Smith leads unbeaten Sturt as Central race tightens

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Jeremy Smith and Sturt are unbeaten and in control, even with Daniel Johnson keeping Forestville top after Round 5 in the 2026 NBL1 Central Men's Conference.

Forestville sits first at 5–1, but Sturt is the team setting the pace.

The Sabres are 5–0 with a game in hand. They haven’t dropped one yet, and right now that matters more than ladder position.

The pack is forming behind them

Woodville, South Adelaide and Norwood are all 3–2.

There’s nothing between them. No clear third team yet — just a group trying to stack wins and stay close to the top.

One good weekend moves you up. One bad one drops you back.

South Adelaide made the biggest statement

South Adelaide made the biggest statement of the round, blowing out Southern Tigers 118–90 to win its third straight.

After starting 0–2, they’ve steadied quickly and now look like one of the form teams in the competition.

South Adelaide 118 def. Southern Tigers 90 – Watch the Replay

South Adelaide broke it open in the third quarter, outscoring Southern 36–15 after leading by five at halftime.

Jeremy Smith had 32 points on 11-from-16 shooting and ran the game for four quarters.

Lloyd McVeigh added 31 points and 13 rebounds. Yevgen Sakhniuk finished with 21 points and nine boards.

The Panthers shot 55% from the field, had 26 assists, and won the glass 52–38.

Southern stayed with them early. Che Brogan had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Jarrod Molnar hit 6-of-8 from three for 20 points.

They couldn’t get stops in the second half.

Forestville keeps winning – and controlling games

Forestville won twice and controlled both games.

The 107–72 result against Central Districts showed the gap when they get on top early.

Forestville Eagles 107 def. Central Districts Lions 72 – Watch the Replay

Forestville led 34–17 after the first quarter and never looked back.

Daniel Johnson had 23 points and eight assists and set the tone.

Alexander Starling (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Greg Mays (18 points, nine rebounds) controlled the paint.

Forestville moved the ball (31 assists), forced 23 turnovers, and held Central to 35% shooting.

Central had moments. Koen Sapwell scored 17. Deng Manyang had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

They couldn’t stay with them after the first quarter.

Central Districts is slipping

At 2–4, Central Districts is starting to fall behind.

They’ve conceded 599 points — the most in the league — and aren’t getting stops when games turn.

Bottom group needs wins

North Adelaide, West Adelaide and Southern Tigers are all 1–4.

There’s time, but they need wins now.

What the round told us

• Sturt hasn’t slipped yet
• Forestville is the most consistent
• The middle group is still open
• A few teams are already chasing

You can see the shape of the ladder starting to form.

Round 6 Watchlist

Game of the Round

Norwood Flames vs Forestville Eagles

• Norwood gets a real test

Norwood win = they’re right there
Forestville win = gap starts to show

Momentum vs Response

Central Districts vs South Adelaide

• South Adelaide rolling
• Central needs to respond

Control Game

Eastern Mavericks vs Sturt Sabres

• Sturt still unbeaten

Watch, Not Lead

• ‍Sturt vs Southern Tigers
• West Adelaide vs Norwood

Only matter if something unexpected happens.

Round 6 Questions

• Can Sturt stay unbeaten?
• Can Forestville hold top spot?
• Who breaks from the 3–2 group?
• Is South Adelaide for real?
• Can Central Districts fix its defence?