Catch a very special sneak peak of the SA Shotclock soon to be released including the reviews of the Adelaide Lightning and Adelaide 36ers, previews of upcoming games, some Prentice predictions come to past and a one on one with the next Star of the 36ers in the energetic Trentyn Flowers
Catch a very special sneak peak of the SA Shotclock soon to be released including the reviews of the Adelaide Lightning and Adelaide 36ers, previews of upcoming games, some Prentice predictions come to past and a one on one with the next Star of the 36ers in the energetic Trentyn Flowers
Thanks to an idea from Downtown Allan Browne and our NBL1 Central Commentary Crew two years ago, it’s time once again to pick our players for an all-star weekend, here’s my picks in a much deeper talent pool for 2023…
These lineups would be something to behold and showcase the best the league has to offer to the rest of the nation. Pictures by Picture IT Sports Photography and NBL1
3-Minute Read
My format would be as so in the form of four games across the weekend with the North taking on the South clubs with two different selections. Each club must have at least one nomination suit up for their respective conference all-star team.
North (Central District Lions, North Adelaide Rockets, Norwood Flames, West Adelaide Bearcats and Woodville Warriors)
South (Southern Tigers, South Adelaide Panthers, Sturt Sabres, Eastern Mavericks and Forestville Eagles)
NBL1 Central All-Stars (Mens and Womens)
NBL1 Central Rising-Stars (Mens and Womens born after 2002)
NBL1 Central Three-Point Stars (Four of the best from the league, Mens and Womens: can be an all-star player)
NBL1 Central All-Stars Skills Comp (Four of the best from the league, Mens and Womens: must not be in all-star game)
Here is my list of the above I’d nominate from the clubs in a three guard and two forward selection
*Denotes second year all-star
North All-Stars (Women) – coached by Brenton Johnston
Guard – Lauren Mansfield (Rockets)
Guard – Brooke Basham* (Rockets)
Guard – Ally Wilson* (Flames)
Forward – Nicole Fransson (Warriors)
Forward – Tiahna Sears (Lions)
Guard – Jasmin Fejo* (Bearcats)
Guard – Jaedyn De La Cerda (Lions)
Guard – Sharna Thompson (Flames)
Forward – Molly Coleman (Bearcats)
Forward – Katherine Perkas (Warriors)
This team was one of the toughest to pick in 2023 with an enormous amount of talent at the guard positions particularly – in the end you couldn’t ignore that starting lineup is pretty much almost WNBL quality. The trio of Mansfield, Basham and Wilson is a dangerous combo for North with Lions forward Sears providing some huge punch from one of the forward positions and Fransson hauling in big boards and inside paint work.
The bench is just as star studded and tough with a second appearance from Fejo and De La Cerda keeping the quality up in rotations. Thompson is a star shooter that can come in and impact and then the toughness of Coleman and reward for an underrated season for Perkas to back up Fransson and Sears.
Superstar Ally Wilson naturally did enough to earn selection for the COD North All-Stars for a second straight season.
South All-Stars (Women) – coached by Tim Shortt
Guard – Jordan Hunter (Panthers)
Guard – Tayla Brazel (Sabres)
Guard – Maddy Freer (Eagles)
Forward – Mollie McKendrick (Tigers)
Forward – Mikayla Williams* (Sabres)
Guard – Tayla Levy (Mavericks)
Guard – Morgan Yaeger* (Tigers)
Guard – Olivia Bradley (Mavericks)
Forward – Holly Forbes (Panthers)
Forward – Rachel Hines (Eagles)
The South side is an assist and stealing machine in setting up its key scorers in the front court in McKendrick and reigning Halls medallist Williams. The nightmare of encountering Hunter, Brazel up the top of the arc with Freer to space the floor rounds out the starting five. It was tough not having the next lot of guards start in this lineup but purely for balance and only cause Yaeger started this season a little later due to injury does she come off the pine.
