Central Spotlight | DJ ejected but Eagles keep winning

Featured image: @snapshotphotography3 / Snap Shot Photography

There was plenty of feeling in the Anzac Day battle and eventually Thomas Kurowski got under Daniel Johnson's skin enough to get the NBL great ejected but it didn’t stop the Forestville Eagles beating the Norwood Flames 90-77 in NBL1 Central.

The Flames were back home at The ARC attempting to bounce back from their one-point loss to the West Adelaide Bearcats the night before but it was always going to be a big test against Forestville.

Norwood did start strongly with a 14-7 beginning, but Forestville soon got on top and their 31 points in the third quarter set them on the way to the win despite some late drama.

There was a battle for a rebound under the Forestville basket with Johnson taking out his frusrations on Kurowski giving him a forearm shove from behind and then standing over the Flames import which meant the star veteran and man who has his No. 21 retired by the Adelaide 36ers took an early shower with just over three minutes to play.

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The margin was just 12 at that point and Norwood were making a charge but Forestville still had the answers to win by 13 and improve to 6-1 on the season with 30 free-throw attempts to 16 in the game while pulling down 15 offensive rebounds to 11, and forcing the Flames into 19 turnovers.

Forestville continue to build some impressive momentum again this season with their powerful line-up even with Johnson being ejected and not having a massive impact in his 33:39 before that with nine points, five rebounds and two assists.

Greg Mays was the star of the win for the Eagles with 33 points and 13 rebounds on 14/17 shooting from the field with six of his boards at the offensive end.

Jordan Forbes added 22 points, eight assists, three rebounds and three steals, Alex Starling 11 points, six boards and three assists, and Fiston Ipassou five points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Adam Doyle won the Anzac Medal and finished with five assists, three points, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

While Norwood comes away from the weekend without a win, they did so much right on Friday before that heartbreaking loss to West Adelaide and then again they took the challenge right up to the powerful Eagles less than 24 hours later.

The Flames might now sit on a 3-4 record, but there's plenty to like about their team with Thomas Kurowski playing full of passion and fire once more for 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Daniel Webber added 17 points, six rebounds and two steals, Campbell Scott eight points, seven assists and five boards, Oscar Sabine eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Cooper Osborne eight points and five assists.

Norwood were at home on Anzac Day trying to bounce back from their heartbreaking Friday night loss to West Adelaide and they did start well at home with a 14-7 beginning to the contest.

Forestville did respond to close the first quarter on a 15-6 run to be leading 22-20 at quarter-time while getting to the foul line 12 times to just twice from the Flames.

The Eagles threatened to pull away in the second period with a nine-point lead but the Flames responded to score 11 straight points and reclaim the lead.

In the end, it was a narrow 40-38 advantage for Forestville by half-time with Greg Mays and Daniel Johnson combining for 20 points while Thomas Kurowski had 13 for Norwood.

Still a major difference was the 17 free-throw attempts for the Eagles to four from the Flames, but the home team was doing well to stay in touch until Forestville flexed their muscles in the third quarter.

The Eagles piled on 31 points to 16 with some hot shooting and that saw them leading by 17 at three quarter-time before there was still some drama to come.

Kurowski and Johnson had been going at each other all evening and eventually frustrations spilled over with just over three minutes to go with Norwood having got back within 12.

Johnson ended up receiving both an unsportsmanlike and technical foul in the one incident and that saw his night over early, but the Flames couldn’t capitalise with the Eagles still completing the 13-point victory.

Forestville will now take on the Southern Tigers on the road next Saturday with Norwood away to the Sturt Sabres also on Saturday night.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ANZAC ROUND

NORWOOD FLAMES 77 (Kurowski 25, Webber 17, Scott 8, Osborne 8, Sabine 8)

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 90 (Mays 33, Forbes 22, Starling 11)