Saturday April 24, 8:15pm at Wayville

Two years doesn’t yet make it a tradition, but this Forestville v Centrals Anzac clash may be worth more to both clubs than your average minor round game.

For Forestville, the game is a chance to prove that they deserve to be considered in the top bracket of teams fighting for this year’s premiership, despite early losses to North and Sturt. For Centrals, it is a chance to prove that they are a legitimate chance to improve on last year’s result and reach the finals, despite their 1 and 5 record.

Forestville sees itself in slightly unfamiliar territory, having lost two of its first six games for the first time since 2007. The Eagles are a vastly different team to 2009, the toughest loss being centre Peter Hoban, and with Doug MacDonald-Taylor struggling with injury, the Eagles are finding it difficult to guard opposition bigs.

Against North, they had no answer for Nick Hambour, whose points all came from inside the key. Against Sturt, Jacob Holmes torched them for 18 first half points, with all his baskets also coming from inside the key. Potential NBL prospect Riley Luettgerodt would probably be a shooting guard at that level, but is regularly required to defend centres for Forestville and it is no secret among coaches that your best chance against the Eagles is to get the ball inside. On the perimeter, Forestville have fared better, and in addition to Luettegerodt have uncovered lefty shooting guard Nick Blair who has scored 24 and 20 in his last two games.

The good news for Scott Whitmore is that Centrals do have a post target in 6’8” Wade Pidock. Pidock started the season slowly but has scored 17 and 20 in his last few games. Whitmore commented on Coast FM this week that Pidock appears to making the adjustment to a league which is shorter and less physical than the US college system. If he continues that improvement this week, he may be a handful for Luettgerodt and Luke Hoban.

Centrals’ sole victory was against a North team that was leading the competition at the time. It came on the back of some hot shooting from Matt Atkins who went 5 for 6 from the three point line, and some cool-headed play down the stretch from Matt Clarke. The Lions need both Matts firing to be able to post a competitive score against Forestville, who have a history of scoring high totals against Centrals (112 and 138 in two 48 minute games last year).