Southern Tigers win second men’s title in three years, while North Adelaide completes unbeaten season in women’s Premier League
One bounced back from two losses in three games before the playoffs, while the other completed an unbeaten season. But Southern Tigers and North Adelaide finished their campaigns with the same title – Premier League basketball champions.
SOUTHERN Tigers coach Dean Nyberg says winning this year’s men’s Premier League basketball title is just as fulfilling as the breakthrough 2016 championship because of the club’s tougher path to the top this year. North
The Tigers secured their second crown in three seasons – all under Nyberg – with a 70-64 grand final victory over Forestville on Saturday night.
Nyberg said the 2016 championship in his first campaign as coach “came together reasonably easily” after building a team boasting stars Mitch Creek and Alex Starling, and losing just one game all year.
This season Southern entered the playoffs on the back of two defeats in three games and with the spectre of last season’s grand final loss hanging over it while battling doubters who expected a Forestville side with 36ers Daniel Johnson, Brendan Teys and Adam Doyle to prevail.
“I’m just elated,” Nyberg said.
“We put in a lot of hard work through the year and obviously knew Forestville had put in a pretty good together that was going to be very tough and it was.
“But it’s so rewarding right now with all these guys.
“This year was a little harder and the guys that were there last year obviously having a (grand final) loss.”
CJ Turnage (23 points, 12 rebounds) topscored for the Tigers, Brandon Brine (21 points) had the hot shooting hand, captain Sam Johns (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Greg Mays (15 boards) kept Johnson (21 points) quiet.
He caught fire when the championship was on the line during the final period and hit two heavily contested corner triples in the closing stages.
Forestville captain Adam Doyle had tied scores by making a lay-up with two-and-a-half minutes remaining before Brine nailed a corner three from near the base line.
“Different guys stepped up at different times,” Nyberg said.
“CJ was MVP but Brandon was right there with him.
“All year one of our weaknesses teams would say was ‘they can’t hit threes’ but we did it the right way and at the right times.
“And not just Brandon, even though he was the star tonight.”
The match was also a swan song for veteran Tigers big man Jordan Dodman, who scored four points off the bench.
“He’s amazing, plays his role and never complains,” Nyberg said.
“He deserves a title to go out with.”
Forestville coach Andy Simons said his side’s inability to execute in the closing stages cost it a victory.
The Eagles had their chances late in the final period and could have hit the lead with two minutes left when Teys missed a three.
Brine then made a tough triple for Southern, Sam Johns blocked Forestville captain Adam Doyle’s fall-away lay-up and the Eagles did not score again until Daniel Johnson’s two free throws at the final buzzer.
“We weren’t quite good enough,” Simons said.
“We put ourselves in a position to win the game … and they executed better than us down the stretch at both ends of the floor.
“It’s been something we’ve been quite good at over the last few months, particularly in finals, but we weren’t quite good enough at it (against Southern), unfortunately.”
Forestville entered the game having not lost since May 26 and on the back of three consecutive cutthroat finals wins after ending the minor round in fifth spot.
Southern raced to a 22-15 quarter-time lead before the Eagles cut it to two by half-time.
The second half was an arm-wrestle but Teys (eight points at 3/19 shooting) and import Jalen Richard (six points, only three shots) never got going.
Johnson (21 points, seven boards), Doyle (16 points, six rebounds) and Luke Phillips (11 points, 11 boards) were best for Forestville.
Simons said the season produced plenty of positives, including the emergence of Phillips and fellow youngster Michael Harris.
“We lost a game that we all wanted to win but we had a fantastic season,” he said.
“We had a varied roster all year and it was challenging from that perspective.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them and I don’t base an assessment on one game.”
The out-of-contract veteran coach said he would likely reapply for the role. He said if he kept the job, he would not start thinking about roster changes for a few months.
ROCKETS SOAR IN LEGEND’S SWAN SONG
THE first emotion North Adelaide coach Brenton Johnston felt after his side’s 18-point women’s Premier League grand final triumph over Forestville on Saturday night was relief.
Relief that his side did not fall at the final hurdle in completing an unbeaten season, at not losing a third title decider in four years and at being able to send club legend Jo Hill off into retirement with a victory.
It was a fairytale finish for Hill, whose remarkable career began when she joined the Rockets a as gangly 15 year old in 1989 and later featured a 2000 Olympic silver medal, 10 club MVPs and 351 WNBL games. “It’s been brilliant,” said Johnston, who had lost two grand finals as North coach before Saturday night.
“When we won the game, it was relief.
“It’s undefeated – no one can take that away from us – with an awesome group.”
The 79-61 margin did not reflect the tightness of the grand final.
North trailed by one point at quarter-time and was clinging to a three-point lead with three-and-half minutes remaining in the game.
Hill (29 points, 11 rebounds) came to the fore when the game was on the line.
She drove hard to the basket, exploited mismatches in the post and willed herself to loose balls.
A reverse lay-up while under pressure from Olivia Thompson pushed the lead to five points with three-and-a-half minutes left in the match, before North centre Tayla Corrigan made back-to-back big plays – a free-throw line jumper then a block – against her former side.
US import guard Leah Metcalf also had a massive influence on the game, registering 14 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four steals.
Johnston said for Hill – the league’s oldest player at 45 – to finish her stellar career with a grand final MVP was fitting.
“It’s always been a privilege to coach her,” he said.
As for Metcalf, Johnston said “she’s awesome”.
“It was a blessing that we got her.”
Johnston, a Rockets life member, will step down from the role next season because he needs a break and wants to spend more time competing in triathlons.
“I love the club (but coaching) just does wear you out.”
For the Eagles, Australian junior representative Sam Simons (22 points, seven rebounds) and Olivia Thompson (21 points, seven boards) battled hard.
Forestville, which finished third on the ladder, boasted a very inexperienced line-up yet it was difficult to shake until the fourth period.
The Rockets outscored the Eagles 27-13 during the final period.
