Central Wrap | Men's Round 7

Featured image: @snapshotphotography3 / Snap Shot Photography

Jeremy Smith had a performance for the ages for South Adelaide Panthers, Jordan Forbes had the first triple double in NBL1 Central for Forestville Eagles and DJ Vasiljevic shot Sturt Sabres to overtime win to keep them undefeated in 2026.

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Woodville Warriors (97) lost to South Adelaide Panthers (107)

Jeremy Smith produced a performance for the ages missing just two shots on his way to 44 points to lead the South Adelaide Panthers to a sixth straight win beating the Woodville Warriors 107-97.

The Warriors were back home at St Clair Recreation Centre looking for their own third straight victory up against a Panthers team having won five in-a-row after losing the first two of 2026.

Woodville went up five early but South Adelaide responded with an 11-0 run and led 25-23 by quarter-time.

The Panthers were then leading 49-44 by half-time and then put up 30 points to 20 in the third term to push out to a 20-point advantage and to score the 10-point win to improve to 6-2 with the sixth consecutive win.

It was a spectacular performance by Jeremy Smith for South Adelaide finishing with 44 points, six rebounds and six assists on a scorching 19/21 shooting from the field and 5/7 at the free-throw line while playing all 40 minutes.

Rio Bruton added 20 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks, Lloyd McVeigh 14 points, seven boards and four assists, Yevgen Sakniuk 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, and Koby Moir 11 points, four boards and three assists.

The Warriors are now 5-3 following the loss with Nick Wurm delivering 31 points, three rebounds and three assists with 6/11 three-point shooting while Uzoma Dibiamaka had another 24 points, five assists and three boards with 4/9 from downtown.

Joe Jackson also had 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals, and Leverenzel Booth Jr pulled down 14 rebounds.

Sturt Sabres (100) defeated Norwood Flames (98)

DJ Vasiljevic made a stunning debut with the Sturt Sabres with the shot to get the game to overtime and then having 34 points and six three-pointers in the eventual 100-98 win over the Norwood Flames.

On the back of playing at the Forestville Eagles on that star-studded team last year and then being part of the Adelaide 36ers' Grand Final run in the NBL, and now signing at the New Zealand Breakers for NBL27, Vasiljevic pulled on a Sabres uniform for the first time at Springbank Secondary College.

They put their unbeaten record on the line too against the Flames who were trying to avoid a third straight defeat and the two teams put on quite the show.

Sturt were leading 28-20 by quarter-time and then still 47-37 by half-time, but then Norwood fired up in the third period with 31 points to 22, and found themselves in front briefly in the last term.

A huge three ball from Inady Legiste looked like it could be the game winner when it gave the Flames a three-point lead but the Sabres had one last possession and Vasiljevic drained the triple to send the game to overtime.

Then in the extra period, Norwood again started on fire with the first five points including another three ball from Legiste only for Vasiljevic and Jacob Rigoni to respond from downtown for Sturt.

Vasiljevic then scored in transition after a steal to put the Sabres in front and eventually he hit another three late to restore the Sabres to a three-point advantage that ended up sealing the deal.

The Sabres are now 8-0 with Vasiljevic delivering 34 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists with 6/11 three-point shooting.

Rigoni added 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Josh Tomasi 16 points, 11 boards and four assists, Luke Pfitzner 14 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Seb Griffin seven points, 10 assists and nine boards.

There was a lot to like from Norwood even if they've now lost three in-a-row to be 3-5 with Thomas Kurowski exciting with 30 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and two assists on 12/21 field goal shooting with some spectacular finishes in transition.

Inady Legiste added 18 points, 14 rebounds and two assists, Cooper Osborne 15 points, six boards, five assists and three steals, and Daniel Webber eight points.

Eastern Mavericks (101) defeated West Adelaide Bearcats (85)

Both teams were in need of a win to stay in touch with the top five and it was the Eastern Mavericks n the back of a combined 47 points from Curtis Scott and BJ Symons who got the job done beating the West Adelaide Bearcats 101-85.

