UBL Season Preview – Adelaide Waatu ready for Flames and Next Gen to ignite

The fourth season for the Adelaide Waatu gets underway this Tuesday in a rescheduled set of fixtures that should see some of the most talented youth players in the state take the floor – will it be the Flames in the Women that ignite more wins in season 2025 and can the Mens progress beyond eighth after nearly upsetting the top team twice in two seasons in the finals???

Photo Credit – Anthony Furina (Via Adelaide University)

3-Minute Read

The Adelaide Waatu have been around in the UBL since 2022 and have progressively made strides year in year out. The league shifting to a August-October calendar for the first time in it’s existence will lengthen then talent pool sitting in the sweet spot between the end of the NBL1 season and beginning of district preseason and other basketball opportunities.

Coach of the previous teams in 2024 Scott Freer shared on the SA Shotclock earlier this week it’s an opportunity for those who don’t take the college route to still play in a high quality competition. “UBL is designed for this – a lot of major universities got together and said we may have a lot of kids who don’t get the opportunity to go overseas to play college in the US – effectively it’s a elite level league designed to cater for the experience on both sides of the floor.” Freer shared with the podcast this week.

“It’s a stepping stone to elite basketball with all the important aspects included – it’s a great league and getting stronger every year.”

Here’s the run down of what to look forward to from our teams this season in the 2025 season including all our home games at the State Basketball Centre this season.

Round 1 – Tuesday August 5 vs University of Newcastle [NU] (Home)

Round 1 – Wednesday August 6 vs University of Sunshine Coast [USC] (Home)

Round 2 – Wednesday August 13 vs La Trobe University [LTU] (Away)

Round 3 – Wednesday August 20 vs Federation University [FED] (Away)

Round 4 – Wednesday August 27 vs Victoria University [VU] (Away)

Round 5 – Bye

Round 6 – Tuesday 11 September vs UWA Maali (Away)

Round 7 – Tuesday 16 September vs UNSW (Away)

Round 8 – Tuesday 23 September vs UTAS (Home)

Round 8 – Wednesday 24 September vs University of Sydney (Home)

Quarter Finals – Week of October 6

Semi-Finals – Week of October 13

Grand Finals – Week of October 20

Women

History

The Women grabbed their first home win in UBL history last year in their home game at the State Basketball Centre marking a turning point in overall competitiveness – then putting in solid showings against powerhouses such as Sydney Uni. With most of the core returning and some key NBL1 Central pieces added this season under returning coach Lachlan Coppick looks another step in the right direction.

Returning

The Norwood Flames duo of Alice Sabine and Jemima Whitton will return along with experienced Meaza Otto from the Southern Tigers. Sabine coming off the MVP for last season for the Waatu will be another key figure again this season finishing with multiple doubles – all these three have had limited NBL1 Central minutes and will be raring to go for the new season.

“Having the three girls comeback this year really gives a core we can continue to build around for the coming season ahead.” Freer summarised the returning players for the Waatu.

Recruited

With already two Norwood Flames – joining the Waatu will be another two who have been starters for the NBL1 Central 2025 side in Caitlin Shillabeer and Annika Uzcategui Montenegro.

“We still don’t have the combined university players just yet as that comes next year – Caitlin coming into the group is a really talented player as is Annika joining us this year with Scarlett Miles back as well.” Freer shared about the additions to the Womens team.

These will be two of the strongest with Shillabeer stringing together four consecutive double figure games for the Flames this past season plus an eight point performance for the club in the 2023 Grand Final. The Eastern Mavericks Claire Hunter joins averaging 5.8 points in NBL1 Reserves as will a host of other faces to support the core of the Women’s squad.

Men

History

The Men have been exceptionally close to progressing to the next stage of the UBL finals falling agonisingly short to UTS and MU after finishing eight in consecutive seasons of the UBL. There best chance to progress was blown on the road up at Alexandria – this season grabbing as many wins at home before pinching a few on the road will be go.

Returning

Hungry for more floor action Harry Bruce of the West Adelaide Bearcats will be back to back up his 26 points per game last season coming off 18 points per game in the NBL1 Reserves. Joining him will be Mitch Cretan (Woodville Warriors), Emil Kourani (Sturt Sabres), Isaac Hampel (Southern Tigers) as well as current finals bound Central Districts Lions Ayual Garang averaging a healthy 13 points per game. Bailey Nathan also makes his return after playing in the England college system with Tottenham after his tremendous finish to last season.

