Central Finals | Cali inspires massive Norwood comeback

Featured image: Sport in focus, Richard Keane

The Norwood Flames delivered the most remarkable first semi-final NBL1 Central comeback from 18 points down in the second quarter with Lorraine Eiler Medal winner Cali Clark starring in 68-64 win over the South Adelaide Panthers.

Both teams opened their finals campaigns last Saturday with Norwood losing to the Sturt Sabres but having earned a double chance having finished the regular season third while South Adelaide beat the Forestville Eagles for a fifth straight victory.

That led into their match up at The ARC on Saturday night with the Panthers making the strong start with a 9-0 run to go into quarter-time leading 23-14 with the 9/18 shooting from the field to 6/15.

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South Adelaide took further control in the second quarter and the lead got out to 18 points along the way by the time they had turned that 9-0 run into a 17-point scoring streak without an answer from the Flames.

The Panthers were still leading 45-34 by half-time and by the break Keira Gardiner was up to 11 points and Hannah Stewart 10 with South Adelaide on track to book in a preliminary final berth.

Norwood did begin to mount their fightback in the third quarter and were back within six by three quarter-time, but it was in the final term where they really made their move.

The Flames did the third quarter with the last five points with a triple from Cali Clark and a bucket to Amy Cotton from an offensive rebounds, and then kept that momentum going.

Norwood then opened the final term with a three-point play from Clark, a three ball from Caitlin Hardin and then a triple from Ally Becki to hit the front three minutes into the quarter.

Suddenly with under three minutes left the Flames had completely flipped proceedings to be leading by 10 after another score from Clark following a huge offensive rebound.

The Flames went on to score the four-point win with the most dramatic of turnarounds to keep their season alive and set up a preliminary final rematch from the opening week of the finals with the Sturt Sabres.

On the back of being named Lorraine Eiler Medallist last week, Cali Clark showed why for Norwood ending up with 22 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots.

Ally Becki then also contributed 19 points, five boards, four assists and two steals, Amy Cotton 11 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two assists, and Caitlin Shillabeer seven points, four steals, two rebounds and two assists.

The season is now over for South Adelaide after finishing the night shooting 38 per cent from the field and having 23 turnovers of which 12 came in the second half.

Keira Gardiner finished with 16 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists with Bianca Stasinowsky contributing 16 points and five boards with 4/10 three-point shooting.

Hannah Stewart also had 10 points, eight rebounds and two steals, Hannah Gardiner seven points and three boards, Aimee Brett six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Daisy Hocking 13 rebounds along with four points and four assists.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | FIRST SEMI-FINAL

NORWOOD FLAMES 68 (Clark 22, Becki 19, Cotton 11)

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 64 (Stasinowsky 16, K Gardiner 16, Stewart 10)