, with 11 points at 63% and 9 boards, however she was defended well and denied the ball by the Panthers, with less looks than she usually gets.
The difference in this game came from the line, with North having 7 extra attempts and cashing in 6. Plus shooting percentage in favour of the Rockets, converting at 49% for the game, compared to the Panthers 39% with 10 extra attempts.
The win consolidates North as the second best team in the league, whilst the Panthers hang onto 5th spot, a game ahead of the Bearcats.
Men’s: South Adelaide Panthers 65 – 89 North Adelaide Rockets
The Rockets men managed to chalk up a much needed win, in what was a do or die game against the Panthers. The Rockets turned up the heat in the second half, to push their 6 point half time lead out to 19 at the final break, to run away with the game.
South Adelaide struggled to find points, with their usual stars still leading the way, but down on production from previous weeks. Point Shane Boal had 16 points and 4 assists in a foul interrupted 22 minutes of play, and star centre Brad Reid had 13 points and 11 rebounds, with no other player managing double figures.
North Adelaide found production in a multitude of ways, in what the Rockets hope will be their coming out party this season. Swingman Luke Mapunda shook off his funk, and finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds at 62%, whilst captain Pero Vasiljevic had an inefficient 18 points and 8 rebounds on 22 shots, and important forward John Wernham took home 14 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocks.
The Rockets smashed the Panthers on the boards, finishing with a +16 advantage. North’s starting five had 36 rebounds, whilst South could only managed 18. North’s extra 9 offensive boards, and forcing 7 extra turnovers resulted in 11 extra shots for the Rockets, and they shot the ball 9% better than the home side.
North will remind themselves this week, that this the Basketball that is expected from them. They will need to win 7 from their last 11 to see any playoff action, so continuing this form is a must! The Rockets stay in 9th place, but only one game out of the 5, whilst the Panthers slip to 7th, behind the Sabres and Tigers on percentage.
Sturt Sabres v Central District Lions
Women’s: Sturt Sabres 87 – 43 Central District Lions
The Sabres feasted on the Lions in a game that was never really in doubt. Sturt jumped out to a 14 points lead at the end of the first, 34 points at the half, 47 at the final break, before cruising in the final period and running their bench, to slaughter Centrals by 44 points.
It was a grim story for the Lions, with only Demi Skinner troubling the Sabres, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds in extended court time. Their usual best, Brianna Wedding was kept quiet, finishing with only 7 points and 5 rebounds, with no other player scoring more than 5 points, and grabbing more than 5 boards.
The Sabres would have enjoyed this game at home, essentially a scrimmage that they were never going to lose. Centre Hannah Richards dominated the under matched Lions, with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes. Sturt had multiple contributors with Lucy Spalding (13 points), Natalie Novosel (11 points) and Caroline Burgess (11 points) all scoring with high efficiency.
Sturt converted at 45% from the field, grabbed a +18 count on the boards, threw 25 assists, and their defence forced 15 steals. The only area they underperformed was getting to the line, seeing only 9 attempts to the Lions 21.
Sturt have bounced back from their shock loss to the Bearcats last week, with their big challenge only 2 weeks away, a mouth watering contest against the undefeated Flames in Round 10.
The Lions stay in last place, without a win, whilst the Sabres move to 3rd.
Credit: Photo Credit: Tanya Fielding Photography
Men’s: Sturt Sabres 65 – Central District Lions 70
Centrals men have won game number 4 on the trot, downing the cold Sabres side who are on a 3 game losing streak. The game was tied going into the final period, before the Lions took control, and managed to close out a tough win.
Sturt lack depth, as they continue to rely on import Dexter Moore (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Tim Klaosen (16 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists). The Sabres found extra production from Jordan Heading with 16 points and 5 rebounds, but they had little contribution from the rest of the side. 8 other players combined for 20 points, in a total of 85 minutes.
Centrals continue to improve their level of play this season, slowly becoming a threat. Third year import Kyle Miller top scored for the game with 20 points, while gun centre Chris Clausen had 16 points and 6 rebounds. The Lions also had contribution from Paul Joyce with 9 points and 11 rebounds, as well as the returning Daniel Carlin from college, with 7 points and 5 rebounds in a warm up game for him.
The Lions converted at 48% from the field, 12% better than the Sabres, and made more buckets from 15 less shot attempts. Chris Clausen was big down the stretch, with 8 points in the final 5 minutes of play.