Levy and Yaeger backup Hunter and Brazel to continue the defensive strength while by adding Bradley (rising star team 2022) adds some potency to the scoring punch of the back court. Front court has some rebounding power and punch from the pine with first timers Forbes and Hines rounding out a strong south lineup.
The Brilliant Sabres pairing of Mikayla Williams and Tayla Brazel (pictured) would feature in the starting five for the COD South All-Stars
North All-Stars (Men) – coached by Dean Nyberg
Guard – Mitch McCarron (Bearcats)
Guard – Branden Jenkins* (Lions)
Guard – Anthony Drmic (Bearcats)
Forward – Koop McCalop* (Rockets)
Forward – Lachlan Olbrich* (Bearcats)
Guard – Jawan Stepney* (Warriors)
Guard – Jack Stanwix (Flames)
Guard – Riley Harrap (Rockets)
Forward – Akech Aliir (Rockets)
Forward – Kevin Baker (Lions)
An NBL quality starting five is what you’re looking at for North with three Bearcats making the starting five rounded out by McCalop and Jenkins two scoring and defensive machines.
The back up is just as strong with match winners in Stepney, Stanwix and Harrap bringing the carnage and Aliir and Baker I’ve rewarded for consistent form across the front court. One of the big strengths of this team is the outside arc of the bigs with all of them able to stretch the floor with their shooting.
A full season for Branden Jenkins has seen him grab his first COD all-star selection in the North team
South All-Stars (Men) – coached by Andy Simons
Guard – Adam Doyle* (Eagles)
Guard – Jordan Forbes (Sabres)
Guard – Malith Machar (Eagles)
Forward – Daniel Johnson* (Panthers)
Forward – Alex Starling* (Panthers)
Guard – Jasper Rentoy (Mavericks)
Guard – Jacob Rigoni* (Sabres)
Guard – Apiok “Jimma” Dau (Tigers)
Forward – Greg Mays (Eagles)
Forward – Jack Hemphill (Mavericks)
The starting five for the South team can lead the way with plenty of its own NBL experience in Doyle, Machar and Johnson with newly minted Sixer Starling and one of the recruits of the year in Forbes.
The bench looks high quality coming in with plenty of ability to win the glass as well as keep the scoreboard ticking over. Its great to see some players of previous seasons win their positions after consistent seasons like Dau and Mays. The Eagles win three selections in this year’s lineup showing their starting five has been a big part of their current second place positioning.
Adam Doyle would get the start after being named on the pine for the 2022 COD South All-Star team – this photo by Kelly Barnes/AllStar Photos
North Rising Stars (Women) – coached by Will Smith
Guard – Ashalea Perry (Warriors)
Guard – Grace Facchini* (Rockets)
Guard – Sarah Deng* (Lions)
Forward – Abby Brenton* (Bearcats)
Forward – Lily Zbierski* (Rockets)
Reserve – Sienna Grieger (Bearcats)
Reserve – Annika Uzcategui Montenegro (Flames)
A youthful lineup led by second year returnees in Brenton, Deng, Facchini, Zbierski – features a look into the future. Perry, Grieger and Uzcategui are those who’ve had a taste at senior level and would be great to see in a showcase like this.
The North Rising Stars has some new players coming through that have had their opportunity to shine in 2023 like Annika Uzcategui Montenegro for the Flames
South Rising Stars (Women) – coached by Matt Clarke
Guard – Jess Simons* (Eagles)
Guard – Emily Close* (Sabres)
Guard – Margot Hall* (Tigers)
Forward – Bianca Stasinowsky (Tigers)
Forward – Stephanie Formby (Mavericks)
Reserve – Mia Walker-Roberts (Sabres)
Reserve – Alannah Morello (Eagles)
The DBG duo has returned – the designated bucket getters led by the shooting of Close and Simons. Hall is a starter this year followed by strong seasons from Stasinowsky, Formby, Walker-Roberts and Morello getting the nod in this year’s edition.
