Tag: south-australian

Photo provided by @justbphotoau

3-Minute Read

The Tigers unleashed in the first term with the new one-two strike of returning Tiger Mollie McKendrick and the double double machine of Holly Forbes as the pair combined for 25 points in the opening term. The Lions new import that the Den fans will fall in love with in Grace Stone made her impression and intentions clear early with some huge triples in the first quarter – three in all however the Tigers had the first swipe 32-18 after one. 

McKendrick continued to wreck havoc inside the paint and at the mid-range as she peeled off turnaround jumpshot and layup after layup contested with the home side jumping out to a game high 31 point with another returnee Rosie Williamson (Five points, nine assists & six steals) delivering the dimes and deliveries for the paint providers. The Lions continued to pepper from beyond the arc with varying degrees of success but trailed 58-30 at the main change.

It didn’t get much prettier from there as the Tigers answered each Lions attempt to reduce the margin. Stone and one sister for another recruit in Terran Wright (Eight points & five rebounds on return from NBL1 North & UBL) tried to reel it back in but Sophie Rogers (Eight points & four rebounds) triple and more Forbes free throws extended back out to 31 points and an unassailable 69-41 three quarter time lead.

The Lions came out in the fourth with split and pride in mind led by Emily & Georgia Winter with Tiahna Sears (eight points & 11 rebounds) in limited minutes refinding her feet however Williamson capped off the win with some points of her own delivering first time head coach Dan Cahill a first up win in 2026. 

It all revolved around the Tigers big paint paws of Mckendrick (28 points at 63 percent & nine rebounds) and Forbes (26 points, 10 rebounds & six steals) with plenty of support from the likes of Annie Bartsch with Eight points, seven rebounds & three assists), Williamson and Filipino recruit Jaz Joson.

Stone for the Lions was the leading player of the night for the away side with an impressive debut of 19 points with six triples at 50 percent & four rebounds with Alex Howden contributing 10 points, three assists & steals.

 The numbers that mattered 

• The Tigers through their “Paw Paint Pair” of Mckendrick and Forbes guided them to 56 percent from 2pt range and 18 of 25 from the free throw line
• Tigers ball movement was on point with 20 assists 
• Lions lived and died by the three point line shooting nine of 42 from beyond the arc
• In the first half McKendrick and Forbes combined for 40 points in the first half of the Tigers 58
• 85 is the highest score team score for the Southern Tigers since 101 points against the Woodville Warriors in 2024   

The Three Takeaways 

• Bring on the “Paw Paint Pair” of McKendrick and Forbes in a return to old fashioned paint oriented hoops
• Lions need an inside presence which they’ll get later into the season but need it quicker
• Continuity & familiarity are the keys to accelerating a side’s development in a new season – the Tigers may have plenty of new faces from last season but plenty of these players have played together before or are connected and it shows

SOUTHERN TIGERS 85 (McKENDRICK 28, FORBES 26, BARTSCH, ROGERS 8, WILLIAMSON 7)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 65 (STONE 19, HOWDEN 10, SEARS 8, T WRIGHT 7)

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORIES OF THE NBL1 CENTRAL

Every game deserves to be reported on including the history and background of the league – in 20 years time we may find it very difficult to look back at history and find data (as we are finding already in searching for past results and impact) so writing these articles is essential for capturing the essence of the league.

We have 300 plus players on lists of the NBL1 Central – $5 a week from every player and the NBL1 community will help you make sure you get written about by a local who knows the league in and out and has been active in the space the last five years and beyond. We need your support with more so please consider our options or consider sponsoring the website which also has an accompanying podcast and broadcasting of the NBL and WNBL through the Collective group.

All Episodes of the SA Shotclock now available on Spotify

Photo provided by Sport in Focus

3-Minute Read

In her return to the league for the first time since 2024 – the MVP was pivotal in the final term comeback for the Warriors over the Flames. It started tight with Hodges and Ambah Kowcun, the new skipper for the Warriors, hitting the scoreboard early. Import guard Dara Mabrey made a strong impression first up with a pair of triples echoing WNBA sister Marina & Notre Dame sister Michaela in her stead but forging her own path. In a night of returns former Forestville Eagle Amy Cotton (feature image) back from Houston Christian University made her mark on the match with some tough makes early and a long triple as both teams ended the first in a tight spot 21-23. 

Mabrey continued to be an issue in the second drawing fouls and continuously finding the charity stripe but another returnee in Taylor Ortlepp back from AFLW duties made a carpark deep triple for the Warriors to keep it moving forward for the yellow and green. The game did not move beyond the two basket mark in the second as blow for blow was traded by Annie Elliott & Caitlin Shillabeer off the back of a huge UBL season with the Adelaide Waatu and Naomi Allotey (five points, 10 rebounds & five assists) tying it all up 44-44 a piece at the half.

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The push came from the home side in the third as they gathered momentum through dynamic guard Maddy Hinton, imports Mabrey and Cali Clark (Six points and rebounds) and Cotton as the Flames jumped out to a 14-6 start. The Warriors quickly reversed it with a tough Ortlepp drive and some more Kowcun free throws to level it up 58-58 a piece before sharp shooter Brook Silby entered the frame for the Flames with a heater from outside to push it back out to 63-58 with one to play.

In the final term with the game on the line 64-64 the two experienced heads of the Warriors took the game by the scruff of the neck in Ortlepp and Hodges as they combined for a final term haul to push the Warriors out to their biggest lead of the game 64-72 with a 0-12 run. The run was broken by another Waatu product in Jemima Whitton and some work from young debutant and recent Sapphire contender Lara Gribben but Ortlepp and Hodges continued to control proceedings but the Flames weren’t done yet.

