Central Finals | Brazel stars as Sabres beat Flames

Featured image: @snapshotphotography3 / Snap Shot Photography

Tayla Brazel came up huge with a third of her team's points to lead the Sturt Sabres to the 75-66 qualifying final win over the Norwood Flames to set up a clash with the West Adelaide Bearcats with a spot in the NBL1 Central Grand Final on the line.

It was a second against third match up on Saturday night at Springbank Secondary College with Sturt earning home court advantage finishing the regular season at 14-4 as they put themselves in contention once more having reached three of the last four Grand Finals.

They were hosting a Norwood team who finished at 12-6 winning seven of their last eight games to come into the finals with momentum having qualified for the first time since winning the 2023 championship – where they beat Sturt in the Grand Final.

The two teams renewed hostilities with a second semi-final spot on the line and it was the Sabres getting the better of the start with 18 points to 10 in the first quarter with the only six free-throw attempts and forcing Norwood into seven turnovers.

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The Sabres retained control through the second quarter with another 21 points to 13 and with Tayla Brazel proving the difference between the two teams with 20 points to the half, Sturt were well in control 39-23.

That was on the back of shooting 39 per cent to 31 along with going 5/14 from the outside to 2/12 and 8/12 at the foul line to 3/4 along with forcing the Flames into 16 turnovers.

That lead for the Sabres got out to 21 points in the third quarter and despite 26 points in the last quarter from the Flames, Sturt held firm for the nine-point victory to now be just one win away from yet another Grand Final appearance.

Norwood did shoot slightly better at 39 per cent to the 38 from Sturt, but the Sabres went 12/36 from the outside to 8/27, and ended up taking eight more shots on the back of forcing the Flames into 23 turnovers.

Tayla Brazel had another standout performance for Sturt with 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals with 5/12 shooting from the outside.

Zoe Walker-Roberts also had 15 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists on 3/5 three-point shooting with Paige Padroth contributing 14 points and four steals, and Nicola Mathews nine points, two rebounds and two assists.

Norwood remain alive having earned the finals double chance with Cali Clark finishing with another double double made up of 19 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.

Lara Gribben also had 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, Ally Becki 10 points, seven boards and seven assists, Maddy Hinton seven points, and Caitlin Shillabeer six points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Both teams are now back in action next Saturday with Sturt playing West Adelaide with a spot in the Grand Final on the line while the loser will host the preliminary final the following week.

Norwood's season goes on the line when they are at home to the South Adelaide Panthers.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | QUALIFYING FINAL

STURT SABRES 75 (Brazel 25, Z Walker-Roberts 15, Padroth 14)

NORWOOD FLAMES 66 (Clark 19, Gribben 15, Becki 10)