Busy Bella wants to help end South's title drought

Featured image: Just B Photography

Bella Stratford has already celebrated two NBL1 Central championships and is hunting a third and a first for South Adelaide Panthers in 68 years with the Mount Gambier local happy with the new home she's created and continuing to grow off the court too.

Stratford grew up in Mount Gambier but with the Pioneers not having a women's team for her to strive to play in, she became accustomed to the trip to Adelaide every weekend and now that's where she has continued to play, live and study for the most part since.

She might still only be 24 years of age, but she has sure crammed a lot into life and basketball already including being part of championship teams with the Southern Tigers and Norwood Flames, and having two seasons in the WNBL with the Bendigo Spirit.

Stratford also spent a year in college at California State University (Fullerton) and now along with what she's doing on the basketball court, life is full on with her now working as a team while she is a marine biologist and has just completed honours research year.

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This season on the court

As for what's happening on the court, the Panthers currently sit in fourth spot in the NBL1 Central at 5-3 with them having won five of six games prior to last Saturday's loss on the road to the defending champion Woodville Warriors.

Just prior to that and South Adelaide beat the North Adelaide Rockets on the Sunday after Anzac Day with Stratford delivering her season-best performance with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists with 3/6 three-point shooting.

Stratford feels her own form has been a little up and down, but the focus is on the team and while the loss to the Woodville is a hiccup, she does like the way they are building on missing out on finals last year with the aim of getting back into the mix in 2026.

"Yeah last week was a disappointing loss for us. We feel like we’ve put ourselves in a great position so far and grabbing that win and securing third would have been awesome," Stratford said.

"Our goal is to play finals so we’re still within that and will continue to improve going into the second half of the season.

"I’ve been a bit up and down but have been happy with my overall impact beyond the stat sheet so far this season.

"Scoring points is always what people look for but I think there’s much more to basketball than that. We’ve got a pretty deep roster this season where anyone could pop up with 15-20 which I think makes us difficult to scout.

"Hopefully we can maintain that and continue to build going into the second half of the season."

Hunting a championship with South Adelaide

While the South Adelaide men did breakthrough for a championship in 2022 with club legend Scott Ninnis as coach, Stratford is well aware of the lean pickings for the women's team and she wants to play a part in changing that.

The South Adelaide won an SA State League championship all the way back 1958 but have not enjoyed the ultimate success since and that's now where Stratford's goal is to help change that.

She does know what winning championships feels like too having been on the Southern Tigers that won a title in 2021 and then she was also on board at the Norwood Flames in 2023.

"South welcomed me in with open arms last year and I definitely feel at home. One thing I love about our team is how together we are and that makes the basketball easier," Stratford said.

"Playing in championships is what everyone strives to do and those experiences were great fun.

"Playing with the likes of Ally Wilson at Norwood and at that point coming back from my ACL injury was extra rewarding.

"In the lead up to the grand final I was subbing on for one whistle (so literally two seconds at one point) to qualify for finals, so it was an awesome reward.

"A third would be nice too! The women’s side at South is well overdue for one!"

Always proudly from Mount Gambier

While Stratford hasn’t been able to play any senior level basketball in Mount Gambier, that is always where she will call home and she will always have a connection to the Pioneers because of her family ties there.

In a way it's a shame for her that the Pioneers now play in NBL1 South and not Central so she doesn’t get the chance to head back to her hometown to at least play on the visiting team there, but it's always going to be home.

"Yes I’m Mount Gambier through and through!" Stratford said.

"I’ve been in Adelaide for nearly 10 years but a lot of my family are still down there.

"When I was growing up, the Pioneers didn’t have a women’s team so my family drove me the 10-hour round trip to Adelaide every weekend to play for nearly three years.

"I’m grateful for them and the sacrifices they have made for my sport. My dad and uncle both played for the Pioneers so that would be a nice little touch for sure (to get to play there)!"

A taste of the WNBL

Stratford has also already had a taste of the WNBL having spent the 2019/20 and 2021/22 seasons with the Bendigo Spirit, and hitting the court on 10 occasions across those two campaigns.

She will always be thankful for that experience and would be more than open to another opportunity should it open up, but she knows that's out of her hands and is just focused on doing the best she can with South Adelaide.

"My time in Bendigo was an amazing learning experience for me," she said.

"I was very young and I am grateful still for the opportunities I got over there. I’d love an opportunity if it came my way but for now I’m content with enjoying the game."

Busy life away from basketball

Basketball is still a big focus for Stratford, but her life is certainly hectic all-round with her having finished Bachelor of Science and working on her master's in marine biology all the while now working as a teacher.

She is a marine biologist by trade and long-term she'd like to get back to working in that, but for now she's happy following her family's footsteps teaching even if it's a lot to juggle with the work, the study and the basketball.

"I have started a new job this year in Westminster School’s outdoor ed program and am doing my master's at the same time which is a lot to juggle," Stratford said.

"Going from work straight to class and then to basketball has been interesting but I appreciate the support of the club and coaching staff in particular.

"I am actually a marine biologist and recently completed my Bachelor of Science and honours research year in marine biology. That’s a fun fact for you!

"I’m excited to move into teaching and start a career in that with the option to return to research down the track - both my parents are teachers so it feels like the right fit at the moment!"