Steph Formby (pictured top left) has stepped up into a young Mavericks lineup and earnt another rising star nomination for the COD South Rising Stars team.
North Rising Stars (Men) – coached by Scott Whitmore
Guard – Kalani Sapwell (Lions)
Guard – Sean Stock (Bearcats)
Guard – Cooper Osborne* (Warriors)
Forward – Fraser Roxburgh (Bearcats)
Forward – Magok Manyang (Lions)
Reserve – Alex Dodson (Flames)
Reserve – Steve Parfitt* (Rockets)
Plenty of this lineup have taken another step in their development in 2023 with first time appearances from Sapwell, Stock, Roxburgh, Manyang (second appearance but unlucky to be pushed out of his 2022 All-Star position by a strong North conference) and Dodson. Parfitt and Osborne’s second appearances continue to show the important minutes in strong teams they will have in their future roles in coming seasons. The all-roundness of this side would be exciting to see on the floor.
Fraser Roxburgh is a hot talent plucked from junior high school in Victoria ending up on the Adelaide 36ers DP roster in NBL23 – and rightly claims a spot in the best U21 players in the North.
South Rising-Stars (Men) – coached by Scott Ninnis
Guard – Jett Thompson (Tigers)
Guard – Keanu Rasmussen (Sabres)
Guard – Lloyd McVeigh (Panthers)
Forward – Stefan Gould (Eagles)
Forward – Jamie Smith* (Sabres)
Reserve – Owen Raneburg* (Mavericks)
Reserve – Alex Dickeson (Tigers)
The talent the under 21 in South team has changed dramatically with six of the seven players all starting in their teams at some time in season 2023. An incredibly strong back court and backup to the back court features in this lineup with a lineup that actually makes you question if they are under 21 with the skills they bring to the floor.
Incredibly unlucky to miss selection in the COD All-Stars – Adelaide 36ers DP for NBL24 Keanu “The One” Rasmussen leads one of the strongest most talented set of U21s the state has seen from the mens perspective – this photo by Snap Shot Photography/Emma Hoppo
And last of all my nominations for the three point and skills stars competition…
NBL1 Central Three-Point Shooting Stars
Womens: Morgan Yeager (44.4 percent for the Tigers), Abby Beeche (42.3 percent for the Tigers), Alannah Morello (40.7 percent for the Eagles), Jade Johnson (40.6 percent for the Panthers), Brooke Basham (40.3 percent for the Rockets)
Mens: Andrew Barton (48.4 percent for the Panthers), Lachlan Olbrich (47.2 percent for the Bearcats), Jack Turnbull (47.1 percent for the Sabres), Kevin Baker (44.9 percent for the Lions), Matt Lycett (42.2 percent for the Flames)
NBL1 Central Skills Stars
Womens: Kayla Mathews (Sabres), Sophie Kerridge (Flames), Mariah Martin (Tigers) and Tia Bails (Rockets)
Mens: Sam Daly (Sabres), Sunday Bol (Lions), Trey McBride (Flames) and Fabian Johnson (Tigers)
Well I guess its time to debate and decide your lineup and who would win with these teams…
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 11.
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The U14s Club Championship ran recently in Sydney, NSW with a plethora of future NBL1 talent. Here’s the wrap-up, highlights and a snapshot of the SA championship teams.
Our U14 representatives at the National Club Championships were only slightly behind some of the junior powerhouses of national basketball interstate over in Sydney - but showed plenty of spirit on and off court. Pictures by Basketball South Australia
Highlights: The Mavs started with a win on day one over the Penrith Panthers 51-33 before a tough double header on day two. That involved a loss to the always strong Nunawading Spectres then a win over the Townsville Fire to take them to 2-1 and the top 12 of the championship division. The Mavs then took on the Warrnambool Mermaids downing them to setup an all SA showdown on day four. The loss to the Flames landing them against the Southern District Spartans – their hot shooting putting the Mavs into the positional playoffs for 5th to 8th. A 10 point win over the Sandringham Sabres 49-39 saw them into a playoff for 5th place against the Cavaliers. The Cavs got the Mavs 41-34 but gave our SA girls the highest finish of the division for their state in 6th place.
