BASKETBALL SA PREMIER LEAGUE • FINALS WEEK 1, 2017 PREMIER LEAGUE HangTIME BEST oF THE BEST Follow every dunk a premierleaguesa.com.au f @basketballpremierleague t @BasketballSA_ #LEAGUEOFOUROWN THE FINALS WOMEN’S QUALIFYING FINAL EASTERN MAVERICKS V NORTH ADELAIDE AT ADELAIDE HILLS | TIP-OFF 6.30PM WOMEN’S ELIMINATION FINAL NORWOOD FLAMES V STURT SABRES AT ARC CAMPBELLTOWN | TIP-OFF 6.30PM MEN’S QUALIFYING FINAL SOUTHERN TIGERS V NORWOOD FLAMES AT MORPHETT VALE | TIP-OFF 7.30PM MEN’S ELIMINATION FINAL WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS V STURT SABRES AT PORT ADELAIDE | TIP-OFF 8.00PM EDITOR David Penrose WRITERS Benito Carbone Sam Phillips Joseph Campbell Kieren Vartuli Tom Edwards James Woite Jakob Fairbank Alex Jacobs David Penrose DESIGN David Penrose PHOTOS AllStar Photos THE SOUTHERN TIGERS START THEIR QUEST FOR BACK-TO-BACK TITLES AGAINST NORWOOD THE FINALS MEN’S PREVIEW WILL WE SEE A RUN FROM OUTSIDE THE TOP THREE? est Adelaide and Sturt will they lost to Norwood) after finishing Head-to-head in that time the be hoping to repeat recent fifth in the regular season. Sabres have won three of five runs from an elimination W The Bearcats will be aiming to battles against the Bearcats final to the grand final when they continue their recent good form in start their finals campaign on At Morphett Vale, the Southern Saturday night. elimination finals, having won four Tigers can continue their recent of five over the past decade. The Bearcats and Sabres are the success over Norwood and build on only sides in the past decade to The Sabres have played in three last season’s finals return. cut-throat games in the opening have made the men’s decider from The Tigers defeated the Flames in outside of the top-three. round of the finals during the past 10 years, winning one and losing last season’s finals on their way to West won three sudden-death two. the premiership. finals in 2014 before falling to Woodville by two points in the grand Overall in the past 10 years both Norwood has played in more finals final at Adelaide Arena, while Sturt Sturt and West have played 19 (26) than any other men’s side over made the 2015 grand final (where finals. the past decade. 4 HANG TIME THE FINALS - WEEK 1 #LEAGUEOFOUROWN THE FINALS OVER THE PAST DECADE MEN’S FINALS RECORDS SINCE 2007 P W L W% Central District Lions 4 1 3 25.0 Eastern Mavericks - - - - Forestville Eagles 24 13 11 54.1 3 North Adelaide Rockets 13 3 10 23.0 1 Norwood Flames 26 15 11 57.6 3 South Adelaide Panthers 3 2 1 66.6 Southern Tigers 2 2 0 100.0 1 Sturt Sabres 19 10 9 52.6 1 West Adelaide Bearcats 19 9 10 47.3 Woodville Warriors 10 5 5 50.0 1 #LEAGUEOFOUROWN THE FINALS - WEEK 1 HANG TIME 5 THE EASTERN MAVERICKS ARE ENTERING THEIR FIRST FINALS SINCE 2013 THE FINALS WOMEN’S PREVIEW MAVS BACK ON THE BIG STAGE AGAINST NORTH he Eastern Mavericks return against North the first home final their return to the major round and to the finals stage for the for Eastern in at least a decade. edged this weekend’s opponent, first time since 2013 when T The Rockets have played more they host North Adelaide in a Norwood, by six points in the finals than any other side in the past qualifying final. 10 seasons, featuring in a total of penultimate round. Eastern will be featuring in just its 24 major round match-ups. The Flames are aiming for their third finals series since 2007 and its Five of them have been qualifying third-straight title and fifth in six first qualifying final in that time. finals, with North winning three The Mavericks’ two other finals times. seasons. campaigns finished in elimination Sturt is also returning to the finals They will have to become the first final defeat, to Central Districts in after missing out the past two 2012 and Forestville in 2013. seasons. team since Forestville in 2011 to Both games were on the road, The Sabres won their final six win through to the women’s decider making Saturday night’s clash games of the season to confirm from an elimination final. 