Central Spotlight | Lions roar over Bearcats in GF rematch

Featured image: @Picture It Sport Photography

The Central Districts Lions inflicted some more early season pain on the defending champion West Adelaide Bearcats and earned a measure of revenge with the 113-88 NBL1 Central Saturday night win.

It was the first time the two teams had met since West Adelaide won last year's Grand Final with the Lions hosting the Bearcats at STARplex, and both teams needing a win.

Centrals came into the match up having lost their past three matches while the Bearcats had also lost three straight by an average of almost 17 points.

Right from the outset it was the Lions in control to be leading by 13 at three quarter-time with the Bearcats shooting just 4/19. That didn’t improve with them going 7/35 by half-time with Central Districts leading 53-30 and converting that into the eventual 25-point win.

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Central Districts improve to 2-3 with the win on 55 per cent field goal shooting with Magok Manyang putting up 25 points, 12 rebounds and two assists on 8/11 field goal shooting, 3/5 from downtown and 6/8 at the foul line.

Jayden Seymour also had 21 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win for the Lions, Riley Harrap 19 points, three boards and two assists, and Koen Sapwell 16 points, five assists, three blocks, two steals and two rebounds.

Kalani Sapwell shot 5/6 from the field for 11 points with three assists while Deng Manyang had 10 points and eight rebounds.

West Adelaide are now 1-4 in their title defence with new face De'Sean Parsons putting up 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals fresh off some impressive performances in the NBL1 West at the Goldfields Giants.

One teammate he played against when in Kalgoorlie was Nik DeSantis including in the finals last year who was at the Geraldton Buccaneers on his way to winning a championship. DeSantis has returned to the Bearcats and had 11 points and three rebounds.

Braelen Bridges added 13 points and five rebounds, Sean Stock 13 points on 3/5 three-point shooting, and Tom Kubank 10 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Central Districts hadn’t forgotten last year's Grand Final and came out on a mission against the Bearcats with eight straight points in the first quarter on the way to a 13-point lead.

The Lions were leading 29-16 by the end of one on the back of shooting 61 per cent from the field to 21 from the Bearcats.

That lead ballooned to 23 points in the second frame for Central Districts and by half-time the Lions were leading 53-30 on the back of another 24 points to 14 in the term.

Magok Manyang already had 16 points and eight rebounds to his name while Jayden Seymour had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds with the Lions shooting 55 per cent to just 20 from West Adelaide who did at least get to the foul line 19 times to nine.

The lead continued to grow for the Lions and got out to as much 27 points in the third quarter but the points for flowing freely for both teams as they combined for 67 in the term.

West Adelaide did score 34 of them to find their shooting groove going 13/18 with 3/4 from deep, but still by three quarter-time Central Districts remained on top by 22.

It was another 27 points to 24 from the Lions in the final period to secure the 25-point win over their Grand Final conquerors.

The Lions have the quick turnaround to being away to the Forestville Eagles on Sunday while the Bearcats will attempt to revive their championship defence on Friday at home to the Norwood Flames and then on Anzac Day away to the Southern Tigers.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ROUND 5

CENTRAL DISTRICTS LIONS 113 (Manyang 25, Seymour 21, Harrap 19)

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 88 (Parsons 22, Stock 13, Bridges 13)