Central Spotlight | Machar inspires Warriors to stunning win

Featured image: @snapshotphotography3 / Snap Shot Photography 

The Woodville Warriors came back from a 14-point deficit with Awak Machar inspiring their huge fourth quarter fightback as they spoiled the NBL1 Central banner raising night of the West Adelaide Bearcats with the 87-85 win.

The Bearcats started their NBL1 Central championship defence with a hard fought road win over the North Adelaide Rockets last Saturday as they returned home to raise their championship banner this week at Port Adelaide Recreation Centre.

The Warriors arrived after a commanding first up 38-point road win last Saturday as well against the Norwood Flames and it was a tight battle for the first half before West Adelaide took charge in the third term to open up a 14-point advantage.

Woodville then got on a roll in the final quarter and went on an inspired 9-0 run to go from being three points down to six points up with six minutes to go. Ultimately it was Machar who sealed the win with two free throws with 1.4 seconds on the clock.

The full court pressure defence turned the game for the Warriors in the fourth quarter and they managed seven points off the turnovers forced while having 13 steals for the game including seven of those Bennett Sherry and four from Nick Wurm.

Awak Machar was a man possessed for Woodville and sealed the win with those free throws. He finished with 37 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on 12/20 shooting from the field, 4/6 from three-point land and 9/12 at the foul line.

He had plenty of support too with Joe Jackson providing 15 points and five rebounds with Sherry contributing 15 points, nine boards, five blocks and four assists, and Wurm 12 points and 12 assists.

It's a first loss as defending champions for the Bearcats in their home opener with Braelen Bridges still strong with 25 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 10/13 field goal shooting.

Nik DeSantis was playing his first home game on return after two years with the Geraldton Buccaneers of the NBL1 West to deliver 17 points, five rebounds and five steals.

Sean Stock also finished with 13 points on 5/7 shooting with Anok Magot ending up with 11 points and five rebounds on 3/4 three-point shooting, and Tom Kubank 10 points, seven assists and six boards.

The Bearcats made a strong start and opened up a 10-point advantage lead in the first term but Woodville worked back into it to cut that advantage to 27-25 by quarter-time for the home side.

The Warriors managed to get rolling throughout the second frame to outscore the Bearcats 25 points to 22. That saw the visitors go into half-time leading 50-49 as a result.

West Adelaide worked back on top with a dominant third quarter with 24 points to 15 to be leading by eight at three quarter-time and having been up by as much as 14 following an 11-0 scoring run.

The Bearcats were back out to a 10-point lead early in the fourth, but the Warriors were a team on a mission. When Joe Jackson scored with 4:45 to go, the visitors were back within a solitary point.

Braelen Bridges restored West Adelaide to a three-point lead, but then Warrior turned the game on its head with the next nine points starting from Jackson before Awak Machar scored on an offensive rebound to put his team in front.

By the time Bennett Sherry scored on yet another turnover from the Bearcats, the Warriors were up by six with two minutes to play but the Bearcats hit back once more with a triple from Anok Magot.

Bridges then scored after a steal to level scores up, but with 1.4 seconds to go Machar was fouled at the rim. He was calm in knocking down the pair of free throws to win the game for Woodville to lead to some wild celebrations with the road win.

The Bearcats remain at home on Good Friday to take on the Forestville Eagles while the Warriors are in action the night before hosting the Sturt Sabres.

NBL CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ROUND 2

WEST ADELAIDE BEARCATS 85 (Bridges 25, DeSantis 17, Stock 13)

WOODVILLE WARRIORS 87 (Machar 37, Jackson 15, Sherry 15)