Rebounding Rocket: In the only loss for the top of the table Warriors Men this season, Jamar Akoh grabbed 9 offensive rebounds to help North Adelaide dominate the rebound count. Picture by Picture IT Sports Photography
4-Minute Read
Saturday 18/06/2022
South Adelaide Panthers vs Norwood Flames – (Mitchell Park Sports and Community Centre – The Jungle)
Women (6:30pm)
Last time they met (LTTM): Norwood Flames 52 (Anderson 15, Basham 14) lost to South Adelaide Panthers 79 (Spencer 34, Levicki 20) – Split 27 points to Panthers
The “Jungle” (and yes we checked with the Panthers club) makes its long-awaited debut as an NBL1 venue with a potential humdinger to open the round; two of what I consider to be favourites for the championship in 2022. Much has changed since their last meeting one being that Olivia Levicki officially will not be suiting up for the remainder of the season and the Flames have Wilson and Coleman who weren’t available last time. The home side haven’t wasted much time in signing UT Martin Skyhawks forward import Holly Forbes and will also use Isa Osk Siguardardottir to try and fill the gap they now have. This one will be much tighter than last time but the home side will just get over the line in their packed-out debut new digs.
Key Stat – Last time they met, the Panthers had 15-6 in second chance points and shot 58 percent in from the field in their win.
ESPN Prediction: Panthers by 2 points
Men (8:15pm)
Last time they met (LTTM): Norwood Flames 72 (Harding 32) lost to South Adelaide Panthers 75 (Starling 34) – Split 3 points to Panthers
Its very rare you may get a sequel that could be just as good as the original, but this might be one of those times. Both sides prior to the break have been in strong form with the Panther 3 of the last 4 and the Flames on fire with a 4-0 run. Both sit 3rd and 4th on 6-3 but have very different paths. The difference this time around in this one is likely to be the “Mid-Range” marvel in Jeremy Smith and on the back of 26, 39, 29 and 23 points in his last four games; the Panthers may have just enough to over the line at home.
Key Stat – Both teams last time they met had 3 players each in double figures with one notching 30 plus (Starling 34 and Harding 32)
ESPN Prediction: Panthers by 2 points
Southern Tigers vs Forestville Eagles – (Morphett Vale – The Cage)
LTTM: Forestville 78 (Stratford 21, S Simons 16, Annetts 15) lost to Southern Tigers 88 (Yaeger 35, Skinner 30, J Thacker 14) – Split 10 points to Tigers
Women (6:30pm)
Both these teams are movers potentially from their positions of 4th and 6th respectively but they both have some glaring issues to fix and its starts with this fixture. For the homeside its finding multiple winners at the crunch time but as I said the other day; they are starting to do just that. Its not just Yeager that’s a shutdown job now but De La Cerda, Skinner and McKendrick can help really launch the Tigers back into the top two. For the Eagles they need to find some punch in the front court, Hines back should help as the Tigers do have a small front court and she’s one of the biggest players in both line-ups. If the Tigers have to just curb the Simons, then they take this one comfortably at home.
Key Stat – Only one of the Eagles wins this season has the leading scorer not been Sam or Jess Simons (Rachel Hines 20 points vs Norwood Flames)
ESPN Prediction: Tigers by 15 points
Men (8:15pm)
LTTM: Forestville 94 (Mays 24, Rios 22) defeated Southern Tigers 68 (Martin, J Smith 13) – Split 26 points to Eagles
Having knocked off West Adelaide then North Adelaide with relative ease, the Eagles are starting to spread their wings and while this one won’t tell us everything about them yet; there are signs we’ll see a momentum change for the pre-season favourites. The Tigers its all about Olbrich and his battle with Mays and Johnson will really show how far away he is from really going to the next level. With scores of 29, 23, 22 and 22 in his past four he’s been the one that’s given the Tigers a fighting chance. He’ll keep the Tigers in the contest but the Eagles will take this one very comfortably…
Key Stat – The last time they met the Eagles setup a second half of 49-29 in a rough debut for former Eagle assistant Tom Hilbig against his senior Andy Simons.
ESPN Prediction: Eagles by 22 points
Eastern Mavericks vs Sturt Sabres (St Francis – The Shooting Gallery)
LTTM: Sturt Sabres 78 (Prosser 19, Williams 17) defeated Eastern Mavericks 60 (Lefebvre-Okankwu 17, Gouchie-Provencher 14) – Split 18 points to Sabres
Women (6:30pm)
Always a lot of fire and ice between the two clubs having had plenty of players play for each other at different times in their history. This is a crucial home game for the Mavs though and should take plenty of inspiration from its junior sides last weekend. Dealing with the Sabres up-court pressure on the ball carriers will be a key and if they can overcome that; the front court mismatches are there despite the scintillating form of Williams. I have a feeling the home side gets an important win here in a bit of an upset with the Sabres in a comfortable position up the top just at the minute
Key Stat – The game was won in the third quarter last time through a rebounding masterclass from the Sabres of 10 where at one point in the match they had more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds.
