Liv and Let Fly: Maverick Bradley sole SA representative for Sapphires

Recently the International U17 Australian Crocs and Sapphires squads were finalised for their quest to make the FIBA World Cup in July and in terms of playing squad, there is a sole SA player that made the final cut in both teams, here’s the basketball story of NBL1 Central Eastern Mavericks Olivia Bradley and her being crafted into a sapphire… 

The licence to let it fly has clearly seen an uber aggressive Olivia Bradley soar into calculations for international representation already playing way beyond her age gap and limit. Photo by CS Photographics

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Bradley has always had the pathway to international basketball lit for her starting with domestic representation for the German Arms 76ers in the domestic league in her local area, representing the Eastern Hills Hornets and junior district basketball for her now NBL1 Central club the Eastern Mavericks where her mother Mellissa is the president. Bradley’s path extended to representing SA Country at multiple junior championships which then saw her invited to the national performance program and joining the Adelaide Lightning academy as a player of the future to watch. “I am so grateful to all of the coaches from these places that helped me over all these years, they’ve had a huge impact in developing my game” Bradley told the SA Cross Over Dribble.

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U20 Stars of the Future push Finals at AJC

The U20 AJC Tournament ran recently in Mackay, Queensland with a plethora of NBL1 and borderline NBL/WNBL talent. Here’s the wrap-up, highlights and surprise packets for the SA championship teams.

Izzy Borlase already with one WNBL game under her belt will definitely be in consideration for more after her AJC U20s Performance. Picture by Trevor Kinross

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Girls

South Australia Red

Tournament Result: 2nd (Pool A 3-1 (finished 2nd) – Silver Medal

Highlights: It was very good week for the Red team with their most impressive win coming in the minor rounds against Western Australia 72-53. In that game they managed to keep Mia Jacobs and Ellie Newman quiet and while a loss a solid performance against the Victorian team 69-57 was a quality outing. Previously listed Forestville Eagle COE player Izzy Borlase was a superstar throughout the championships averaging 18 points at 48 percent per game, 9.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists while a number of Eagles in Jess Simons, Maddy Freer and Bianca Stasinowsky stacked the stats sheet as well. The big win came over NSW in the semi-final 75-50 with Borlase (23 points and 17 rebounds), Stasinowsky (13 points and 6 rebounds) and Freer (13 points and 12 rebounds) coming up big. The championships ended with a silver medal pushing the Victorians to a 47-65 result. Jess Simons had a high quality final with 23 points on 5-9 triples while Borlase chalked up 13 points and 12 rebounds to no doubt be player of the championships for SA Red.

Surprise Packet: No real surprise but Hatti Cox of the South Adelaide Panthers really took her game to another level during the championships. She had big games for the Red team to the back end of the week including 12 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in the semi-final against NSW. She’s off to college later this year so when she returns she’s destined to be a bonafide star possibly in consideration for some higher honours in her future.

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NBL1 Central Round 6 – Eagle eye Doyle, DJ lever Legan Mavs, Sabres sixth women win downs Eagles

The “Eagle Eye” was locked in for Adam Doyle this weekend as the Eagles men raised up for a double header, the Sabres women swathe their way to the top of the table, Jamar’s the man as Rockets run continues and the “Next Step” is taken by the Warriors. Here’s the Round 6 wrap of the NBL1 Central 2022…

An early poke in his "Eagle Eye" did not stop Adam Doyle from draining 21 points in the third quarter Saturday night; his weekend accumulation of 50 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds was damaging. Picture supplied by AllStar Photos

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Saturday 7/05/22

Eastern Mavericks vs Forestville Eagles

Sister act Eagles exile Mavs

It wasn’t just one but two pairs of sisters that setup a comfortable 53-89 win for the Forestville Eagles over the Eastern Mavericks at the Shooting Gallery. The Freer sisters Maddy and Jordyn scored 13 of the Eagles 27-42 in the first half before the Simons took over with Sam finishing with 20 points at 62.5 percent and 6 assists and Jess 21 points at 72 percent with 5/7 triples. Izzy Stratford was the big winner across four quarters with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. The Mavericks were led by their two imports Lefebvre-Okankwu with a 16 point, 12 rebound and 7 steal double double and Gouchie-Provencher with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Olivia Bradley finished the game well late to bring up 14 points to be the next best.

Eagle eye Doyle and DJ lever Legan Mavs

The Forestville Eagles bounced back in a big way as they eventually levered away from the enthusiastic energetic Eastern Mavericks 84-121 at the Shooting Gallery. Adam Doyle despite a poke in the eye early in the first quarter got his eye in more ways than one in the 12–38-point third quarter as he drained 6 of 6 beyond the arc to notch a 21 point quarter to finish with 27 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds. Daniel Johnson got the Eagles going early to finish with a huge bacon double double of 21 points, 20 rebounds and 7 assists, Brandon Brine double doubled as well for 23 points and 12 rebounds while Fiston Ipassou dropped 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. James Legan in his first game in Mavs colours returned with a bang with 32 points including 7 triples while Koop McCalop shot, dunked, and blocked his way to 20 points and 9 rebounds before fouling out in 30 minutes of high octane action.

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