Centrals move to 4th place, just one game behind the first place, whilst the Sabres stay in the five, one game back.
West Adelaide Bearcats v Southern Tigers
Women’s: West Adelaide Bearcats 71 – 39 Southern Tigers
A competitive game for the first 20 minutes, turning into a massacre in the last 20 minutes. The Bearcats outscored the Tigers 46 to 15 in the second half, to win by a modest 32 points, in what could have been so much worse.
The game could be construed as the Tigers playing well for a half, but that wasn’t the case. West kept Southern in the game until half time, after a shocking first quarter shooting performance of 15%. But from then on the Tigers were outplayed in every aspect of the game. Southern could only manage 8 field goals from 40 attempts in 30 minutes for 20%. The Tigers also threw 35 turnovers, and forget assist to turnover ratio (3.5 turnover to assist) with a 1.1 turnover to point ratio in the final three periods. Shayde Quintrell by far their best on the night, with 8 points and 17 rebounds.
West have found some form after promising play early in the season, with gun acquisition Anna Carbo showing her worth, taking home 20 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Kate Shierlaw took a back seat this week, with 14 points and 9 rebounds. West racked up 18 steals, from an undisciplined Tigers offense, but also saw possession an additional 17 times, either from suffocating defence, or perhaps careless offence.
The Bearcats are now a game ahead in 6th place but still a game out of the five, whilst the Tigers ride a 5 game losing streak, and their Round 10 clash with the Lions a potential job loser.
Men’s: West Adelaide Bearcats 99 – 65 Southern Tigers
The Bearcats men have consolidated themselves as the leagues best side midway through the season, after decimating the young Tigers side. An impressive first quarter that saw the Bearcats take a 33-17 lead, on the back of a perfect 6/6 from deep, and 63% from the field. West continued to pile on the pain in the second half, with their shooters having a night out.
The Tigers were still missing gun Sam McDaniel, however were bolsted by the inclusion of Sam Johns returning from injury. Big man Codey Ellison was the Tigers best, with 16 points and 10 rebounds, with only Tim Smyth and Sam Johns the only other players to register double figures with 10 points a piece. Southern were searching for the right rotation, with Tucker frustrated at his sides inability to close the gap. However his most efficient players weren’t rewarded, as he chopped and changed his unit.
West Adelaide were simply unconscious from deep, landing 15 from 20 three’s and 52% from the field overall. Tristan Braithwaite continues his recent form, lethal from deep with 7/9 for 27 points. Jason Dawson ran the floor and continued his stellar form with 24 points and 5 assists shooting at 50% from the floor, including a perfect 5/5 from range. West did however give up a significant advantage on the boards, outrebounded 43 to 28, in a statistic that they will need to fix as the season progresses.
With the win, West takes first place, one game ahead of Woodville. The Tigers sit just outside the five on percentage.
Woodville Warriors v Norwood Flames
Women’s: Woodville Warriors 49 – 67 Norwood Flames
The Flames have won number 30 in a row, defeating the fighting Warriors by 18 points. The Warriors jumped out to an early lead, in front by 3 at the first change, before the Flames burnt them in the second, and leading at the half by 9. Norwood continued the pain in the third period, and by 19 at the final change before an even last period.
Woodville struggled to find scoring options, with only 5 players registering a basket, and two of those scoring 2 and 4. Carmen Reynolds did her part, knocking down 20 points and getting 8 rebounds, however was inefficient from the floor at 30%. Katherine Perkas (12 points) and Kimberly Porplycia (11 points) found the bottom of the net on occasion, but not often enough. The rest of the team racked up 3 from 20 from the field and 12 turnovers against the fierce defence of the Flames.
Norwood found a way to get the ball through hands, and get plenty of good looks in a variety of ways, with all but one player registering a basket. Jess Foley (13 points), Amy Lewis (10 points and 8 rebounds) and Elizabeth Keane (12 points and 6 rebounds) did a chunk of the work, however all players had a reasonable run. The Flames continue to do it with ease, in another display of a scrimmage-like game. Norwood didn’t have the best shooting night, finishing with 34.8% and an uncanny 23 turnovers, however it shows how far ahead of the competition they are.
No surprise the Flames are still on top of the ladder at a perfect 8-0, whilst the Warriors slip to 7th, and in need of an urgent which they should get next round against the Mavericks
Men’s: Woodville Warriors 76 – 90 Norwood Flames
The Flames have doused the Warriors to cement their team as a legitimate threat in the back 9. It was a feisty clash, that saw veteran Keith Krause and Sixers towel boy Daniel Sims in an ugly altercation post-game. Sims was on the receiving end of some verbal flack, however the Flames were on the receiving end of some physical flack. Early reports are of a tribunal hearing this week, which places the Warriors in further disarray.