Recruited

An impressive core also sees some new faces for the Waatu this season from several NBL1 Central lists including Woodville Warriors Charlie Knowles, North Adelaide Rockets Angus Crosby and Central Districts Lions Makai Dornford. Adding to that is Under 19 Egypt national Ahmed Nawasany is one to watch with his game style.

Head Coach Scott Freer shared that even though plenty of these players features on NBL1 lists – spots are up for grabs and likely will have to leave out a few during the season.

“Looking going into week one we are going to have to turn around and say to someone who is on an NBL1 roster and say you’re not making our ten this week – we are very privileged position right now.”

The Scout – Who to watch incoming for at our Home Games

Women

Newcastle may be one of the newest editions to the league but they won’t be short on NBL1 East talent including Falcons Charlotte Cougle and Sophie Brennan who averaged 10.8 points per game and scored 20 plus multiple times this NBL1 season. A host of Waratah Youth Stars for the Central Coast Waves are led by Chloe Fraser averaging 17 points per game.

UNISC bring back a couple of familiar names including NBL1 North Sunshine Coast Phoenix Esther Fleming and Ava Nason while bringing in NBL1 North Georgia Berry and Zoe Drane as well from the Phoenix. A homecoming for a familiar face in Forestville Eagle Terran Wright also is on the cards in the squad for this season.

Up the top no doubt once again will be two powerhouses of the competition led by UTAS. Anthony Stewart’s group will be lead by Norwood Flames Championship player of 2023 in Sharna Thompson and Emmerson Wells with a group that’s been together for multiple seasons. The same can be said for USYD led by WNBL DP for the Sydney Flames Caitlyn Martin along with dynamic guard Alex Kayrouz.

Men

Newcastle Mens will be lead by the NBL1 East Central Coast Crusaders Jamal Shoaib with Newcastle Falcons Jude Jennings (28 ppg in WL) and a host of talented Waratah League players involved in their first match in the league.

It’s a fairly new UNISC lineup with the most recognisable Riley Spicer from the NBL1 North Sunshine Coast Phoenix – the team however is filled with talented youth players from the QSL and pair Ola and Oyin Oguntoyinbo.

Again two powerhouses of the competition will feature in the Men’s home fixtures led by Mark Nash’s UTAS. He’ll have Central District Lions 2025 Grand final player in Jack Stanwix and Archie Stewart at his disposal along with several key players that have featured on Tasmanian NBL1 South rosters. USYD make their first appearance in Adelaide led by NBL1 East North Bears Matthew Wacher and former Sydney Kings DP Ignatius Mitchell.

Catch all the action from this Tuesday August 5 from 10:50am ACDT on the UBL website and stay tuned to the crossoverdribble for match reports and features throughout the season.

We want to continue our work telling the stories of SA Basketball this winter and beyond with world championships, local legends, NBL and WNBL previews, reviews and NBL1 off season news and predictions – Can you PLEASE HELP US with a shotclock sub of $14 or $24 a year to help us do this?

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Bearcat Duo doubles in 2025 Eiler/Woollacott Medal

It was a first in over a decade for the West Adelaide Bearcats with the inaugural Lorraine Eiler Medal and their first top Women’s award in the NBL1 Central since 2006 while also taking the Noel Woollacott Medal for the first time since 2013…

Photo Credit – Sarah Reed (Via Basketball SA)

3-Minute Read

This year’s newly named Basketball SA Awards afternoon was where for the first time the Lorraine Eiler Medal (formerly known as the Halls Medal and named after a pioneer of Women’s basketball) and the Noel Woollacott Medal for the Fairest and Most Brilliant players of the league was presented.

For the first time since 2006 – a West Adelaide Bearcat took out the Women’s top award with Olivia Levicki‘s comeback complete becoming the first since Sam Woosnam and the ninth in the club’s history to claim the award. Levicki on 46 votes finished just ahead of Forestville Eagles Sam Simons on 41 votes while Woodville Warriors Jasmin Fejo‘s second half of the season saw her storm home into third place with 39 votes – 15 clear of fourth place and below. Joining the three in the All-Star Five was Ke’Shunan James and Jordyn Freer with Freer named an all-star for the first time after several strong seasons.

