Live stream: Basketball SA District League U21, U23 and Senior Reserves preliminary finals

It’s getting down to the business end of the Basketball SA District League playoffs with the preliminary finals. See SA’s best local basketballers in their pursuit of silverware. Four full REPLAYS.

A huge three-pointer with three seconds remaining has secured South Adelaide a hard-fought victory against Central Districts in the men’s reserves preliminary final at the Basketball SA District League playoffs.

Both teams went into their preliminary final on the back strong wins and the 86-84 scoreline at the State Basketball Centre highlighted how little separated both teams in ability and mental toughness.

REPLAYS

Court 5

South Adelaide Panthers v Central District Lions (Senior men reserves)

Watch the full replay in the window above.

Norwood Flames v Forestville Eagles (Senior women reserves)

Court 2

Southern Tigers v Forestville Eagles (U23 Women, div 1)

West Adelaide Bearcats v Woodville Warriors (U21 Men Div 1)

With under 10 seconds remaining the Lions held a slender two-point advantage before the Panthers pulled off their miraculous comeback with the game-clinching three-pointer.

It was a fitting end to an entertaining and high-quality contest where, unfortunately, there had to be a loser.

It was always going to be a physical encounter with both sides not afraid of body contact, but it was the South Adelaide Panthers who broke the shackles first in the opening quarter.

Their height and strength had the smaller Lions regularly on the backfoot despite giving away an obvious advantage in court speed.

The 24-16 quarter-time scoreline was a fair reflection of the gap between the two sides and when the margin was pushed beyond double figures it seemed hard to imagine the Lions getting back into the contest.

But wayward shooting from the Panthers opened the door for their rivals.

Suddenly the Lions found their range around the net and their court speed began to have a real impact.

The third quarter ebbed and flowed with both teams experiencing periods of dominance. The Lions enjoyed a five-point lead early in the quarter but found themselves one behind at the final change.

The last term was a titanic struggle as both teams went basket for basket, with neither experiencing significant periods on top.

In the other men’s encounter at The Lights, West Adelaide were well beaten by a rampant Woodville in the their men’s under-21 division 1 encounter.

The Warriors bounced out of the blocks to lead by 10 points at quarter-time, extending it to 12 at the half.

The Bears simply couldn’t go with them as Woodville cruised to a 75-57 victory.

Later on, the Norwood Flames ran into a red-hot Forestville and came off second best, going down 81-64 in the women’s senior reserves clash at the State Basketball Centre.

Trailing at every change, Norwood simply had no answers to the Eagles’ speed and accurate ball movement.

They did drag themselves back into the contest late in the third quarter but the Eagles still turned for home four points ahead.

That was a close as they managed as the Eagles took flight to blow the margin out to 20 points late in the quarter before a Norwood three-pointer reduced the final margin to 17.

The Forestville Eagles also succeeded in their women’s under-23 division 1 assignment against the Southern Tigers.

Trailing eight points at halftime, the Eagles regrouped to claim the contest 60-56 after a 22-point third quarter.

Although still behind by two points at three-quarter time, Forestville continued their momentum to overun the Tigers by four points at The Lights.

PREVIEW

SA’s top local basketball sides will clash on Tuesday in the Basketball SA District League U21, U23 and Senior Reserves preliminry finals.

Teams representing Central District, Forestville, Norwood, Southern Tigers, South Adelaide, West Adelaide and Woodville will all compete for the ultimate prize at both the State Basketball Centre and The Lights venues.

You can watch all the action LIVE and EXCLUSIVE right here on The Advertiser website and KommunityTV from 6.30pm.

Check then full LIVE STREAM schedule below.

Central District will clash with South Adelaide in Tuesday’s senior men reserves decider.

The U21 Men Div One preliminary final, contested by West Adelaide and Woodville will tip-off proceedings at The Lights Community and Sports Centre, while South Adelaide and Central District will clash in the senior men reserves big dance at the State Basketball Centre.

Both the Lions and Panthers are coming off impressive wins to make the preliminary final and should produce an entertaining display to cap off their respective strong seasons.

A red-hot Norwood Flames side will clash with Forestville in the women’s senior reserves clash, while Southern Tigers and Forestville will compete for the U23 Women div one crown at the same time.

Originally published as Live stream: Basketball SA District League U21, U23 and Senior Reserves preliminary finals