The Warriors were title favourites, however unrest within the camp, with the sacking of a highly respected coach Al Green, and rumours of a potential unsavoury ousting, seem to have impacted Woodville’s on floor performance. On the night Alex Starling (24 points and 15 rebounds) continued to boost his stock, with the troubled Daniel Sims (20 points) showing his ability to play one on one. The Warriors didn’t exactly play poorly, they just couldn’t find the bottom of the net – particularly front 3, shooting 39% for the night, and 20% from deep. The first half deficit of 54-34 was simply too much to mount a comeback.
The Flames have hit their stride, and continue to impress. Matthew Lycett (20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists) playing at a level he is known for, whilst sharp shooter Ian O’Boyle (15 points 5/9 from 3), and veteran guards Todd Matthews (13 points and 8 rebounds) and Andrew Webber (19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals) showed their experience pushing out the first half lead. Bench spark Daniel Webber (12 points @ 53% in 16 minutes) again providing some scoring punch of the pine.
As the story unfolds this week, we will learn more about the alleged ugly incidents, and potential tribunal hearing, but one thing seems certain and that is the Warriors need an immediate self-assessment if they are any chance to stop the impending implosion of their season’s chances.
Forestville Eagles v Eastern Mavericks
Women’s: Forestville Eagles 63 – 43 Eastern Mavericks
The Eagles women had the perfect opportunity to steady to ship this week, and although they got the result they desired, they didn’t do it they way they wanted to. The Mavericks held a slim lead after 10 minutes, before the Eagles turned it on in the second holding a 13 point half time lead. A reasonable second half which they won by 7 points, was enough to get the win.
The Mavericks had a shocker from the field, shooting only 24% for the night, in a game that some better looks could have resulted in an upset win. Shannon Tarran was the Mavericks best, with 11 points and 7 rebounds, with rebounding machine Emma Hooley taking home 9 points and 10 boards for the game. Tarran and Hooley couldn’t buy a basket, shooting a combined 8 from 30, with the rest of the team going 7 from 32. You’re not going to win too many games making only 15 baskets and giving up 25 turnovers.
Forestville also struggled to break the glad wrap at Wayville, shooting 30% on the night, however with 20 extra attempts. Samantha Defrancesco continued her consistent play with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists at 61%, and import Jade Johnson taking home 14 points and 11 boards, however shooting 27% for the game. Captain Jess Fergus fell on the same sword, with 14 points at 26%. The rest of the team going 7 from 32. The much talked about Carla Borrego-Williams clocked 2:32 of game time, with 2 points and 1 rebound, in another display that some have questioned as a legitimate way of qualifying a player for finals eligibility.
The Eagles find themselves in familiar territory, in fourth place and one game ahead of the sixth placer Bearcats, whilst the Mavericks stay in 9th place, and looking forward to clashes with the Lions and the Tigers.
Men’s: Forestville Eagles 100 – 80 Eastern Mavericks
Forestville have secured a much needed win against the last placed Mavericks, in a game that highlighted their offensive efficiency, but also their defensive deficiency. The Eagles jumped out to a 15 point first quarter lead, before dropping the second and third quarters, then driving home the win in the last.
The Mavericks have been competitive all year, and again patches of games have cost them down the stretch with this game no different. Point Curtis Scipio continues to lead his team, with 22 points and 7 rebounds, and found assistance from Darcy Aistrope with 22 points and 10 rebounds at 56%. Scoring 20 points a quarter will keep you competitive most games, however throwing 22 turnovers, and sending your opposition to the line 26 times will undo most of that good work.
Forestville aren’t having a good year so far, but with the experience, nous and fight that Coach Andy Simmons brings to his team, I expect them to find a way to play finals ball this year. Jake Rios had a great night out, finishing with 32 points and 9 rebounds at 50%, which is fantastic for a volume scorer like Rios. Trent Fildes found his touch again around the basket, for 24 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists at 60%. The hard working and underrated Brad Gerlach racked up 16 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists, plus as always had an unmeasurable positive impact, and defensive presence for the Eagles.
The Mavericks are fixed to the bottom of the ladder at 1-7, with the Eagles 2 games ahead in 8th place, but now only one game out of the five.
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