Central Spotlight | Jess Simons hits 10 triples in big win

Featured image: Dan Cowley | @imagesby_dan

Jess Simons knocked down 10 three-pointers and the Forestville Eagles backed up an NBL1 Central win on Saturday with the 85-61 home victory on Sunday against the Central Districts Lions.

Forestville were back home at the State Basketball Centre on Sunday after snapping a three-game losing week the previous evening beating the Woodville Warriors.

Centrals arrived after losing also on Saturday by 45 points to the West Adelaide Bearcats and it was Forestville who fired from the start with a 24-12 first quarter and to end up winning by 24 with the 10 three-pointers from Simons while knocking down 16 from long-range as a team.

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Forestville made it two wins in less than 24 hours to improve to 3-3 on the season on the back of knocking down 16/49 from three-point range and pulling down 19 offensive rebounds, and ending up taking 19 extra shots for the game.

Jess Simons had a shooting night to cherish going 10/19 from behind the arc for 34 points with three steals, two rebounds and two assists.

Sarah Boothe added 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots, Gabi Vidmar nine points, three boards and two assists, Rachael King seven points, five rebounds and two assists, Sydney Hunter six points and 12 boards, and Sam Simons five points and seven assists.

Central Districts are now 1-5 after the double loss weekend having shot just 39 per cent from the field, 3/15 from behind the arc and 10/17 at the free-throw line while also having 20 turnovers.

Tiahna Sears top-scored for Centrals with 17 points and nine rebounds with Alana Howden adding 13 points, five boards and five assists, and Emily Winter 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Having got back to winning the previous night, Forestville kept that momentum going on Sunday with a hot start at home with an 8-0 run helping them to a 15-point lead in the first quarter.

The Eagles went into quarter-time leading 24-12 with Jess Simons and Sarah Boothe combining for 15 points while they shot 4/11 from downtown to 1/6 from the Lions who also had seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes.

Forestville added another 18 points to 15 in the second term to go into the half-time break in control leading 42-27 having led by as much as 18 along the way.

It was more of the same in the third frame with another 25 points to 16 in favour of the Eagles with a 10-0 run seeing that lead blossom to 27.

Simons already had eight three-pointers to her name by three quarter-time and on the back of that Forestville were leading 67-43 on the back of shooting 14/36 as a team from long range to 2/13 from Centrals.

It was then 18 points each in the fourth quarter with the Eagles ending up scoring the 24-point win to improve to 3-3 on the season.

Forestville will be next in action on Anzac Day on the road to the Norwood Flames while the Lions also play on Saturday at home to the South Adelaide Panthers.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ROUND 5

FORESTVILLE EAGLES 85 (J Simons 34, Boothe 14, Vidmar 9)

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 61 (Sears 17, Howden 13, Winter 13)