3
Aug
Central Prelims
Sturt vs West Adelaide Grand Final is Tayla-made
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Sturt Sabres Tayla Brazel. Photo: Jaidyn Maidment.
Highlights
Jordan Forbes and Tayla Brazel starred as Eagles and Sturt secured NBL1 Central Grand Final places
- Jordan Forbes had 27 points and 10 rebounds as Forestville beat Central Districts 95-84.
- Forestville collected 34 offensive rebounds and committed only six turnovers.
- Tayla Brazel scored 17 points as Sturt defeated Norwood 72-51 in the women’s preliminary final.
Forestville's Jordan Forbes powered the Eagles into the 2026 NBL1 Central Men's Grand Final on the back of a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double in their preliminary final win against Central Districts.
The Eagles won 95-84 at the State Basketball Centre on Saturday, August 1, 2026, on the floor where this same fixture ended their season a year ago.
West Adelaide beat Forestville 97-95 in the 2025 preliminary final, a game of 12 lead changes that Lat Mayen decided with 31 points and 7-from-9 from three.
Forestville led 34-16 at quarter-time, 51-34 at the main break, and were still 18 up with a quarter to play.
Greg Mays added 24 points and 10 rebounds on 10-from-19, and captain Adam Doyle scored 20 without missing a free throw, all 10 of them.
Alexander Starling didn't shoot it well, 1-from-9 for four points, and still finished with 11 rebounds, seven assists and six steals.
The Eagles shot 35.4 per cent and won by 11 because they took 96 shots to Central Districts' 68, pulled 34 offensive rebounds, and turned it over six times against the Lions' 17.
Koen Sapwell top-scored for Central Districts with 25 points on 8-from-20. Jayden Seymour had 20 points and eight rebounds on 8-from-13, and Magok Manyang went 5-from-6 for 12.
The Lions are coached by Rupert Sapwell and captained by Kalani Sapwell.
Central Districts shot 60.5 per cent inside the arc and 45.6 per cent overall, and won the final quarter 23-16.
Sturt's Tayla Brazel carried the Sabres into the 2026 NBL1 Central Women's Grand Final with 17 points and eight rebounds in a 72-51 win against Norwood Flames at Springbank Secondary College.
Norwood trailed 38-21 at half-time and won the third quarter 19-9 to get within seven, then managed 11 points in the last quarter.
Sturt closed the game 25-11.
Katia Stamatelopoulos scored 13, captain Zoe Walker-Roberts 11 on 4-from-8, and Meg Prosser 10 on 4-from-6. Nicola Mathews had eight points and six assists.
Cali Clark top-scored in the game with 18 points and 11 rebounds on 7-from-14, and Allysyn Becki added 11 with five made free throws.
The Flames turned it over 18 times. Sturt turned it over seven.
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