6 HANG TIME THE FINALS - WEEK 1 #LEAGUEOFOUROWN THE FINALS OVER THE PAST DECADE WOMEN’S FINALS RECORDS SINCE 2007 P W L W% Central District Lions 3 1 2 33.0 Eastern Mavericks 2 0 2 0.0 Forestville Eagles 21 12 9 57.1 3 North Adelaide Rockets 24 13 11 54.1 Norwood Flames 21 13 8 61.9 4 South Adelaide Panthers 7 2 5 28.5 Southern Tigers 6 2 4 33.0 Sturt Sabres 18 8 10 44.4 2 West Adelaide Bearcats 17 9 8 52.9 1 Woodville Warriors 1 0 1 0.0 #LEAGUEOFOUROWN THE FINALS - WEEK 1 HANG TIME 7 PREVIEW WOMEN’S QUALIFYING FINAL EASTERN MAVERICKS NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS AT ADELAIDE HILLS | SATURDAY JULY 29 | TIP-OFF 6.30PM astern coach Nathon Jones The sides split two contests during Wilson has helped take Eastern to cannot hide his pride in the the minor round. new heights in 2017, averaging 26.2 way the Mavericks have E North won by 33 points in round points and 11.1 rebounds per game. climbed the ladder to finish in the four while the Mavericks prevailed top three this season. Rockets’ coach Brenton Johnston by six points in the most recent says his team is being careful not But ahead of a home qualifying final meeting in the Hills. to lose focus of the other threats on against North Adelaide he knows “North has a lot of finals experience the Mavericks’ roster. there is plenty of work to be done and regardless of the ladder I think if Eastern is to be crowned Premier “As a group we’re looking forward we’ll go in as the underdogs,” Jones League champions. to the challenge,” Johnston said. said. “We’ve just aimed at consistent “We need to be aware Wilson “It’s going to come down to us improvement,” Jones said. is there but that we are not too having a good defensive game. “That’s been our motto all year that focused on her. “They have a lot of firepower but we want to improve at every training what they were able to do to us “When you focus on her she is and game.” the first time was change up their so clever she drags her other After missing out on the minor defence and we shot terribly.” teammates in and they start to premiership to Southern after losing score.” Jones has plenty of firepower at to the Tigers in the final round a his disposal also. Johnston said his team is firing at blockbuster clash with the Rockets the right time of season and with looms for Eastern. Two-time WNBL Champion Alex a full group to choose from after missing some players to holidays during the regular season. “Some people had us rated as not making finals this season so finishing third we’re satisfied with that,” he said. Jo Hill has starred for the Rockets, leading the team with 14.9 points per game. While Opal Mader is averaging 16 points per game in her last five appearances, including a team-high 19 in North’s final round loss to West Adelaide. Hill and Norrisha Victrum have both played key playmaking roles in the Rockets’ run to the top three. BY ALEX JACOBS NORTH’S OPAL MADER t @ALcobsy 8 HANG TIME THE FINALS - WEEK 1 #LEAGUEOFOUROWN EASTERN MAVERICKS’ KEDEISHA KARTINYERI MAVERICKS WOMEN ROCKETS WOMEN COACH NATHON JONES COACH BRENTON JOHNSTON # PLAYER POS PPG RPG APG # PLAYER POS PPG RPG APG 4 Alex WILSON G 26.2 11.1 3.4 4 Norrisha VICTRUM G 10.2 6.1 4.2 7 Ashlyn MENZ F/C 2.3 3.8 0.9 4 Opal MADER F/C 13.5 4.5 2.1 9 Hayley WADFORTH G/F 5.4 3.0 1.4 7 Jo HILL F/C 14.9 8.3 4.3 10 Shayde QUINTRELL C 7.6 5.6 1.0 8 Abigayle MADER G/F 1.3 0.7 0.4 11 Kedeisha KARTINYERI G 13.3 4.7 4.1 9 Tayla CORRIGAN F/C 13.2 6.1 0.7 13 Heather PURDIE G/F 0.5 0.3 0.1 10 Tia BAILS 0.5 0.2 0.1 15 Jaimi ROCK G/F 4.7 1.9 1.5 11 Kirsty WILLIAMS G/F 5.6 5.2 1.8 17 Caitlin SAMPSON F 0.2 0.4 0.0 12 Sophie BYRNE G 5.6 1.5 1.1 20 Charlotte CARTER G/F 0.3 0.2 0.2 14 Courtney HANSEN G/F 6.7 3.4 0.4 22 Rachael HINES F 7.8 4.8 1.7 15 Lauren THORNETT G 3.3 4.4 3.3 24 Broooke BASHAM G 10.2 3.8 2.5 20 Taylor GOGGINS F/C 0.8 2.6 0.5 25 Shayelan PAECH F 2.7 2.4 0.1 22 Ana BOTEI 0.0 0.0 0.2 OFFICIALS H STARKEY, A GILLINGS #LEAGUEOFOUROWN THE FINALS - WEEK 1 HANG TIME 9 PREVIEW WOMEN’S ELIMINATION FINAL NORWOOD FLAMES STURT SABRES AT THE ARC CAMPBELLTOWN | SATURDAY JULY 29 | TIP-OFF 6.30PM orwood will have to ladder positions in recent years, down just one player, rather it’ll have complete the tricky trek Good admitted many of the side to be a whole hearted defensive N from fourth if it is to claim had not faced a scenario where focus to get Norwood the win.” its third-straight women’s Premier there was no second chance.