Central Wrap | Women's Round 3

Featured image: Sonya Connor Photography

Tiahna Sears, Katia Stamatelopoulos, Jhazmin Joson, Dara Mabrey and Morgan Yaeger were Easter Round NBL1 Central standouts while Central Districts Lions, Sturt Sabres, Southern Tigers, South Adelaide Panthers and West Adelaide Bearcats were winners.

>> CENTRAL SPOTLIGHT | BEARCATS HAMMER EAGLES ON GOOD FRIDAY

>> CENTRAL SPOTLIGHT | SABRES BEAT WARRIORS IN GF REMATCH

>> CENTRAL WRAP | WOMEN'S ROUND 2

THURSDAY

Central Districts Lions (119) defeated Eastern Mavericks (89)

Tiahna Sears dominated with 25 points and 15 rebounds and the Central Districts Lions opened their account for 2026 with the thumping 119-89 home win over the Eastern Mavericks.

The Lions had lost their first two games of the season by a combined 65 points to the Southern Tigers and Sturt Sabres as they hosted the 1-1 Mavericks at STARplex.

It was a scorching start from both teams with scores tied at 32-32 by quarter-time but the Lions kept that pace going with another 30 points to 18 in the second frame, and then another 57 to 39 in the second half for the commanding 30-point home victory.

Central Districts ended up going 37/44 at the free-throw line in the win including Sears shooting 10/13 from the stripe on her way to 25 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Emily Winter added 25 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two assists on 11/11 free-throw shooting with Bethany Harrap adding 16 points and three rebounds, Grace Stone 14 points and four assists, Grace Facchini 13 points, and Alana Howden 13 points and four assists.

The Mavericks did also go 17/24 at the foul line themselves with Bella Schaftenaar finishing with 25 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Annalise Watkinson provided 13 points, Brooklyn Rewers 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Kedeisha Kartinyeri 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Woodville Warriors (56) lost to Sturt Sabres (79)

The Sturt Sabres continue to chase that elusive championship and have made the perfect start to 2026 with the 79-56 grand final rematch win against the Woodville Warriors.

The Easter Thursday match up took place at St Clair Recreation Centre as the two teams renewed hostilities from last year's NBL1 Central grand final which saw the Warriors knock off the Sabres.

It was a third grand final defeat for Sturt in the past four years and they have come into 2026 again on a mission having won their first two matches on arrival to see the Warriors raise that championship banner in front of them.

Sturt made a flying start on the back of that to lead 11-2. Then the Sabres scored the first 10 points of the second half on the way to the eventual 23-point victory to improve to 3-0 to start 2026.

Katia Stamatelopoulos was outstanding in the win for the Sabres with 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals with 8/11 shooting from the field and 3/5 from downtown.

Tayla Brazel added 18 points, five rebounds and five assists while Nicola Mathews delivered 17 points, nine boards and eight assists, and Meg Prosser 14 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Woodville are now 1-2 on the season following the loss in their first home game of 2026 with Lealani Falatea top-scoring with 16 points, five rebounds and four steals despite shooting 5/21 from the field.

Naomi Allotey added 10 points and three rebounds while Brittany Hodges did have 10 points, four rebounds and two steals but her night was made a misery by the Sabres defence. She shot just 2/8 while having four turnovers and being -22 in 22:35.

North Adelaide Rockets (49) lost to Southern Tigers (61)

Jhazmin Joson showed why she was a key off-season recruit for the Southern Tigers leading them to the 61-49 road win against the North Adelaide Rockets.

The Tigers were attempting to bounce back from last week's loss to the Norwood Flames after a first up win over the Central Districts Lions while the Rockets were still chasing a first win of 2026 when they locked horns at The Lights.

The Rockets started well enough to be up four after one but the Tigers had worked on top 32-29 by half-time and then put up 18 points to eight in the third quarter to set up the eventual 12-point victory.

After playing the past two seasons in the NBL1 West firstly with the Goldfields Giants and then the Joondalup Wolves, Joson has come to the Tigers for this season. She was tremendous in the win with 18 points, three rebounds and two steals.

Mollie McKendrick also had 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Holly Forbes 10 points, 10 boards, four steals and two assists.

Maddy Freer top-scored for North Adelaide with 10 points, 12 rebounds and four steals with Sarah Warner contributing nine points, five boards and two assists, and Jordyn Freer six points, three rebounds and three steals.

South Adelaide Panthers (76) defeated Norwood Flames (72)

The South Adelaide Panthers withstood another 24 points from Dara Mabrey to score the 76-72 win in what could be their last ever game at Marion Basketball Stadium against the Norwood Flames.

South Adelaide had come into the match up having split their opening two match ups as had Norwood to start the 2026 season, and it was a tight battle for the first half.

The Panthers were up just one at quarter-time and still by one at the half before outscoring the Flames 21 points to 14 in the third frame.

South Adelaide held on for the four-point win from there with Keira Gardiner delivering 19 points, eight rebounds, five steals, three blocks and two assists on 6/8 shooting from the field and 7/10 at the foul line.

Daisy Hocking added 16 points, five rebounds and two steals, Aimee Brett 13 points and two boards, and Hannah Gardiner six points, 12 rebounds and two steals.

Dara Mabrey shone again for Norwood despite the loss with 24 points, five rebounds and two assists with Amy Cotton adding 14 points, five boards, three assists and two steals, Caitlin Shillabeer nine points and four rebounds, Maddy Hinton nine points, and Cali Clark seven points and 16 rebounds.

GOOD FRIDAY

West Adelaide Bearcats (82) defeated Forestville Eagles (54)

The West Adelaide Bearcats made it three straight wins to open the season with a dominant Good Friday showing at home beating the Forestville Eagles 82-54.

Coming off the first up wins against the North Adelaide Rockets and Woodville Warriors, West Adelaide kept the momentum going and already had a double-figure lead by quarter-time before leading by as much as 30 on the afternoon before winning by 28.

Five West Adelaide players ended up scoring in double-figures with Morgan Yaeger again showing the way with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists to be +27 in her 28 minutes.

Chloe Hodges also ended up with 18 points, five rebounds and three steals on 8/11 field goal shooting with Molly Coleman adding 17 points, five boards and three assists with 2/3 shooting from three-point range.

Ashlee Strawbridge also had 11 points, six rebounds and two steals, and Coco Hodges 10 points, five boards, two assists and two steals.

It was a Good Friday to forget for Forestville with Sam Simons top-scoring with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists while Sarah Boothe battled hard for 17 points and 13 rebounds despite shooting 6/16 from the field and 4/11 at the foul line.

That pair also combined for 12 of the Eagles' 21 turnovers while Rachael King did pull down 12 rebounds to go with five points.