Adelaide 36ers’ Anthony Drmic and CJ Turnage star as Southern Tigers record mixed results
Players returned to the court this week after a bye in both the men’s and women’s Premier League basketball competitions for Easter and many Adelaide 36ers players, including Anthony Drmic starred. Here is Messenger Community News’ recap of round eight and nine action.
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Players returned to the court this week after a bye in both the men’s and women’s Premier League basketball competitions for Easter and many Adelaide 36ers players, including Anthony Drmic starred.
Here is Messenger Community News’ recap of round eight and nine action.
TIGERS’ SIX-GAME WINNING STREAK COMES TO AN END BUT DRMIC STARS
Southern Tigers coach Dean Nyberg says it will take a full team effort to beat Mount Gambier in their men’s Premier League basketball clash at home this Saturday.
The Tigers enter the match following a win against North Adelaide on Anzac Day and a loss to top-placed Norwood last Saturday.
Southern battled Mount Gambier at the Ice House last month and the hosts won 108-99.
Former Adelaide 36ers point guard and Woollacott medallist Tom Daly topscored with 34 points and Nyberg said halting his influence him would be important.
“Tom Daly is the key for them, they’ve got a great starting five,” Nyberg said.
“It will take a team effort (to beat them).
“But certainly Tom dictates the ball and he had his way with us last time so there will certainly be a focus on stopping him.”
In the 90-82 triumph against Rockets at Hillcrest, Adelaide 36ers stars Anthony Drmic (23 points, five boards, three assists) and CJ Turnage (24 points, 10 rebounds) led the way for Southern.
Drmic also led the scoring in the 96-93 defeat to Norwood at the ARC Campbelltown.
“It’s an interesting season and up until Saturday we had won six in a row,” Nyberg said.
“Saturday (against Norwood) started off quite well, we were 10 points up at half-time then fell into a big hole in the second quarter, we were outscored 30-5.
“It was a little bit disappointing because I think we are a little bit better than what we showed and had been playing better.
“But I was really happy to get the win out at Hillcrest against North Adelaide. Splitting the weekend is a reasonable result for us.”
In women’s action, Southern prevailed in its Anzac Day clash against North, 90-63, before losing to the Flames in a nailbiter, 77-71 on Saturday.
Meanwhile the Flames’ men also enjoyed a 99-81 win against Eastern Mavericks on Anzac Day.
They are now 9-1 and top of the ladder.
Norwood’s women also beat Eastern 72-58.
SABRES MEN STRUGGLING BUT WOMEN STARRING
Sturt’s men and women’s teams continue to have contrasting fortunes.
While the Sabres’ men slumped to a 0-9 record after their 107-88 away loss to Central Districts on Saturday night, Sturt’s women moved to an 8-1 mark after a 119-60 drubbing of the Lions.
The men trailed Central 28-16 at quarter-time and 58-37 at half-time before matching the hosts during the second half.
Hayden Meakes (24 points) topscored for the Sabres coming off the bench.
Tom Goodall (17 points) was Sturt’s most productive starter.
In the women’s game, it was pretty tight early as the Sabres took a 28-24 lead into the first break.
But Sturt gradually pulled away, outscoring the Lions 25-18 in the second period and then piling on the points after half-time.
The Sabres registered 30 points to six in the third period and 36 to 12 in the last.
Kylee Smith (23 points, eight rebounds) topscored for Sturt, while Ruby Porter (18 points) and Elissa Brett (15 points, 10 rebounds, three steals off the bench) also had a major influence.
PANTHERS SNAP LOSING STREAK
South Adelaide’s woeful men’s season got well and truly back on track with two victories last week to snap a six-game losing streak.
The Panthers came into its Anzac Day clash against Sturt at Titanium Security Arena with a 0-6 record but injected some life back into its campaign, first with a 103-92 win over the Sabres.
Jarryd Hoppo starred with 30 points, six rebounds, three steals and three blocks in an impressive display at both ends of the court.
