Central Spotlight | Centrals lock in playoff position

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It was a Grand Final rematch and crucial in deciding fifth position in the NBL1 Central and it was the Central Districts Lions taking charge in the final quarter on the way to the 104-89 win to end the championship defence of the West Adelaide Bearcats.

The two teams did battle in last year's Grand Final where the Bearcats prevailed and the Lions did beat them by 25 points earlier this season, but there was plenty at stake this time around again at Port Adelaide Recreation Centre.

Coming into the game and Centrals were fifth and Bearcats sixth with two games between them so the only hope for West Adelaide was to win their last two games and hope the Lions lost their past two.

So the first step in that was in their own control on Saturday night but Centrals started on fire with 31 points to 21 in first quarter but it was back to just a five-point ball game by three quarter-time.

That's when the Lions took over once more with another 25 points to 15 on the way to winning by 15 and locking in a finals place and ending any hopes of the Bearcats.

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Central Districts outscored West Adelaide 56 points to 36 in the first and fourth quarters on the way to shooting 49 per cent from the field to 35 while going 25/36 at the foul line to 26/29 to secure the finals clinching win.

Jayden Seymour ended up with 29 points, seven rebound and three assists for the Lions with 11/14 field goal shooting and 7/11 at the foul line.

Koen Sapwell added 27 points and seven rebounds, Deng Manyang 15 points, six boards, two assists and two steals, Magok Manyang 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, and Kalani Sapwell nine points, seven boards and seven assists.

West Adelaide now can't reach the finals to defend their championship with Braelen Bridges ending up with 26 points, 13 rebounds and four assists on 9/11 shooting from the floor and 8/8 at the foul line.

Nick Marshall also had 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and two steals with Tom Kubank adding 22 points, three rebounds and two assists, and Akok Machar 10 points, eight boards, three steals, three blocks and two assists.

The only hope left for West Adelaide to reach the playoffs was to win their last two games and hope Central Districts lost both theirs, so that was in their own hands on Saturday but the Lions weren’t in a charitable mood.

Centrals put up 31 points to 21 in the opening period with 55 per cent shooting including 4/8 from deep to the 47 per cent and 2/6 from West Adelaide with Koen Sapwell already having 12 points.

That lead got out to 12 for Central Districts in the second quarter but West Adelaide did well to get back into the contest and with Braelen Bridges up to 18 points and Nick Marshall 16, Centrals lead was back to just 56-49 by half-time.

The Lions were still shooting 53 per cent to 43 but it was a foul heavy second quarter and by half-time the Bearcats were going 16/17 at the free-throw line and Centrals 11/15.

There was another 15 free throws attempted by both teams again through the third quarter too and by three quarter-time it was a tight battle with Central Districts only clinging to the 79-74 advantage.

That set up a big final term with West Adelaide's title defence riding on it, but it was all Centrals with 25 points to 15 on the back of shooting another 9/12 at the foul line along with making 7/16 from the field to secure the 15-point victory to lock in a playoff position.

With playoffs now out of reach, the last game for the Bearcats as defending champions will be next Saturday night away to the Sturt Sabres while Centrals will gear up for the finals taking on the Norwood Flame at home.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 89 (Marshall 28, Bridges 26, Kubank 22)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 104 (Seymour 29, Koen Sapwell 27, M Manyang 15, D Manyang 15)