This team also took out the Jenny Cheesman Fair Play award for the championships representing the state off-court as well as on it.
Highlights: The Norwood Flames went deep into the club championships with some solid wins in their 6 and 2 record for the week. The Flames knocked off some well known junior club names along the way to their 5th to 8th positional games including the Melbourne Tigers 47-26 on day one. Day two was a clean sweep with two wins – over the Willeton Tigers 61-43 and Newcastle Falcons 74-23 before day three saw them overcome the Mermaids 59-41. Day four was the clash of the Grand Finalists from SA with the Flames overcoming the Mavs 61-46 but then suffering their first loss in a tough quarter final to the Mackay Meteorettes 30-55 and landing themselves in the positional games for 5th to 8th.
The Casey Cavaliers are always a tough task and it proved the case in a thrilling contest going down by a few buckets 55-59 but then secured the 7th spot in the overall standings with a strong 67-41 win over the Sandringham Sabres.
Highlights: The Sabres started their campaign securing second spot in their pool taking them through to the final 12. The 2-4 record landed them in the 9th to 12th place playoffs which they won through to finish with a 4-7 record overall. They took out the Illawarra Hawks 49-45 with then a tight two-point win over the Mermaids 37-35 to secure 9th place – the third SA team in the top ten for the division.
The Eastern Mavericks represented both SA on and off court not only finishing in 6th place but also chosen as the Jenny Cheesman fair play award recipient
Highlights: The Warriors went 1-1 on the first day before grabbing a second win to be top of their pool. They hit a snag with a tough 20-point loss to the Spectres 60-80 then winning an SA showdown to the South Adelaide Panthers by five points 56-51. That placed them into the finals drawing a quarter final against the Rockhampton Rockets going down 67-81 to land them in the 5th to 8th playoffs. The Whittlesea Pacers won the tough contest 71-81 to setup a 7th place finish for the Warriors but couldn’t strike the final bit of gold against the Ballarat Miners. Nevertheless the Warriors finish was the highest of all SA teams in the boys division in a tough set of teams in 2022.
An individual highlight was the naming of Lucas Li in the top 5 players for the division averaging 20 points across all 8 of their games.
Norwood Flames
Tournament Result: Runner Up (Shield Division)
Highlights: It was huge week for the Flames boys representative side – they did start with a day one hiccup to the Bankstown Bruins 53-62 but then got on the board with an 83-38 win over the Kilsyth Cobras. Day two saw them take on Northwest Tasmania Thunder and the Flames struck them down 53-26 then on day three blew away the Darwin Cyclones 67-29. Another win on day four over the Penrith Panthers 69-39 setup a quarter final stoush with the Canberra Gunners. The Flames continued to burn bright with a 57-35 win over the Gunners to progress them to the semi-final. Their third NSW team in days saw them bring down the Sydney Comets 51-30 and into the Shield Final.
A dramatic finish to the tournament saw an overtime thriller 49-56 win to the Bendigo Braves but an effort all of SA can be proud of from these boys in the Shield division.
Highlights: The Panthers started their championship hunt with a tough loss to the Spartans 47-61 but then bounced back on day two with a win over the Gunners 59-48. A two game block followed with a win over the Hawks 64-47 to finish second in their pool before meeting the Warriors in the playoff for for 9th to 12th – going down by 5 points.
It was a thrilling finish in the playoff for 11th with the Panthers…
The Norwood Flames only just came up short in the Shield Division in an extremely competitive performance
For all these young athletes it is a privilege and a pleasure to represent your state no matter how they individually went, congratulations to all U14 Boys and Girls for representing our state against some quality national athletes…
Lets hope we get to see this talent at the NBL1 Central level in the distant future…
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