Mark Billington of the West Adelaide Bearcats won his first Coach of the Year award to beat out three-time winner Sturt Sabres Tim Shortt and Forestville Eagles Toby Schaftenaar. Keira Gardiner became the first ever winner of the Merv Harris award for the best U23 Youth Player of the Year from the South Adelaide Panthers beating out sister Hannah Gardiner and Eastern Mavericks Daisy Hocking. Jasmin Fejo added to her accolades with a first Defensive Player of the Year making her the first Woodville Warrior to do it since Tamara Norris (nee Haase) when the award was first given in 1999 – and the Coaches MVP to be the third Warrior to achieve it since Callan Taylor and Teige Morrell

The Mens was much tighter than anticipated but Keanu Rasmussen took the Woollacott medal for the West Adelaide Bearcats for the first time since 2013 on 31 votes. He beat out South Adelaide Panthers Christian Brandon on 26 votes and a fast finishing Eastern Mavericks BJ Symons on 24 votes. Alex Starling going for his fourth Woollacott Medal finished just behind in fourth on 22 votes.

Rasmussen also took out the Frank Angove Medal and Coaches MVP completing the quad for the first time since Jacob Holmes in 2004 named in the All-Star Five along with Brandon, Sharif Black (Sturt Sabres), Daniel Johnson (Forestville Eagles and last Bearcat to win the medal in 2013) and Efe Abogidi (Central Districts Lions).

Coach of the Year went to Rupert Sapwell of the Central Districts Lions just over 2022 winner Scott Whitmore of the Woodville Warriors and Andy Simons of the Forestville Eagles

Joe Jackson of the Woodville Warriors took out Defensive Player of the Year – the sixth Warrior to do so behind Craig Gilbert, Andrew Puddifoot, Paul Vandenbergh and Mitch Creek. He held off Efe Abogidi and five time winner Alex Starling to win the award by only a few votes.

For the officials the Phillip Yuill medal for the Womens was awarded to Bailey Dyer for the first time and for the Mens to Nathan Durant – his thirteenth award in either Mens and Womens since 2010.

We want to continue our work telling the stories of SA Basketball this winter and beyond with world championships, local legends, NBL and WNBL previews, reviews and NBL1 off season news and predictions – Can you PLEASE HELP US with a shotclock sub of $14 or $24 a year to help us do this?

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2025 Woollacott Medal Preview

A set of previous winners take on the old team-mate of a previous winner while could one player be the first for their club in 12 years???

Photo Credit – As Supplied

3-Minute Read

A huge thankyou to our experts, the commentators of the NBL1 Central that cast their own 3-2-1 each match of the season to help with the predictions below for the award…

Previous Decade Winners

2013       Daniel Johnson (West Adelaide)

2014       Alex Starling (Woodville)

2015       Matthew Lycett (Norwood)

2016      Nelson Kirksey  (Woodville)

2017       Eian Davis (South Adelaide)

2018       Alex Starling (North Adelaide)

2019       CJ Turnage (Southern)

2021       CJ Turnage (Norwood)

2022       Jeremy Smith (South Adelaide)

2023       Jawan Stepney (Woodville)

2024       Alex Starling (South Adelaide)

Did you know???

In the Mens the club with the most Woollacott medals won is Sturt who were also United Church prior to 1972 with 12, West Adelaide and Norwood each have 11. Out of the 10 current clubs, everyone has posted a winner with Steve Brekke the least recent club player to win it for Central District Lions way back in 1984.

The biggest multiple winner of the Woollacott is “Chairman of the Boards” himself Mark Davis who has won it five times between 1986 and 1992 including a tie with former 36ers teammate Mike McKay in 1987. There have also been 14 back-to-back winners of the award with the most recent CJ Turnage in 2019 and 2021 and the first Don Collins for West Torrens in 1951.  

The Favourites

Daniel Johnson (Forestville Eagles)

We listed the past 11 years above because that’s when the veteran star of our league last won it – he’s a chance to do it again even stronger this year. The ultimate plug and play player has been elite this year in his work for the Eagles averaging 20.1 points (#6), 7.6 rebounds (#14) and 5.1 assists (#6).

This in a team of stars has arguably been his strongest season in multiple years and in those seasons he polled right near the top – that paves for a possible entry into the multiple winners club in 2025…

Keanu Rasmussen (West Adelaide Bearcats)

A breakout NBL season at the Adelaide 36er, given the keys to the point guard position and under the coach who masters the stars of the league equals very warm if not red hot favourite for the Woollacott. Rightly so for Rasmussen who has had an outstanding season in his most productive stint in the NBL1 Central with 24.1 points at 54 percent (#1 with a plus nine point lift since last stint in 2023), six rebounds and 5.3 assists (# with a plus three lift as above).

14 likely games are likely to yield votes with not much chance of too many steals off him. The work in the NZNBL with Hawke’s Bay and the NBL time has elevated his game to another level as a genuine superstar – his chances of taking the Bearcats first Woollacott since his this season contender in DJ highly probable.