The Panthers led by eight points at the first break but a poor second term had them down by four at half-time. South outscored the Mavericks 30-14 in the third quarter before a high-scoring 36-32 final stanza.
South was successful again when it beat Eastern Mavericks 106-90 at Mount Barker on Saturday Night.
In women’s action, the Panthers were battered 109-53 by Sturt and then smashed 93-59 by Eastern in a tough week.
Captain Brianti Saunders battled hard in both defeats as she topscored in each match.
The Panthers are 3-5 on the season.
LIONS MEN JUMP INTO TOP FIVE
A blistering performance from beyond the arc sparked Central Districts to its fifth men’s victory of the season on Saturday night.
The Lions made a deadly 13 of 16 from three-point range to defeat Sturt 107-88 at Starplex.
Jordan Riewer shot the lights out, hitting seven long range jumpers without missing, on his way to 26 points, four assists and four steals.
The Sabres were also on fire from three-point range as they made 12 of 17.
Central bounced out to a 28-16 lead at the first break and extended it to 21-point advantage at half-time before seeing out the match strongly.
Lual Diing and Apiok Dau (22 points) had solid games.
The Lions are now 5-4 on the season and well within playoff contention.
They also lost 111-102 to Forestville at Wayville on Anzac Day.
In women’s action, Central was no match for Sturt as it went down 119-60 on Saturday night.
Jazmen Boone and Niroshka Perez-Crespo (16 points) battled hard in a losing side.
The Lions also suffered defeat on Anzac Day in a 97-62 loss.
Central hosts North Adelaide at Starplex this Saturday night.
Forestville’s men then lost 101-97 at home to Mount Gambier on Saturday night.
The Eagles’ women also recorded a victory against the Pioneers, beating the newcomer 97-62.
ROCKETS GO DOWN TO SOUTHERN BEFORE SOARING AGAINST WEST
North Adelaide’s men recorded a mixed bag of results – losing to Southern Tigers 90-82 at home on Anzac Day before beating West Adelaide 81-71 at Port Adelaide on Saturday.
In this clash with the Tigers, Adelaide 36ers swingman Jack McVeigh topscored with 27 points, while Bijan Johnson netted 18.
Johnson and McVeigh starred again against the Bearcats, finishing the match with 29 and 19 points respectively.
For the Bearcats, US import Bryan Jefferson was strong with 22 points and eight rebounds.
West Adelaide, meanwhile, also fell to local rival Woodville, 77-72 on Anzac Day.
Jefferson again topscored for West with 17 points, while James Boonstoppel (28 points) was solid for Woodville.
In women’s action, reigning premier North Adelaide ‘s championship defence is in tatters following a 90-63 loss to Southern Tigers on Anzac Day and then a 95-65 defeat to the Bearcats on Saturday.
The Rockets are ninth on the ladder.
West Adelaide went down to Woodville 86-73 on Anzac Day but prevailed against North Adelaide 95-65 on Saturday.
Ashleigh Spencer topscored against the Rockets with 19 points, while Jasmin Fejo led the way with 21 points against the Warriors.
The Warriors’ women recorded the exact same results – beating West Adelaide, 86-73 in the earlier game on Anzac Day, before losing to Mount Gambier 78-62.
Teige Morrell was solid against West with 24 points and 13 boards.
Molly Whitmore was the Warriors’ topscorer against the Pioneers with 13 points.
ROUND 10
Saturday, May 4
■ South Adelaide v Forestville – at Adelaide Arena
■ Southern v Mount Gambier – at Morphett Vale
■ Sturt v Norwood – at Pasadena
■ Woodville v West Adelaide – at St Clair
■ Central Districts v North Adelaide – at Starplex
Sunday, May 5
■ North Adelaide v Woodville – at Hillcrest
■ Eastern Mavericks v Mount Gambier – at St Francis De Sales
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