ESPN Prediction: Mavs by 4 points
Men (8:15pm)
LTTM: Sturt Sabres 96 (Rigoni 21, Haygood 16) defeated Eastern Mavericks 66 (McCalop 36) – Split 30 points to Sabres
The splits have become irrelevant likely for the Mavs against the top five sides so its all about getting the W. It’ll start tonight as for the first time this season they have the lineup that can go with the big teams; non bigger than the consistent Sabres first up. The key for both these sides will be the rebounding which gave the Sabres the advantage last night; the numbers tracked north understandably with the insertion of “Greek Freak of Central” last game and in a game the Mavs must win to keep alive again; I think at home they just get over the finish line
Key Stat – The Mavs had 45 rebounds compared to their season average of 37; it was the most amount of rebounds they’ve had in any game in 2022. The Sabres in all three losses average 36 rebounds so owning glass is key…
ESPN Prediction: Mavs by 4 points
Woodville Warriors vs North Adelaide Rockets (St Clair – The Castle)
Women (6:30pm)
LTTM: North Adelaide Rockets 54 (Corrigan 13) lost to Woodville Warriors 71 (McCarty 24, Winter 22) – Split 17 points to Warriors
Two distinct styles with two of the lower table teams desperate for a win always provides entertaining basketball. It’s the rebounding interior paint game of the Warriors vs the outside shooting prowess of the Rockets. The Rockets are shooting 29 percent from that area this season however they also comparatively are equal in most areas to the Warriors. The form of the Warriors just before the break was just slightly better and I think their bigger size will worry the Rockets and if Eliza Joynes can replicate what she did against the Sabres; then the Warriors may taste victory once more.
Key Stat – After a quick start last time, the Warriors held Sammy DeFrancesco to 9 points for the remainder of the match. In 3 out of 4 matches this season, when “De Fran” drops double figures, the Rockets performances have won or lost by less than 10 points.
ESPN Prediction: Warriors by 5 points
Men (8:15pm)
LTTM: North Adelaide Rockets 82 (Harrap 19, Winn 17) defeated Woodville Warriors 80 (Wurm 23, Stepney 14) – Split 2 points to Rockets
If there is a game where the Rockets can remind everyone, they are a contender, it be knock off the only team that no one else has beaten in 2022. Although it was round one, the Rockets showed some matchups that troubled the Warriors including Winn and surprise packet Harrap. The Warriors are much more gelled and hardened than last time and they only went down by a last gasp miss. The Rockets got them on the boards last time creating those extra opportunities; I think the Warriors will be aware of it this time and reverse the result and the split.
Key Stat – The Rockets grabbed 46-39 in rebounds in round one with Jamar Akoh securing 9 of those offensive.
ESPN Prediction: Warriors by 9 points
Central District Lions vs West Adelaide Bearcats (Starplex – The Den) – Kayo Game of the Week
Women (6:30pm)
LTTM: West Adelaide Bearcats 92 (Rintala 25, Fejo 14, Heaft 13) defeated Central District Lions 54 (Samuels 22, Washington 14) – Split 38 points to Bearcats
This one looks a little one sided on paper, but we know that the Lions ain’t going to give you the win without a fight. Their best chance to knock off the Bearcats is through pounding the paint and being aggressive on the rim turning it into a half-court grind. Even then it’ll be hard to see the Lions shutdown all the stars the Bearcats have including adding another one in Fresno State Bulldog and Long Beach State forward import Maddi Utti. I think the Lions will hang in there, but the away side should sweep them away when it counts later in the contest.
Key Stat – The Bearcats head all 11 major categories between the two sides with the most influential being the offensive rebounds 17.2 to 9.8.
ESPN Prediction: Bearcats by 28 points
Men (8:15pm)
LTTM: West Adelaide Bearcats 95 (DeSantis, Sheppard 28) defeated Central District Lions 63 (Johnson 15) – Split 32 points to Bearcats
The Bearcats got the Lions at a good time at the start of the season as with the lineup they have now this will be a much harder task. The Bearcats and Lions defence are its chief concern but it is also their best chance of winning most contests by opening games up. Not sure how much the Bearcats might want to open this one up though as with the Lions desperate not just to win but run back a few of their early season splits starting with this one; it could be fraught with danger with a lineup containing Johnson, Jenkins, Manyang, Sapwell and Dowdell if he returns. The Lions will get a big one here if form holds…
Key Stat – The Bearcats conceded an average of 85 points per game but the Lions also 96 points.
ESPN Prediction: Lions by 34 points
We are back to doing recaps for the NBL, Catch all the NBL1 Central action this weekend on the NBL1 website, app and game of the week in Round 10 between the Central District Lions and West Adelaide Bearcats on Kayo and Kayo Freebies tonight.
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