Central Finals | Panthers survive Eagles to advance

Featured image: Melissa Belanic | @justbphotoau

After reaching at least the NBL1 Central preliminary final the past two seasons, the Forestville Eagles' season ended at the hands of the South Adelaide Panthers who prevailed 83-79 on the back of a combined 30 points and 12 rebounds from Hannah and Keira Gardiner.

It was the Sabres playing host to the Eagles in the elimination final on Saturday night at Mitchell Park Sports and Community Centre with the winner to keep their season alive, and the loser's to be over,

South Adelaide were returning to finals action after missing out in 2025 and ended the regular season in fourth spot at 11-7 to earn home court advantage with Forestville fifth at 10-8 after playing in the Grand Final of 2024 and preliminary final of 2025.

With their seasons on the line neither team was going to give an inch and throughout the entire 40 minutes no more than seven points ever separated them which was an early Forestville advantage on the back of a 9-0 run.

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The Eagles were still leading 25-20 by the end of the first quarter with the visitors knocking down 5/11 from downtown with Gabi Vidmar up to nine points and Jess Simons eight.

South Adelaide managed to outscore Forestville 25 points to 21 in the second quarter and that saw the Eagles clinging to the 46-45 advantage at half-time with them shooting 8/16 from the outside to 5/9 and forcing the Panthers into eight turnovers.

South Adelaide were going 8/10 from the foul line to 4/5 with Hannah Gardiner scoring 11 points and Keira adding eight.

That set up a tremendous battle for the second half with everything on the line for both teams and by three quarter-time they couldn't be separated with the scores locked at 65-65.

Forestville went back out to a four-point lead a couple of times through the first half of the last quarter but South Adelaide responded and then were up four themselves with 2:30 to play following three-pointers from Bianca Stasinowsky and Hannah Stewart.

Aimee Brett stretched that lead to five with a free-throw but it was back to a one-point ball game heading into the last minute with a triple for Forestville from Gabi Vidmar.

The Panthers would score the only three points in that last minute including the clutch free throws from Maria Garcia Leon to secure the win and keep their season alive and end that of the Eagles.

South Adelaide finished the game shooting 47 per cent from the field to 43 and went 17/22 to 6/11 at the foul line but Forestville did get up an extra 11 shot attempts on the back of 15 offensive rebounds and forcing the Panthers into 15 turnovers.

Hannah Gardiner finished with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists in the win for the Panthers while Keira Gardiner contributed 14 points, seven boards and three assists.

Bianca Stasinowsky also had 14 points, five assists and four rebounds, Hannah Stewart 11 points, four boards, two steals and two blocks, Aimee Brett 10 points and five assists, and Maria Garcia Leon nine points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks along with the clutch free throws.

The season is now over for Forestville with Sarah Boothe finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists with Gabi Vidmar adding 15 points, seven assists, three boards and three steals on 5/7 shooting from the outside.

Sydney Hunter also had 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, Jess Simons 13 points and two assists, Ella Sawyer 11 points, 12 boards and eight assists, and Lily Milosevic nine points with 3/4 shooting from deep.

South Adelaide now will play for a spot in the preliminary final when they take on the Norwood Flames in the first semi-final on Saturday night at The ARC.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ELIMINATION FINAL

SOUTH ADELAIDE PANTHERS 83 (H Gardiner 16, K Gardiner 14, Stasinowsky 14)

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 79 (Boothe 18, Vidmar 15, Simons 13, Hunter 13)