Year: 2022

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 3^rd and 4^th 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 4^th and 6^th 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.

NBL1 – Australia’s League

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A Dima of hope: The giant 7'2 centre Dimakopoulos will have a huge say in the first two games of the next rounds for the Mavs. Photo by Krista Healey

3-Minute Read

Does the “Greek Freak of Central” change the Mavs finals chances?

The first three games will… The impact of Ioannis will be fully understood when the Mavs take on the Sabres, Panthers and the desperate Lions needing to win as well. In those games the matchups will be Haygood, Starling and Dowdell. The Mavs are 1-8 and with five teams on 6-3, at least 9 wins may be enough to get them in but they must at least beat every team within that bracket. Likely the Warriors are the only team they can drop to and even then I still think they’ll need 10-0 from here on in so there is no room for error.      

Can York get all her Lions on the floor before its too late?

If they do they are back in the battle… So much of a teams record has reflected the impact of “the train” hitting some harder than others and this is definitely the case for the Lions who have not had most of their full-strength lineup on court at all in the first half of the season. At 1-8 they have home games against 3 of the top current 6 with two of those on Sundays which can give any team a chance. We know the potency of this Lions team as they demonstrated in a half against the Rockets in Round 8; They too have no room for error but will “if” they get the full contingent on court, show some pride and be in the race…

Do the Bearcats need more from Andre Washington?

If the piece fits… The import has been playing his role but similar to other imports he needs to grab that starting five position. Averaging 9.7 points at 43 percent, 4.8 rebounds and playing under 20 minutes a game; to complement DeSantis and Sheppard’s games they need the 7 foot plus centre firing right now if they are going to improve their 3-6 record.    

How high is the ceiling for Lachy Olbrich?

We haven’t even come close yet… The Adelaide 36ers rookie is probably the most exciting prospect to be coming through and the advanced growth that has occurred since his COE return has seen him literally come in leaps and bounds. Minus Koop and Coleman, Olbrich’s quick development and close to average double double of 19.1 points at 53 percent and 9.9 rebounds is just the tip of what this SA rising star can do and would already be a deserved winner of the Frank Angove medal for 2022. Retaining him locally and for NBL now becomes the priority.

Can the Rockets win it again with just Jamar Akoh in the front court?

There were some serious questions just before the break… The Rockets looked like they were cruising the first part of the season however maybe a reality has settled in that hit them hard at Round 7. The Flames stunned them the night after the COE, they scrapped past the Lions then the Panthers and Eagles belted them at the Lights. The key aspect of these losses was the 42, 41, 40 and 36 rebounds compared to the season average of 46 for the season. There’s a chink in their armour no doubt having slipped to 6^th on the table and the front court now exposed; it has to be fixed quickly by Nyberg and the brains trust of North if they are to contend again.  

Can Daly and Spear capture their spark and lift the Sabres through the finals?

It all rests on the form of the dynamic duo… The Sabres have been so solid but twice this season they have been found it in two games against the Eagles and the Warriors. In those games the average for Daly and Spear was 21.5 points, 10 rebounds and 8.5 assists between them; they need about 35-40 points, 15-20 rebounds and 12-16 assists per game to make the Sabres a real threat in the second half of the season.      

Will the splits cost or enhance the Panthers finals chance?

They’ve kept the door ajar both ways… When it comes to season splits the Panthers have won and lost 7 of their games by single figures with the wins against the Flames, Lions, Tigers and Mavericks in danger of being reversed. They however have not lost by more than single figures this season meaning it could have the reverse effect. They should turnaround the games against the Bearcats so it’ll come down to the Warriors and Sabres losses being turned around. Their destiny is more in their hands than others from here on in…    

Are the “college kids” the answer for the Flames?

They’ve had a big impact in a short space of time… The lift in the Flames four game winning streak has come from some regular faces in Green and Lycett but that might not be what has also lifted the Flames form in the last few games. Pittsburgh States Cam Huefner and Bellevue Bruins Aydan Janssen showed some late season form in 2021 and both are likely to add to the Flames firepower especially when Ray Harding (who has missed the past fortnight) returns to the active roster. Huefner already top scored for the Flames with 21 and 19 and Janssen can also put points on the board. It might be the difference of the Flames going from finals placer to genuine contender.     

Are the Eagles “foxing” or is the inconsistent form a warning sign?

I’ve seen a switch flicked at different times… Andy Simon’s Eagles are an enigma in the sense of they are no where near their best currently from what we’ve seen this season but also have thrown up some unusual results. Twice this season against contenders the Sabres and Rockets they have destroyed both teams in a half then got turned inside out by the Panthers and the Warriors. While Doyle a key component was missing from that Panthers game and DJ was only playing his first in the Warriors one, maybe expectations were much higher and yet they sit 6-3 in second on the table without getting into even third, fourth or fifth gear. That’s a scary prospect if your questioning whether this team is going through the motions then is about to swoop in for the kill or the loss to the Flames showed its not as clear cut as we “all” thought…    

Can the Warriors “finish the marathon” this time?

This is the last stand for a majority of this group… They’ve completed part one of what they aimed to do with a just short buzzer beater the difference between a blemished and perfect record; but there is still much more to do. Managing expectation, learning from the past seasons where strong starts have faded to misguided hope, sticking to what they’ve done this season without getting stuck in the mire of the waiting game and making sure all the roster are raring to go mid-August. They only need to look at the veterans of the group and some of the talent surrounding them all to know this group can be the champions but it won’t be like this in future seasons. Their window is closing with this squad but all the pieces are there, and they won’t want to miss the opportunity and that I think will keep them focused and be at least one of the two teams on the last day of the season…

The Rockets came from 1-6 last season to win it all and with some splits easily overturned amongst the middle tier; the league is alive for all ten clubs. Make sure you keep up to date on the NBL1 App, Website and here on the Cross Over Dribble…