Christian Brandon (South Adelaide Panthers)

The team-mate of a previous winner may be a good omen for the athletic import forward and he started with a bang. Expecting he’ll be leading early out of the blocks with his first seven likely to produce some big numbers on the leader board.

A patch in the middle of the season, some missed games and an on fire Lloyd McVeigh may possibly keep him out of the final picture but you just never know for a player in the top ten for points (#7 at 19.7) and rebounds (#7 at 8.9)…  

The Smokeys

Greg Mays (Forestville Eagles)

Can’t talk the Woollacott Medal without looking at the Grand Final MVP of 2024 who to be honest has probably at least equalled his previous season output. If last year was an indication – Mays polled more than we all anticipated in 2024 and there is no doubt the all-star five member will be amongst the numbers again.

The statistics don’t talk to the influence and impact he has – the issue this year is he has at least three other team-mates taking valuable votes off him including the next smokey…

Alex Starling (Forestville Eagles)

Never write off the three time Woollacott Medallist and last year’s recipient of the award. Gunning for his second in a row and fourth to equal Huba Nagy of the Norwood Flames – this year is difficult to see him chasing down the leaders at his own club let alone the rest of the competition.

But we also wouldn’t count him out on his impact being measured in the key numbers including #1 in rebounds with 11.8 points and his defensive qualities having won DPOY five times – which also has him trying to equal Todd Matthews of the Flames across the late 2000s.

Nick Wurm (Woodville Warriors)

A career best season (at least to the eye) for the dynamic guard who has won more games off his own back than we can recall in sometime. Wurm’s impact has seen the Warriors rise from a challenger to a genuine contender for the championship in the second half of the season.

A plus five points per game rise has shown he may be the clutch player the Warriors need and this will reflect in the count – likely to take votes in at least six of the last nine matches but will it be enough to catch the leaders by counts end?

Keep An Eye on

BJ Symons (Eastern Mavericks)

TP called it before the season started that the skillset the Diamond Valley Eagle would bring to our league would be a problem for a majority of teams. The dominant paint player has grown on all of us having produced big time performance after performance to nearly steer the Mavs to a first time finals appearance in over twenty plus years.

That’s where the votes may fall short for Symons is number of wins for his side but with all 18 games played he likely has polled in 12 games and likely more as his unique style of play has a greater influence than the numbers suggest.

Efe Abogidi (Central Districts Lions)

“The Monster of our League” as dubbed by Downtown Allan Browne certainly proved to be a matchup problem at his best in 2025 and looms also as an X-Factor for the Lions in the upcoming finals series. Abogidi at his best has been unstoppable with not only power around the rim at both ends but also a deadly stroke from outside making him an incredibly difficult proposition to guard.

Our only concern from a medal point of view is the evenness of the Lions team where votes are spread but he also has a strong patch between Round 8-14 where he’ll punch a few tres and twos likely keeping him just outside the contenders.

Joe Jackson (Woodville Warriors)

Numbers definitely don’t tell the story but positional change and being part of the third best team on the ladder do and if Wurm doesn’t get votes – Joe is someone who will.

A highly fancied opportunity for the defensive player of the year from the second best defensive team of the year – we are all intrigued how much of the votes he will get it. He could emerge as a real left field option but also we wouldn’t be surprised if he gets more votes than we gave as his impact would be highly valued especially in the key voters’ eyes.

Our final prediction for the Woollacott Medal will be announced on Episode 39 of the SA Shotclock

We want to continue our work telling the stories of SA Basketball this winter and beyond with world championships, local legends, NBL and WNBL previews, reviews and NBL1 off season news and predictions – Can you PLEASE HELP US with a shotclock sub of $14 or $24 a year to help us do this?

NEW – PITCH TO THE PUBLIC ✍️👂

It takes 4 hours a week to write, research and produce our content but we want to write extra content this next few months so we thought we’d pitch to the public

Here are the next lot of articles up for pitching – subscribe to get these written

“All about Ability – the last five year’s of the Men’s Ivor Burge Program”

“The all-time Adelaide Lightning All-Stars Team – Naming the team of the past 30 years of Adelaide Lightning players”

Eight new $24 Shotclock subscribers will have the remaining of piece produced on the topic of

Photo originally supplied by Rachael Sporn for ESPN Australia

Another eight new $24 Shotclock subscribers or contributors directly will have both pieces done for production

Please DM if you’d like to support another way than subscription

See if you can provide the assist we need to tell the South Australian Basketball story

All Episodes of the SA Shotclock available on podcasting platforms in the coming months