Cotton continued to have an impact late with a tip in then finished the floater in transition and fed Shillabeer to cut it again to single digits. It was cut further by the Flames as Shillabeer hit another triple from outside as did Hinton to slash it to a single basket again 80-83. It took a steadying Hodges make to right the ship for the Warriors as they escaped the ARC with the win. 

Brittany Hodges was stirring in her return with player of the game honours with 30 points and nine rebounds as was Taylor Ortlepp with 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and steals. A step up for Kowcun saw her relish some new responsibility in the absence of 2025 championship players Jasmin Fejo and Erin Phillips with 20 points with four triples, four rebounds and three assists. 

The Flames for their first up effort with some new pieces would’ve been pleased with what they got from Amy Cotton with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals backed up by the sharp shooting Shillabeer with 17 points at 4/7 from downtown & three rebounds. Hinton also hit the scoreboard throughout the night with 14 points, eight assists and new import Mabrey will only get stronger and better with 12 points, three assists and rebounds.

 The numbers that mattered 

• The Warriors gained multiple additional possessions with 19 offensive rebounds to seven led by Naomi Allotey (5) and Hodges (4)
• The Warriors however couldn’t capitalise on the outside triple with 26 percent on 8/30 from beyond
• The Flames had 26 turnovers with three offensive foul turnovers in the final term
• Taylor Ortlepp & Brttany Hodges had 9 points in the final term    

The Three Takeaways 

• Amy Cotton is one of the local recruits of the season – both ends of the floor and physically strong and influential in contest 
• Another AFLW player has an impact in a final quarter in Taylor Ortlepp 
• Warriors have the pieces and balance to be top three – the Flames will be vast improvers and dangerous the more weeks go by

NORWOOD FLAMES 81 (COTTON 19, SHILLABEER 17, HINTON 14, MABREY 12) 

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 86 (HODGES 30, ORTLEPP 21, KOWCUN 20)

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORIES OF THE NBL1 CENTRAL

Every game deserves to be reported on including the history and background of the league – in 20 years time we may find it very difficult to look back at history and find data (as we are finding already in searching for past results and impact) so writing these articles is essential for capturing the essence of the league.

We have 300 plus players on lists of the NBL1 Central – $5 a week from every player and the NBL1 community will help you make sure you get written about by a local who knows the league in and out and has been active in the space the last five years and beyond. We need your support with more so please consider our options or consider sponsoring the website which also has an accompanying podcast and broadcasting of the NBL and WNBL through the Collective group.

All Episodes of the SA Shotclock now available on Spotify

Photo provided by Sonya Connor Photography

3-Minute Read

It was a depleted start from the Rockets under new coach Georgia Crouch as her former counterpart at the Adelaide Lightning in Matthew Clarke returned to take the helm at the West Adelaide Bearcats. The red and black blitzed their way to a 0-17 start with Yaeger kicking things off with nine straight points including her first triple of the night. It took a visit to the free throw line for Jordyn Freer to break the run but the Bearcats already smelt blood in the water as Yaeger added another five for the term to give her 13 points with another Lightning returnee in Ashlee Strawbridge dropping the late finish off the window for a 6-30 start.

An immediate response was called upon by Crouch and she got from Olympian Lauren Mansfield (10 points & three rebounds) as she drained an early triple then managed to get former Eagle Maddy Freer up and running to cut it back to 18-35. Off the back of a strong performance for SA – the U20s brigade led by Coco Hodges with back to back triples resumed order as the Bearcats took a 26-49 handy lead into the halftime break.

The Rockets continued to try and fight back through the Freer sisters but a strong run of 2-11 from the away side had them in a commanding position of 33-60 with one to play. Yaeger shut the door on this one incredibly quick with a triple and a trademark setback three but knowing these two may be there at the end of the season – establishing a strong margin to chase down in their return meeting was clearly on the agenda as the Bearcats did not yield until the final buzzer.

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Yaeger produced in Round one yet again with 30 points at 64 percent, five assists, four rebounds and three steals with both Coco Hodges (12 points, five rebounds & steals and four assists) and Chloe Hodges (10 points, five rebounds & steals and three assists) near identical numbers. The Freer’s will be the pair to watch for the Rockets together with Jordyn Freer adding 15 points & seven rebounds and Maddy in her first game for the new colours eight points & rebounds with five steals and three assists.

 The numbers that mattered 

• Yaeger did her damage in the first term with 13 of her 30 points coming in the quarter 
• The Rockets registered 10 turnovers with eight missed field goals before Abbey Jones made the first with 58 seconds left in the first
• 29 steals were registered in the match with the Bearcats 19 of them led by the Hodges
• Yaeger now has averaged 31.75 points in Round One of the NBL1 Central since 2021 after scores of 15, 35, 47 and now 30 in consecutive matches.  

The Three Takeaways 

• Yaeger & Clarke are the combo – but we already knew that right?
• Even though we know this Bearcats team is getting stronger – the quick adjustments under Clarke should have the whole league on full notice
• The Rockets depth is concerning – health is a premium with plenty of experience but a slow start is looking likely now

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 53 (J FREER 15, MANSFIELD 10, M FREER, WARNER 8)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 76 (YAEGER 30, CH HODGES 12, CO HODGES 10)

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORIES OF THE NBL1 CENTRAL

Every game deserves to be reported on including the history and background of the league – in 20 years time we may find it very difficult to look back at history and find data (as we are finding already in searching for past results and impact) so writing these articles is essential for capturing the essence of the league.

We have 300 plus players on lists of the NBL1 Central – $5 a week from every player and the NBL1 community will help you make sure you get written about by a local who knows the league in and out and has been active in the space the last five years and beyond. We need your support with more so please consider our options or consider sponsoring the website which also has an accompanying podcast and broadcasting of the NBL and WNBL through the Collective group.

All Episodes of the SA Shotclock now available on Spotify