Central Spotlight | Sabres dominate Rockets to stay perfect

Featured image: @snapshotphotography3 / Snap Shot Photography

The Sturt Sabres maintained their status as the last remaining men's NBL1 Central team yet to lose in 2026 with a commanding home performance on Friday night to beat the North Adelaide Rockets 114-92.

The Sabres put their unbeaten record on the line against the Rockets at Springbank Secondary College in the lone NBL1 Central match up and were never really threatened from the outset.

Sturt would end up leading by as much as 29 points on the way to the eventual 22-point victory to improve to the perfect 5-0 record with this result the biggest of those victories as they look to make up for missing the finals in 2025.

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Sturt improved to the perfect 5-0 record on the season with Luke Pfitzner having all 22 of his points to three quarter-time to go with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals on 9/14 shooting and being +26.

Jarryd Hoppo also delivered 20 points and seven rebounds with 3/6 three-point shooting, Josh Tomasi 19 points, nine boards, five assists and two steals, Jacob Rigoni 11 points, five assists, three rebounds and two blocks, and Hayden Meakes 10 points and two blocked shots.

North Adelaide are now 1-4 on the season following the fourth straight defeat with Oskar Jones top-scoring with 20 points, four steals, three rebounds and two rebounds with 7/10 free-throw shooting.

Baxter MacDonald added 18 points and four rebounds, Joel Dyer 14 points, four boards and two steals, Burke Smith 13 points, 15 rebounds and four assists, and Miller Drewett 10 points, seven boards and two assists.

Sturt came into the match up on their home floor the lone remain undefeated men's team and weren’t too interested in that changing with Jacob Rigoni continuing his hot form with eight points in the first quarter.

That helped the Sabres to the 33-19 lead by quarter-time on the back of shooting 63 per cent from the field opposed to the 43 from the Rockets who also had five turnovers to also enable Sturt to the five extra shot attempts.

Sturt remained in control in the second period and that lead got out to as much as 29 points prior to half-time before North Adelaide were able to go on a 7-0 scoring run.

The Sabres remained in charge at the break leading 62-42 still shooting 56 per cent to 37 while also having nine offensive rebounds and forcing the Rockets into 11 turnovers on the way to getting to the foul line 11 more times.

Rigoni might not have added to his eight points but he was a +16 in the first half while Josh Tomasi had 14 points.

There would be no signs of a real fightback from North Adelaide throughout the second half with Sturt retaining control to extend the lead to 25 at three quarter-time, and still to go on to win by 22 to stay undefeated so far in 2026.

The Sabres now won't play again until next Friday night at home to the Southern Tigers before backing up on Anzac Day against the Eastern Mavericks with the Rockets playing on Anzac Day too next Saturday hosting the Woodville Warriors.

NBL1 CENTRAL 2026 SEASON | ROUND 5

STURT SABRES 114 (Pfitzner 22, Hoppo 20, Tomasi 19)

NORTH ADELAIDE ROCKETS 92 (Jones 20, MacDonald 18, Dyer 14)