Central Spotlight | Flames beat Sabres to keep rolling

Featured image: Sport in focus, Richard Keane

All five Norwood Flames starters scored in double figures as they made it three straight NBL1 Central wins and ended the three-game winning run of the Sturt Sabres with the 85-74 victory.

The NBL1 Central season resumed on Saturday night and the Flames were at home at The ARC having won their past two games to consolidate themselves in a finals place while the Sabres were still sitting second having won their last three after their lone two losses of 2026.

It was a fast start from Norwood with 26 points to 14 in the first quarter and then the Flames remained on top the rest of the way to build up a 22-point lead in the second frame, and 23 in the third.

Norwood then completed the 11-point victory in the finish to make it three straight wins to improve to an 8-5 record while the Sabres are now 10-3 having lost three of their previous six matches.

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The Flames finished the night shooting 49 per cent from the field to 31 from the Sabres along with hitting 12/26 from downtown to 8/26, and they won while overcoming conceding 15 offensive rebounds to Sturt and having 25 turnovers themselves.

Maddy Hinton ended up delivering 20 points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals while Amy Cotton contributed 16 points, five boards, two assists and two blocked shots, and Caitlin Shillabeer 14 points on 4/6 three-point shooting.

Cali Clark also had 13 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals with Allysyn Becki adding 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to deliver a triple double in the big win for Norwood.

Tayla Brazel top scored for Sturt with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists with Paige Padroth contributing 19 points, nine boards, six steals and four assists despite shooting 3/18 from the floor. She did make 12/14 at the free-throw line.

Nicola Mathews added 10 points, three rebounds and two assists, Mia Walker-Roberts seven points and two boards, and Nicola Mathews 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.

Both teams brought winning form into the match up coming out of the King's Birthday long weekend and it was a hot start from the Flames with 26 points to 14 in the opening quarter thanks to going on a 9-0 run.

Maddy Hinton had seven of those points and Caitlin Shillabeer six with Norwood shooting 45 per cent to 28 while they forced the Sabres into seven turnovers to help them get up an extra four shot attempts.

It was another 23 points to 16 in the second quarter in favour of Norwood which saw their lead get out to as much as 22 points before leading 49-30 by half-time with Hinton up to 13 points and Shillabeer 11.

The Flames were shooting 51 per cent in the first half to the 28 from the Sabres while Norwood maintained control throughout the second half with the lead growing to as much as 23 before they ended up completing the 11-point win with Sturt putting up 25 points in the final term.

Norwood will now try to keep their winning run going when they host the South Adelaide Panthers next Saturday with the Sabres attempting to bounce back against the Woodville Warriors next Saturday.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ROUND 11

NORWOOD FLAMES 85 (Hinton 20, Cotton 16, Shillabeer 14)

STURT SABRES 74 (Brazel 20, Padroth 19, Mathews 10)