The Mavs were back home at St Francis de Sales Community Sports Centre trying to snap a four-game losing as they hosted the reigning champs still trying to build some momentum into their title defence.

It was the Mavericks getting the better of the start with 28 points to 20 in the first quarter and that lead got out to 11 in the second term before the Bearcats fired back to make it a one-point game by half-time.

The Mavs once more took over in the second half with 55 points to 40 and to lead by 16 and end up winning by that margin to improve to 3-5 having snapped a four-game losing slide.

Curtis Scott finished with 24 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals with BJ Symons contributing 23 points, seven boards and four assists on 9/11 field goal shooting and going 5/6 from the foul line.

Dylan Marshall was +21 in his 29 minutes for 11 points, four rebounds and three steals with Christian Peevy delivering 17 points, five boards, four assists and four steals, Harry Morris 10 points and three rebounds, and Jackson Bowden 10 points and four boards.

The Bearcats are now 2-6 as reigning champs with Braelen Bridges finishing with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists on 9/10 shooting from the floor and 5/5 at the foul line.

De'Sean Parsons also had a big performance for 19 points, 17 rebounds and 10/15 free-throw shooting with Nik DeSantis finishing with 22 points, Sean Stock 12 points, four rebounds and two steals, and Tom Kubank nine points, four assists and three boards.

Central Districts Lions (92) lost to North Adelaide Rockets (98)

The North Adelaide Rockets withstood 28 points and 14 rebounds from Deng Manyang to snap their losing run with the 98-92 road victory against the Central Districts Lions.

The Lions were back home at STARplex trying to avoid a third consecutive loss with the Rockets hunting a second win of 2026.

It was a scorching start at home from Central Districts with 35 points to 27 and they had led by as much as 13, and still by half-time the home team was clinging to the 53-50 lead.

It was still a two-point edge by three quarter-time the way of Centrals but then North Adelaide took over in the last term with 28 points to 20 on the way to the drought breaking six-point victory.

The Rockets snapped their four-game losing run to improve to 2-6 with Kaden Archie delivering 25 points, four rebounds and two assists on 9/16 field goal shooting and going 7/9 at the free-throw line.

Oskar Jones added 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while making all eight free-throw attempts with Machar Machar contributing 20 points, five boards and four steals, and Burke Smith 17 points and nine rebounds.

Centrals have now lost three straight to be 2-6 as well with Deng Manyang finishing with 28 points and 14 rebounds including eight at the offensive end on 11/18 field goal shooting.

Koen Sapwell added 18 points, four rebounds and four assists, Clayton Jewell 12 points, 15 boards, three blocks and two assists, and Magok Manyang 12 points, three rebounds and two steals.

Southern Tigers (84) lost to Forestville Eagles (98)

Jordan Forbes had a triple double, Greg Mays a double double, Adam Doyle hit four triples and the Forestville Eagles made it four consecutive wins beating the Southern Tigers 98-84.

The Tigers were back home at Morphett Vale Basketball Stadium after beating the West Adelaide Bearcats on Anzac Day while the Eagles arrived on a three-match winning run having lost just once in 2026.

The Eagles were then leading the Tigers all evening and continued to build on their advantage with it getting out to as much as 20 points on the way to the 14-point win with their big guns all delivering strong showings.

The win is a fourth in-a-row for Forestville as they improve to 7-1 while the Tigers are 2-6.

Forbes delivered a triple double in the win for Forestville with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals on 10/19 shooting from the floor.

Mays also provided 20 points and 10 rebounds, Daniel Johnson 17 points, four boards and four assists, and Doyle 14 points with 4/8 three-point shooting.

Alex Starling also ended up with eight points, 14 rebounds and four assists, and Fiston Ipassou 10 points, two boards and two steals.

The Tigers did their best to stick with the Eagles and Devin Fortune was leading their charge and ended up with 24 points, 12 rebounds and two assists on 10/16 shooting from the floor and 3/6 from three-point range.

Koop McCalop added 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Tigers, Che Brogan 14 points, eight assists and seven boards, Manny Wugol 12 points and an assist, and Nick Logan nine points and two assists.